From: mlhb@mammoth.dr.att.com (SKY WARRIOR)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: best age to bread a female husky
Date: 15 Sep 92 14:45:32 GMT

In article <6746@lhdsy1.lahabra.chevron.com>, yzarn@lhdsy1.lahabra.chevron.com (Philip Yzarn de Louraille) writes:
|> 
|> A friend of mine as a 6 month old female husky. I have a 3-4 year old male
|> husky.
|> We were kicking the idea of breading them.
|> This may be a FAQ, but should we skip the first time when the female
|> will go in heat or what?
|> What would be best?
|> 
|> Thank you.
|> -- 
|>   Philip Yzarn de Louraille                 Internet: yzarn@chevron.com
|>   Research Support Division                 Unix & Open Systems
|>   Chevron Information & Technology Co.      Tel: (310) 694-9232
|>   P.O. Box 446, La Habra, CA 90633-0446     Fax: (310) 694-7709


A husky (or any dog) should not be bred before 2 years old.  A six month old puppy
is still that -- a puppy.  It would be like having an 11 year old having a baby.
Even at the first year, the female is not fully grown (I have heard yearlings
being compared to 15 year olds).  Huskies and other northern breeds mature slowly
and still have a lot of growing to do.  I highly recommend that if the bitch is
show quality (which I have a hard time believing) that you should have an OFA
(hips x-rayed) at 2 years and you should have your male OFA certified as well.
You should never breed a dog/bitch with less than OFA GOOD certification.

The qualifications for a good breeding pair is a show quality male and female 
with OFA certified hips and eyes checked.  Their temperments should be acceptable
because they can carry it on to the pups.  Also, you should know their entire
background (ancestors) because those traits are even more likely to appear in 
the puppies.  They should be AKC registered and you should have their pedigrees.
They should have no serious conformational flaws or undesirable characteristics.
Lastly, (if they meet the above criteria), they should compliment each other
with only the best traits.  Look at both the dog and the bitch.  Is one body 
type seriously out of sync with the other or one have splayed feet or one has
light bones while the other is heavy boned?  You will have undesirable puppies
with such matings.

I would really think about what you are trying to accomplish.  Are you looking 
to make money?  You are better off playing Russian Roulette -- as any breeder
will tell you.  Do you simply want puppies?  Then, go out and buy/rescue one.  
A puppy will never replace your dog, so remember that.  If you truly think
you have a champion, bring the dog to several Siberian Husky breeders and ask
for their honest evaluation (you should have your friend do likewise with the
bitch).  The high prices that you see *barely* cover the cost of shots, worming,
medical expenses, (heaven forbid!) complications, and food.  Not to mention
time and effort.  Things can go terribly wrong and you can lose the bitch and/or
the puppies.

I know this answer was not the one you wanted to hear, but breeding a dog is
a tremendous undertaking.  You should be responsible enough to want to breed
better dogs, not mediocre ones.  The animal shelters are filled with purebred 
dogs (Siberian Huskies included).

Sky Warrior
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