Aside from running Four on the Floor dog training, I am also a proud breeder of Bull Terriers. Everything pertaining to Bull Terriers is a major part of my life. All of my closest friends are Bull Terrier people, and, if you want to be bored stiff one day, sit and listen to us on the phone dissecting a recent dog show and the judges’ placements. While I 100% commend anyone who is involved in dog rescue, I also fully support people who are attracted to a specific breed of dog and want to bring that type of dog into their lives.
As a breeder and trainer, friends and acquaintances frequently ask me for help in finding a good breeder and express frustration when breeders don’t have puppies on the ground right away. However, people who are breeding to preserve a breed and keep it healthy may not always have puppies right away. People who are just producing puppies to make a living will. Every person I know who is breeding to preserve a breed is looking to improve the breed and takes “making” a puppy very seriously.
For me, the first step is health-testing my girl dogs long before I pick a stud dog. All of the Bull Terrier people I know are members of multiple Bull Terrier Clubs, and we all follow the recommended protocols for health-testing our breeding stock. In my breed, that includes getting a color echocardiogram, checking kidneys, hearing tests, patellar testing, and a test to see if the dog carries the LAD gene. In Golden Retrievers, always ask a potential breeder for proof of hip, knee, and elbow certifications to ensure that the parents are free of genetic issues. And while they are not a breed of dog, if you’re considering a doodle mix, I would absolutely insist on health-testing when mixing two breeds that were not intended to be mixed. When looking for a purebred dog, ask the breeder if they are a member of any clubs associated with that breed and for proof of health records.
After health-testing my girls, my next step is the painstaking process of finding a stud dog. You may think it is an easy process, but the amount of hours my breeding mentor and I have spent on picking the right boys is like a second job. I travel to dog shows all over the world and see lots of boys, but picking one that will make good Bull Terrier puppies is not an easy task. A serious breeder is looking at more than just looks as well. Temperament and health should be considered first and foremost, and then structure and looks. For example, when looking for the ideal Frenchie to breed, my Frenchie-breeder friends are very aware of keeping their muzzles moderate and of them not having that flat of a face to avoid breathing issues.
The hard part comes after picking the dog. That is normally why, when you call a breeder asking for a puppy, they say you have to wait a bit. That means the breeder is actually waiting for their female dog to come into season! Every time I plan a breeding around my actual life of having a job, my girls will decide to wait and toss a monkey wrench into my schedule. My girl, whom I have wanted to breed, usually goes into heat every seven months. However, this time, she waited nine months. No one is looking forward to puppies more than the breeders themselves, but Mother Nature sometimes does not cooperate.
If you are looking for a specific breed of dog, the wait for a healthy litter of puppies is worth it. The heartbreak I have seen in clients who have a puppy mill dog or backyard-bred dog with serious health issues is real. I am currently keeping my fingers crossed that my latest breeding “took.” Next time, I’ll share with you more about the road to actually getting a breeding done.
If you have any questions about finding a reputable breeder, please email me! If you have any other questions, please feel free to email them to me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
