Breeding a chihuahua?

Question
Hello, we own an adorable chihuahua, she is 2 years old and less than three pounds, she is really sweet and we were considering breeding her to get a little darling as wonderful as her however my husband keeps insisting that if we do breed her even with a small dog she will die in childbirth because she is so tiny, I was thinking of fattening her up beforehand but our precious is a finicky eater and I doubt she will get any bigger, I would love another little love like her but I rather not if there is a chance we could loose her, any ideas?

Answer
The answer is simple but very complicated too. My professional recommendation is NO for several reasons:
1. There is a serious problem with pet-overpopulation in the United States with about 70,000 puppies and kittens born everyday.
2. Only two out of ten animals will find a really good home despite the best effort!
3. Of the twenty million animals that end up in shelters or the pound 25% plus are "purebreds."
4. Purebred breeding is very complicated. Here are some of the questions to ask to see if you should consider breeding your dog:

a) Is your dog a purebred from a reputable breeder?
b) Did you purchase the dog from the breeder?
c) Do you have a 5 (five) generation pedigree for YOUR dog?
d) Is there a minimum of 8 TITLED (AKC / UKC: Champions, Obedience CD, CDX, etc.,) in the last 3 (three) generations?
e) Does your dog have a stable temperament? (=calm & well mannered)
f) Does your dog fit the breed standard?
g) Is your dog and the prospective mate healthy?
h) Is your dog CERTIFIED free of genetic diseases (OFA,CERF,BAER)?
i) Does the prospective mate answer "yes" to a) through h) also?

ONLY if you have answered ALL the above questions "YES" should you consider breeding the dog.
5. Other considerations about breeding should include puppy care, socialization and selection. The pups will need to be checked by a veterinarian; Proper environment is important in teaching them housesoiling etiquette, dog manners and other social skills. A good responsible breeder will help determine the proper personality and temperament that will fit best with the potential owners/buyers and will follow up on the pup periodically. Breeding a dog is a very big commitment and responsibility.


I want you to read this. The answering person is a serious, dedicated, reliable breeder.

THE COST OF BREEDING
by Annonamous
Circulated on the Internet. We felt this one should be read by all potential breeders.


TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,

HI. IM LOOKING TO BREED MY 3YR. OLD PUG JAKE. HE IS PAPERED, IM LOOKING TO HAVE HIM FIXED SOON BUT I WOULD LIKE ONE OF HIS NAME SAKE TO CARRY ON HIS NAME. IM NOT LOOKING FOR MONEY BUT I WOULD LIKE ONE OF THE PUPS. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME MAYBE WE CAN TALK. MAYBE YOU CAN PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH SOME ONE WHO CAN. THANK-YOU


Hi Gossimer,

This proposal sounds intriguing. I'm currently looking for a fawn stud for my BISS Ch Larimar's Stardust CD, CGC (BIS/BISS Ch Larimar's Chip of the Old Block ROM*** x Ch Jill's Win-Chimes of Lil Mite ROM***).

What line is Jake from and what is his percentage/ratio for linebreeding/inbreeding/cofactor? I apologize; but I'm not familiar with his callname.

I'll need to know Jake's CERF, OFA patella luxation, and OFA CHD certification numbers, T3 & T4 test results, number of occurrences of hemivertebrae, PDE, and cleft palate through the fifth generation. Just to be on the safe side, I'll need a negative brucellosis and bordetella licensed veterinarian certification from you. It's not a bad idea to get a VetGen phenotyping either.

For the future Get, I'll also need copies of Jake's titles and his AKC and/or CKC registration number(s). I'm especially interested in copies of his PDCA ROM and additional stars awards.

Since there's no stud fee involved, I assume you'll want pick? Dog or bitch? Will you be willing to agree to 1/2 the cesearean if the cause should arise? If the whelps are larger than 6 ounces at partrition, it will be necessary. This seems only fair. Last time I got a good break and it was only $500, but unfortunately that vet retired this year and the new owner has raised everything to almost double! It's hard to find a good pug vet!

Will you be doing a natural or artificial? If artificial, I'll need you to send the frozen semen Overnight Express Mail. I'll be willing to split the cost; $500 should cover it unless you are on the East Coast, then I'll send $750. Please let me know where to send the check. I think it's only fair that you take care of the semen analysis expense since I will be doing the whelping and training. You should be able to find a Canine Semen Bank and Collection/Storage in your area. Be sure to get at least three vials. The last time I looked into having it done, it was about $900.00--a lot less than before since more and more people are doing it.

If Jake does natural, let me know which airport to ship to (if you are out of CA). To take care of my dam, I'll need to have an overnight or early, early morning delivery time. Since it's getting warmer now, it's best to plan for you to pick her up after midnight. Even with a cool down mat you never know with these brachceapholoids ( I probably mispelt that, but you know what I mean! ;). Be sure to take MC/VISA or cash since the counter-to-counter service does not accept checks. Let me know after they tie three times and then I will let you know the return arrangements. She ovulates late, so she may be two or three weeks at your house. I'll get her to you by the tenth day just to be sure we don't miss it or she absorbs.

Double check with your home owners insurance plan to see that it covers visiting matrons in case anything should happen. A BISS CH/CD/CGC should be covered for a minimum of $5K.

Since her cycle is so late, you'll need to purchase Solid Gold. I can't send enough in the crate. It generally runs $40 a bag. Be sure to get the Seameal, Pet Tabs Plus, Concept-A-Bitch, and Red Raspberry Tea Leaves too.

Also, she'll need 500 mg. of Ascorbic Acid, 200 mg. of Tocopheryls twice a day with tepid water. Not too hot because she will grow finicky. Be careful not to give her A palmitate since this can increase the chance of cleft palate and I don't want to have to cull.

It's a good idea to give her organically grown-pesticide free calf liver. You'll need to prepare it yourself since she doesn't like pre-packaged brands. It's best to buy it in 50 lb. bulk and boil it all at once. Be sure to keep skimming the foam off every 15 minutes because she doesn't like it slimy. Bake it afterwards until it's a good baiting consistency then vacuum-pack and freeze it. The whole process should only take about 12 hours. In a hurry you could get it down to 10 hours.

You won't have to worry about splitting the vaccination costs for the litter. I give my own now and that will save you half of the normal $480 or so. You can help out with the title rebates if you'd like.

Your pick should be ready at 12 weeks. I'll let you know the whelping date so that you can plan the transportation. I assume you already own a Sherpa? That's the best way to go if you're out of CA, otherwise you can drive to pick it up--just bring along a Vari-Kennel.

What are your club affiliates? I don't recognize your email address off the top of my head. I'm DPCA, PDCA, NCPC. If your not PDCA, we can work on getting you your two letters of recommendation.

Well, let me know when you have all the necessary paperwork done. Also, please send me Jake's AKC certified 4 generation with coat colors and his best win shots so that I can make colored copies.

Sincerely

Jane

Also go to these sites:

http://www.iupui.edu/~ihls400/responsible_breeder.html

http://www.angelfire.com/nc/clearviewrottweiler4/breeder.html

Must Read: http://www.cyberpet.com/cyberdog/articles/general/breeding.htm

If you still want to breed your bitch(female) then get back and I will help you out.
Oh and before I go, "fattening" her up will not help. Most Chihauhau breeders use a bigger female because of the probability of a c-section with a small bitch. Fattening her up will be detrimental since an overweight dog has many more complications during pregnancy and birth. The same as people.
Hope you make the right desision, if you need any more help, write back.
Emily