AKC Gazette Articles

May 2003

This is a continuation of the November breeding column.

Pre Breeding Tests, Part 2

Tests for the Breeder

            Each puppy in a litter is the responsibility of the breeder from the moment of conception until its last day on earth.  This means you need space in your life for those Salukis whose perfect home becomes less so when they are far beyond puppy stage.  Will you have room for them, even after they’ve been neutered?  Do your long range breeding plans include a litter every 2-3 years, and have you made plans for the return of each puppy from each litter?

            If you feel Bred by Exhibitor is the most important class at a dog show, ask yourself what you will do with the less than glamorous puppies in your litter.  If your venue of choice is coursing, where will you place the Saluki that bears no ill will toward plastic bags, and would as soon play with a bunny as chase it?  And if you gravitate toward the obedience ring with your Saluki, you already know what to do with the Saluki that “takes a message and might get back to you.”  What would you do with a whole litter of obstreperous, loud mouthed, defiant hounds?

            Do you have alternate plans if all your homes are for bitches and you have mostly dog puppies?

            Long range planning out of the way, what about short term?  Most Salukis whelp easily, with little assistance from their person of choice.  What if your Saluki decides not to whelp naturally - are you ready for a caesarian?  Are you ready, in time as well as finances, to supplement feed or completely hand raise a litter?  Barring complications, you need to plan 3-4 days off work for the whelping and settling in of a new litter.  Someone should be on hand full time for the first week, then available several times a day for the next couple of months.

            IF you have homes for all the puppies except the ones you plan to keep, they won’t be leaving before ten-twelve weeks, which means multiple feedings and clean up for 3-4 months.  Those puppies staying with you will continue to need extra attention for the next year or two, and any “extras” will need the same amount of attention as your “keepers.”  Are you ready for this amount of need time?

            Test yourself further, with your choice of breeding partners.  Are you breeding for emotional reasons, or because your Saluki is the last of a bloodline that might have peaked several generations ago?  Is the chosen sire one you have in your back yard, or one your friend owns?  Or are you breeding to combine illustrious show or coursing careers, without taking into account the effort expended by the people who propelled those big winners into the limelight?

            You need to take all these tests, for yourself and your Salukis, before you make the decision to breed a litter. The Saluki Club Of America takes the stand that these questions should be asked of the stud owner as well.  No breeding should ever be accepted unless the stud owner believes it is in the best interest of the breed as well as the best possible breeding for both sire and dam.  If for some reason the breeder cannot take back a puppy, the stud owner should be willing to assume this responsibility.

Monica Stoner
PO Box 2164
West Covina, CA  91793-2164