Breeding and Puppy Care

A dog's relatively short life (the typical life span is just over 12 years) is the cause of the greatest sadness we have as dog owners.

With purebreds in particular, breeding creates a continuity, almost an immortality. Second, breeding is "natural" - a dog should have the "right" to breed. We transpose our ethical values onto our dogs.

Our attitude to breeding is influenced by our ethnic origins, our religious values, or the country in which we live.

Responsible dog breeding is a core area of concern within animal welfare and animal rights movements, with concerned individuals taking diametrically opposing views.

Letting a dog have pups is a beautiful ideal. I go through this dilemma each time a new dog enters my home: deciding whether or not to let her breed.