Guidelines to the breeding of Boxers. 

The South Wales Boxer Club is very concerned with the number of litters of puppies for sale in the area and the number of dogs being placed on rescue. So, before deciding that you want to breed a litter or have your dog used at stud, please carefully consider the following guidelines. 

These have been agreed by the committee to try to arrest the spread of indiscriminate breeding in the club’s area.

Why are you planning this litter?

Did the vet recommend that a litter would be good for your bitch, or did you need a new carpet, Holliday or to make extra money?

None of the above reasons are valid for producing puppies. Your bitch does not need a litter, she is your loved pet and should not be exposed to the problems, pain or death that could result from breeding a litter. She is not a vehicle to produce you with money for material things, and very often if things do not go to plan, could cost you more in vet fees than you could make on the puppies, or die as mentioned before, leaving you to hand rear puppies. Do you have that skill?

If you are planning a litter for either pet or show purposes, take great care in the choice of stud dog. Is he a good specimen of the breed, does he have a good temperament? Is he heart tested? 

Have your bitch heart tested by a heart testing panel vet and scored. If she scores more than 2 you are advised not to breed from her, should she score a 2, then you are advised only to use a 0 or 1 scoring dog. 

Have you the time to give approx. 4 months care to your bitch (from mating to selling the puppies? Do you have the facilities to keep puppies should they not sell by the optimum time of 7 – 8 weeks? It has been known for puppies to be four months before going to permanent homes. Can you take back puppies should they be returned for whatever reason? You are responsible for the puppies’ lives and therefore must be responsible for all of it.

When you register your puppies’ place an endorsement on the registration papers “Not to be bred from “ this will ensure that they do not fall into the hands of the irresponsible, and can be removed by the breeder at a future date if necessary. 

Have a contract, signed by both parties regarding sale and any irregularities at time of sale. i.e. only one descended testicle in males, unpigmented third eyelids. This is an age where many seek litigation and you need to be vigilante. 

Always supply a diet sheet and useful information regarding the puppy along with the registration document and certified pedigree. 

Always remember that it’s your name and reputation that is carried on each puppy. Guard that by ensuring that each one is a good specimen of the breed, and is heart scored 0 or 1, dogs with a heart score of 2 may only be used on bitches with a lower score. 

If you own a pet male, who will not get more than the odd stud in his lifetime, don’t use him at all. What he does not know he will not miss, studwork can change a dog’s whole personality. It is also not unheard of for dogs to pick up infection from mating a bitch, which could be fatal or at least render him sterile.  

If you do own a good specimen, with a good heart score, then be selective about the bitches you let your dog mate. If the bitch hasn’t been heart scored, insist that she is at least heart tested by the owners vet before the mating takes place. Is she a good specimen of the breed? Has she a good temperament? If not then refuse the stud, because should the puppies not be good specimens then your dog will be noted as their sire. Make the same recommendations regarding endorsing the registration papers as suggested for the bitch owners, and try to see that all the fore mentioned details are adhered to by the bitch owner. 

Always ask novice owners their reasons for wanting the litter, and whether they can give the time and the necessary commitment to having a litter of puppies. Before the mating takes place, so that you do not add to the indiscriminate breeding. 

New Rules and Regulations from the Kennel Club / Government Legislation regarding Registration and Breeding. 

You may not register a litter from the same bitch within one year of her previous litter. 

If you have several bitches you may only breed four litters per year without having a Breeders licence. 

If you have a breeders licence you may not sell puppies under eight weeks of age. 

N.B.    The Kennel Club also does not recommend bitches sold on breeding terms. If you have sold any on terms they still come into the four-litter rule as above if still in your name.