breeding/trainning ect.

Question
Hi, I have a few Questions about breeding and trainning. First of all my breed of choice is a Pug. I have had pugs since I was a teenager. A while back after I decided to go a head and try on breeding. My dam is Lovely she is to me very close to prefect. She is soild black. Now her tempermate could be better, but I have noticed that after having pugs, talking to breeders and reading books, that the females are more protective and a bit more yappy than the males. The thing than shocked me was when she was pregnant was her tempermate comletly changed, she was the sweetest most lovable thing ( more than normal ) she didn't bark at strangers, she didn't mind her vet vists, and she didn't give me any trouble when checking her temp twice a day when it came close to her due date. It was her first litter and she did ok, I had to tear the sacks, tie and cut cords and clean the first few puppies up, but after that she got the idea, then I bottle fed for the first few days, then all of a sudden she figured out what to do. ( I still bottle feed to supplement just because I wanted to be sure to have healty pups ) I thought she would be more protective of her pups, but she really didn't mind me helping her out. I know it sounds cheesey but that whole time with her we seemed to be closer than ever. ( but after the pups were 12 weeks she went back to liking my husband more ) Is it normal that she seemed to need me though the whole thing? Now with my sire, he is just at 18lbs and He is a around an inch too tall, but over all a really good looking fawn pug. The pups were prefect and are growing nice to breed standerd, I was real picky about who my pups went to, I kept one and my neigbor has one so I get to see them everyday. I encouraged all the new owners to spay/neuter their pups. I felt like I had pug experiance, and my dogs were under great vet care. That is what made me want to breed my pets. Now I don't want to breed them again any time soon, because It really broke my heart to place my pups, and I lost my runt, even though my vet and I did everything to save her. My vet calls me a collector, that I'm too emotionally attacted to my dogs and pups to ever be called a breeder. Now I decide to neuter both my male pugs, and my vet seems hesitant, he keeps saying well let me look them over one more time before the surgery. I don't know if he is worried about the weight gain or what? I know weight is a problem with most pugs and like I said my adult male is just at 18 lbs. What do you think? ( my vet, family, and friends seemed shocked when I decided I wanted to neuter my sire ) I would like to start learning how to handle and show my dogs. Can you show a neuterd dog? I also cant find any pug showing and hanlding classes in my area, do you know were I could go to find out? Now my new love is for my Bull Terrier puppy and everyone just adores her I bring her to the vet and everyone snaps pictures of her. After all the praise, I have signed her and my family up for show/handling classes for BTs. I have a 9 year old daughter who watchs dog shows with me and somtimes she see young handlers and we decided it would be great to get the whole family involed. Now should I take what I learn from our classes and apply it to the pugs? The class is for Bull Terriers only. Now one more question thanks so much for your time, what is too young for trainning for show, and what is too old for trainning for show?

Answer
Hi Missy

You can't show altered dogs.  Dogs must be intact. Handling classes are pretty much standard across the board regardless of breed.  Any handling class would do.  

ANY training can begin immediately.  We start training at 4-6 weeks. And you can always teach old dogs new tricks.

Good luck.