Studding my Dog

Hi, It's me Doodle! It's been a long time since I last visited this page. Sherlock is now 9 months old and getting bigger and healthier. Also lately, Sherlock has been humping his favorite stuffed toy. And I want to ask whether Sherlock is now ready for studding and what to do before and after studding him. Thanks!

Btw, here are some recent photos of Sherlock...

Hiya - nice to see you again! Sherlock's looking as beautiful as always!

If you want to stud him to stop him from humping things, I'm afraid that won't work! He's a young dog, just discovering the joys of humping, and your best bet is to train him out of it.

A lot of people are very against breeding, outside of working lines or show lines. While I think that breeding should not be something you step into lightly, I also think it's important that all of the facts are given, so that you can make up your own mind.

When breeding dogs, the best thing to do is to wait for them to reach physical and behavioural maturity. Sherlock's probably still too young, although dogs will usually be physically able to mate at his age. This goes for the bitch, as well - preferably, she should be at least two years old. Breeding from a bitch in her first season greatly increases the risk of complications before, during and after birth.

You'll also need to think about your reasons for breeding him. To do it properly, it can be expensive! Both of the dogs need to be thoroughly health tested, to avoid passing on potentially life-threatening illnesses to the pups. A lot of people recommend not breeding a dog, unless the goal is to better the breed as a whole.

I did a quick online search. The following things should be tested for, in the sire and dam:

CERF – For inherited eye disease
• v VD( von Willebrand's Disease) For this blood clotting disease
• OFA- Hip and elbow dysplasia
• SA (Sebaceous adenitis) - For this inherited skin disease. This test must be done every 2 years on adult dogs

• The OptiGen prcd-PRA test - A DNA-based test that helps you avoid one form of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). PRA refers to a group of diseases that cause the retina of the eye to degenerate slowly over time.
• Brucellosis test for females – a canine disease, transmitted during mating, that will cause sterility.
• If you are aware of any other genetic health issues, that dog should not be bred

If you do decide to go ahead and breed him, try to get into contact with an experienced breeder, so that they can best advise you on how to proceed. You should be able to find some online!

Personally, I'd do as much research as possible before deciding.

I see. I'll think about it thoroughly when to breed him. I want to see little Sherlocks too... About his humping, any advice on how to train him out it? I tried spraying water already yet he wouldn't stop. I tried putting bitter apple on the things he humped but still not working. Some people say putting Vicks Vaporub on his humping things but I'm scared to try cos its menthol. He might get hurt. What to do?

Good luck with what ever you decide to do!

I'm definitely not an expert on behaviour. If I was, I might have been able to stop Dempsey from having romantic relationships with our sofa cushions!

All I can recommend is distraction and persistence. Every time he catch him looking like he wants to start humping, try distracting him with something more interesting - a treat or a toy, for instance.

Hahaha... ) Ok. Thanks for the help!

No problem! Hope it helps!

My sis in law has a breeding pair of toy poodles. (Rescues, desexed now.) Paris, the female.... I believe was about 2.5 -3 yrs when she had her 1st litter. Elvis (the male) would have been just over 2 yrs. Doing the math.

My sister has Border collies. (Back home now, thank god! Long story irrelevant here.) She didn't let Ripley sire till he was 2 yrs.

Hope that is of some help to you.

Thank you Tracy. I'll probably wait a year or so before studding Sherlock. I'll try the distraction trick first. Thanks!

No problem. I am not a breeder, others around me are.. just info on what they did but certainly not a hard fasr rule.

F.Y.I....

Elvis humped everything till age 5?  (Tyson inc.   ) until he was neutered. My OH needed councilling for his mental stability. His puppy was being physically assaulted        

A water spray bottle is a great distraction to stop many unwanted behaviours. 

Good luck!

Eleanor wrote:I'm definitely not an expert on behaviour. If I was, I might have been able to stop Dempsey from having romantic relationships with our sofa cushions!

   seems to be a male trend. My sis in law now has all new cushions & their plush toys are gone now. 

If it was soft or fluffy.....   Elvis... "admired it".

Reminds me of the time I made a stuffed toy for Dempsey, out of the leg of an old pair of jeans. He was convinced it was his new girlfriend. I even have a video somewhere, of him trotting merrily along, dragging it off to his bed to hump!

Found it!



Dempsey was very insulted by my 'that was quick!' comment at the end.

Nice to see you again Doodles! Sherlock is looking absolutely gorgeous!

I cannot better Eleanor's advice about breeding, so won't try.

Regarding humping, Kuchar is my first male dog and I never had any intention of breeding him. He wasn't much of a humper, but since he was neutered at 14 months old he hasn't done it once.

I've never bred dogs and don't know much about it, so all I can offer is Google searches on health testing, really.

That video was cute... Hahaha... About neutering, I'm kinda scared about it also, but the distraction method worked once yesterday. I'll probably continue that one.

He is a sweetheart. Such a cute teddybear.   

Breeding your dog is not something you should walk into lightly. A LOT of things can go wrong and do go wrong.
We bred Staffies and let me tell you a hormonal bitch can decide she wants to kill the stud she's just been covered with and been fine with.
The biggest question is why do you want to stud him?
At 9 months Sherlock is still a baby and although he's humping and can cover a bitch does not mean he should. He's sort of like a 13 year old boy discovering his 'beans'.
Most of the proper breeders wait till 2 years before breeding their dogs so you can have all the health tests done, your dog is fully grown and any skeletal issues can be picked up.

Read through these for some info.
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/breeding/stud.html
http://www.godivalabs.com/stud.html
http://www.phi-vestavia.com/studdogmanage.htm

As for the humping. Remove the articles and tell him to stop it. Humping their toys or beds is behaviour related and has nothing to do with being ready to sire a litter of puppies.