First litter, nervous....help?

You don't have a mentor?  Have you considered using WhelpWise (http://www.whelpwise.com/)?  They are experienced in the remote monitoring of whelping females.  Their monitoring service includes the lease of a uterine contraction monitor and an ultrasound Doppler for use in your home.

One of our forum members said that she would never again whelp a litter without WhelpWise.  She credits them for saving some of her pups.  Unfortunately I can't seem to find the thread.  A search on "WhelpWise" just gives me an error message.

Xeph

I don't speak legalese.

Callie is a legal secretary and I bet she could answer your questions about legalese.

Hey Xeph...

It is daunting and exciting all at once isn't it? I would say to find someone in any large breed and ask them to give you advice. They may even be close enough to come over and help out. There are also Canine Midwives if you ask around that can be hired....

It's really...exhausting. If I had to choose one word it would be that. The whole waiting thing and then the build up once her temp drops and you wait and wait...it's so tiring.

 I do have to say check the Doberman Clubs site. They have some of THE most comprehensive links and articles I have found ANYWHERE..and I have them bookmarked. From the breedin itself to the whelp....als order Myra Savant Harris's whelping/warming box kit...and join her forum...I can get you the link if you can't suss it out on YahooGroups. Think there's a link from her webpage. She is a Toy person but she know her stuff when it comes to pups, whelping, and neonates. I'd advise attending one of her seminars if you can, as well...at some point.

Right now I would really just concentrate on the breeding itself....when she will come in...how you will be handling the actual mating...AI or natural, who will be there to help with that...if you will be doing progesterone testing or etc. If both are maiden the breeding itself can be a source of many stumbling blocks. It's easier if one or both know the drill already

Do it in steps...get her bred and don't think about litter stuff until that is DONE. Get her thru the pregnancy...concentrate on what you feed, her exercise regimen, keeping her healthy and watching for signs that the breeding took. After all if that does not happen...you are back to square one.

Once you KNOW she is expecting you simply gather the things you will need and make a plan of where she will whelp, in what, arrange your time off if you need to, get your handy numbers, etc.

But really right now? Just handle the breeding itself...get thru that and keep the rest out of your mind. It's simpler that way.

I'm guessing you took the bitch with the awful call name?

 

I have no advice, just a good luck and how exciting!!! What a fun, scary place to be in.

You don't have a mentor?

Welcome to German Shepherd Dogs.  It's kind of a sink or swim breed.

I have a couple of mentors...people that have whelped litters...but none will be available to me (locale wise) when she whelps.

I'm guessing you took the bitch with the awful call name?

IMO, they both had awful call names (Sabrina and Sara...I'm taking Sara, who I call Delphi).

The breeding will be a natural cover, done by the breeder with the use of her stud dog.  The bitch is a maiden bitch, the stud has sired a litter or two.

Thank you for the advice Gina.  I've read so much material, in books, and forums, and experienced a few births and definitely watched nursings, and even done bottle feedings....but it is much different when you're whelping your own 

Callie is a legal secretary and I bet she could answer your questions about legalese.

Thank you.  I know what I want my contract to have IN it...but wording it?  Not a clue.

I don't know how much the wording for these sorts of contracts even matters since many of them won't actually hold up in court anyway since a dog is property and basically, if it belongs to you, you can really do what you want regardless of what the breeder has in mind (again, I'm NOT advocating this, just sayin'....).

True, but powerful wording "scares" people, and in the event I may have sold to a less than stellar home, maybe it will at least make them think twice...

I don't even write my contracts til I know to who and where they are going. Too much needs to be specifically dealt with I've found. Once I have that info I just word it simply and keep it simple in general. Just easier that way for me.

Xeph

I have my first litter planned for late this year. Do you have any suggestions for an expectant grandma?  The bitch hasn't even come into season yet, but this litter is happening for sure....and the second litter is 99% sure.

  Does the bitch come from lines with good reprodutive health? By that I mean that the bitches tend to conceive easily, stay pregnant, whelp at least average sized litters naturally and are good mothers. If close relatives have had issues with reproductive health, there is a much higher risk your bitch will too.

 For contracts, simple is better IMO. As has been mentioned, they don't really hold up in court anyway. And putting tons of restrictions on what people can and can't do with their puppy tends to just create barriers between the owner and breeder. I also tend to alter contracts to fit the home but if you feel you can't put together one that sounds right, contact a lawyer for help.

 Put ads up for the litter early on to generate interest. The idea that the litter is all spoken for before being born is often a bit of a misconception. Just because people are interested, doesn't mean there will be puppies to fit each of them. It is impossible to know exactly what you will get in a litter for gender, show potential or performance potential. And there will always be people who back out for whatever reason. Better to have too many people on your list and refer them to other breeders if you don't have a puppy for them.

 Is this the bitch you posted awhile back?

First a little off topic...is that Polly Smith(judge)??

I swear by contracts, it is the only thing to keep your friends your friends as well as allow you to make provisions when the puppy home isn't what you expected it to be. I also suggest a contract for the stud service, it helps you and the sire's owner know what is expected of the out come..singleton pups, money owed, pick pups etc

Breeding and whelping is scary. Books I'd suggest, Breeding for professonals all of the Myra Savant Harris books from breeding to puppy intensive care.  Every litter is different. I've just raised a singleton pup by tube feeding her for four weeks! Never thougt I'd be doing that in all the years I'd been breeding

Good luck and Gina and I can help answer questions you might have. I'm just not here as often as I used to be

 

Does the bitch come from lines with good reprodutive health? By that I mean that the bitches tend to conceive easily, stay pregnant, whelp at least average sized litters naturally and are good mothers.

She does and they do.  The only bitch that I believe would have had reproductive issues would be Gennie (Dallas daughter from the 90s), but I am 99.9% sure that was due to Jimmy having her on Check drops so long to keep her out of season so she could keep showing without going "bitch brained"

For contracts, simple is better IMO. As has been mentioned, they don't really hold up in court anyway. And putting tons of restrictions on what people can and can't do with their puppy tends to just create barriers between the owner and breeder

It's not restrictions I'm interested in.  Not beyond the usual spay/neuter/return clauses.  What I'm interested are throwing in incentives for titles and OFAs.

Put ads up for the litter early on to generate interest. The idea that the litter is all spoken for before being born is often a bit of a misconception. Just because people are interested, doesn't mean there will be puppies to fit each of them. It is impossible to know exactly what you will get in a litter for gender, show potential or performance potential. And there will always be people who back out for whatever reason. Better to have too many people on your list and refer them to other breeders if you don't have a puppy for them.

Believe me...I have overflow, even if people back out (both "YAY!" and "o.O!";)

Is this the bitch you posted awhile back?

The one I posted just a couple weeks ago, Delphi :)

First a little off topic...is that Polly Smith(judge)??

No clue

Thank you RW and Gina for the future whelping advice.  I feel really jittery about it....I've had people after me for literal years for puppies...they've waited 5 for a puppy of my breeding, and I'm still a "nobody" in GSDs.  I'm nervous all around

Nervous for the breeding to go well, the pregnancy to go well, the whelping to go well....I'm nervous about producing health/temperament issues in my first litter, even though I know the dogs to be sound.  I'm worried about matching someone with the wrong puppy, or picking the wrong home.

Man....I think I'm a wreck now x.x  Geez

Xeph

Does the bitch come from lines with good reprodutive health? By that I mean that the bitches tend to conceive easily, stay pregnant, whelp at least average sized litters naturally and are good mothers.

She does and they do.  The only bitch that I believe would have had reproductive issues would be Gennie (Dallas daughter from the 90s), but I am 99.9% sure that was due to Jimmy having her on Check drops so long to keep her out of season so she could keep showing without going "bitch brained"

 I believe Mistique was never bred due to being on Cheque Drops for so long. It is done with specials at that level to keep them in full coat, as they don't tend to shed and will carry a thicker coat (also helps them keep good muscle mass).

xeph

For contracts, simple is better IMO. As has been mentioned, they don't really hold up in court anyway. And putting tons of restrictions on what people can and can't do with their puppy tends to just create barriers between the owner and breeder

It's not restrictions I'm interested in.  Not beyond the usual spay/neuter/return clauses.  What I'm interested are throwing in incentives for titles and OFAs.

 I had an interesting idea about getting owners to health test. I think in the future I will charge more for the puppy and say that the price includes health testing up to X amount (enough to get hips/elbows and eyes done for my breed). Then when the owners have it done at the appropriate age, I will just send them at money back.

 For the title refunds, just lift the wording off of other breeders contracts who do that.

[quote user ="xeph"] The one I posted just a couple weeks ago, Delphi :) [?quote]

  I missed seeing her! I was away at our National.

 

xeph

I feel really jittery about it....I've had people after me for literal years for puppies...they've waited 5 for a puppy of my breeding, and I'm still a "nobody" in GSDs.  I'm nervous all around

 That is great! I am curious how you got people interested in a puppy from your breeding before you had any breeding dogs? That is certainly unusual. As for producing sound dogs in health and temperament, if you breed dogs you will produce some that don't have the temperament you hoped for or have genetic health issues. You can't totally avoid producing HD if you are breeding GSDs, you can only do your best to breed dogs less likely to produce it. Come up with a plan for what you will do in the case that one of your puppies has less than ideal health or temperament. Often temperament issues are obvious at a younger age - For example I had one puppy who was extremely sound sensitive starting at 5 - 6 weeks old. He was actually placed in a show home with the new owner knowing in advance that he had issues. She got him over the issues with a lot of work and he has had success being shown as a special. For health issues, just be upfront about the potential risks and what you have done to minimize them.

 

That is great! I am curious how you got people interested in a puppy from your breeding before you had any breeding dogs?

Several things....they liked my ideas about dogs in general, and the more knowledgeable I became about Shepherds, the more interested in me they became.  They liked my ideas not only on dogs, but on my ideas (and ideals) of the breeding of GSDs.  Several people have met Strauss and liked him, several others have met Justin and liked him.  Neither dog is from a breeding of mine, but they are a testament to the hard work I put into my Shepherds, whether I own them, or they are a client dog.

That is certainly unusual.

I agree, but am glad for it. I have not interviewed everybody yet, and I do realize some of them may not be suitable for a Shepherd (at least not yet), but again, I am glad to have garnered such early (and long lasting) interest.

As for producing sound dogs in health and temperament, if you breed dogs you will produce some that don't have the temperament you hoped for or have genetic health issues. You can't totally avoid producing HD if you are breeding GSDs, you can only do your best to breed dogs less likely to produce it.

I know that if I breed long enough I will produce issues (and I will stand behind my dogs and my contract when it happens)....I'd just prefer it not happen in my very first litter.  The parents are health tested out the yang, but I know that it's not a guarantee...

Come up with a plan for what you will do in the case that one of your puppies has less than ideal health or temperament. Often temperament issues are obvious at a younger age - For example I had one puppy who was extremely sound sensitive starting at 5 - 6 weeks old. He was actually placed in a show home with the new owner knowing in advance that he had issues. She got him over the issues with a lot of work and he has had success being shown as a special. For health issues, just be upfront about the potential risks and what you have done to minimize them.

That's the plan :)

On the subject of Cheque drops, I think it is a damn shame that specialing Mystique took precedence over her being in the whelping box.  We all KNOW she was a winner and a beautiful bitch...so WHY didn't they let her reproduce it?  I wish there were something like her out there again, because what a disappointment.

And because you missed it before:

Oh, wow, she is stunning! Congratulations! I can't wait to see fat Mom pics, and baby pics I am one of those freaks that gets all mushy at puppy breath, when babies do nothing for me, LOL.