Desexing.

Sterilization of a pet is often quoted as being the biggest difference between a responsible and a non-responsible owner. However this isn't necessarily the case .It is possible to be responsible without getting your dog desexed but it takes much more effort and carries with it potentially serious consequences.

There are many advantages to sterilizing your dog
Spayed bitches never drop bloodstained fluids on the floor coverings or have unwanted litters and they don’t develop mammary cancers or other reproductive cancers, and they don't require high levels of management skills to separate them from male dogs. Castrated male dogs don't get testicular cancer, macho attitudes, or stud dog need for roaming.

However, if a family has researched the pros and cons and decides to keep a dog intact, exercises common sense precautions to prevent unwanted litters, and understands the risks of infection and cancer, they should not immediately be considered irresponsible, but it should be noted that being responsible with an intact dog takes much more effort and stress than it does to live with a dog that has been desexed. You should be sure that you have based your decision on facts rather than myths associated with canine reproduction.

The most common myth regarding this is that neutering turns a male into a sissy and spaying causes a female to get fat and suffer over her inability to breed.

The fact is that male dogs are usually better pets if they are neutered. They have less desire to roam, to mark territory or to exert dominance over family members. Females also tend to be better pets if they do not come in heat every six-to-nine month. Heat cycles bring hormonal changes that can lead to personality changes and repeated heat cycles make the reproductive system vulnerable to uterine and mammary cancers and uterine and urinary infections. Many of these can be fatal and at best cause the bitch to suffer and make life miserable for her and the family Dogs and bitches do not fat get because they are sterilised

Dog owners in some states no longer have this decision to make as some state laws call for compulsory desexing of pets not intended as breeding dogs. In other states it is still the owners decision however, this brings a responsibility to prevent their intact pets from adding to the population of pets that wind up in animal shelters. Because dogs instinct cuts in when they are physically ready to mate, owners must be prepared to accept that there will always be the possibility of a pregnancy and understand that if this happens …..

They will need to provide the best nutrition and vet care for their bitch, deal with a problem pregnancy or delivery which can be life threatening if they occur, keep the puppies warm, and the whelping area clean.

They will need to keep the puppies for at least eight weeks, and find suitable homes, provide basic health care worming vaccination and socialization before the pups go to their new homes,

Provide training and behaviour information to puppy buyers, understand that they come under the sale of goods legislation in their state which makes them accountable if they sell a pup which is in same way faulty and take back or help place any puppy that doesn't work in its original home.

There are also other factors to consider such as taking time off work and having buyers come to your home to see the bitch and the environment the pups have been raised in

Obviously, it’s cheaper, healthier easier and far more practical to simply spay the bitch.

The decision to breed
When considering whether you would like to breed a dog or not this needs at least as much care as the selection of a breed, for the decision to bring more puppies into the world is no trivial event Breeding a healthy litter and testing your dog and the selected male dog for the known genetic risks of your breed are expensive. Much thought, resources and energy needs to go into producing, raising, and selling the puppies, if both the dog and the humans, that come in contact with it, for the next decade and a half are not miserable and heartbroken .

The MDBA would love to help potential breeders to learn all they can and we invite you to join our group and mix with experienced and novice breeders, dog owners, and pet carers and access tools to help you to have the best possible outcomes for you and your dogs.

What to feed?
There are many choices in regard to feeding and nutrition for your dog and diet has a huge impact on the general health and well being of your dog for its entire life. It can determine the amount of vet treatments the dog requires and its quality of life.

There are raw food diets, home made diets and commercial diets

Whatever the choice, however, owners should be prepared for stories from dog-owning friends about why that food is no good and the one they chose is better. It’s a good idea to have a look around at the alternatives and research the various methods of feeding so you can make an informed decision on what you feel is best for your dog.

Remember that dietary requirements of dogs vary depending on activity and stress levels and dogs use energy in many different ways. Heavy exercise, and needing to regulate body temperature in cold weather can cause a dog to use a lot more energy.

The MDBA offers courses in canine nutrition, which are a good investment in saving health problems and vet bills. There is unlimited knowledge and advice available to all members on any canine subject.

Vaccinations
All puppies need protection from being infected with diseases, which can kill them or seriously affect their health and so having the injections is an absolute necessity for any responsible dog owner. However, there is evidence that we may run the risk of over vaccinating our animals and that they may not need yearly vaccinations. Research suggests that jolting the dog’s immune system each year may cause more problems.

As a dog owner it’s recommended that you research this and speak with your veterinarian to decide on the best vaccination protocol, which suits your dog.

The MDBA offers a course in canine immunology, which covers many of these issues and provides ways for you to increase your dog’s immune system to prevent problems and increase health and longevity.

Training classes
All puppies and dogs benefit from the socialisation of training classes and dog owners get to enjoy the company of other dog owners At a minimum at least the basic puppy training is highly recommended but if the budget is tight or you live in isolated areas a few training books, tips from the net and your breeder with persistence to train and work through any problems can still result in a well behaved dog with good manners.

The goal of dog training is to build a bond between pet and family and to enjoy the process.

There are short courses available for dog owners from the MDBA to help with the basics and make dog ownership lots of fun.

Fencing is required if your dog is going to be outside and left on his or her own. You need to choose the type of fencing most suited to keeping your dog in and other dogs and children out. Tying your dog up regardless of whether its being used as a guard dog or not is a dangerous and unacceptable way of keeping them contained. It causes problems for the dog and anyone including small children that come into range of their territory. You need to look at your fencing needs which will suit the dog as an adult as the transition from pup to adult is a very quick process and its best to have the fencing in place before you bring the dog home. Don’t fall into the trap of patching or mending in a temporary manner as this is a dangerous way of keeping the dog in. the dog will work on the weakness and escape before you have a chance to make a permanent repair.

If your dog is to live outside for a large part of each day, a kennel run will keep him safer than a perimeter fence. A kennel run can be permanent or portable and should have a doghouse at one end. They are great to have as an accessory for any breed of dog as it gives then a “den” and allows you to contain them when you require your yard for events such as a family cricket game or a barbeque etc.

Barking
This is a dog’s natural reaction to changes in his environment and some breeds are more inclined to bark than others It is your responsibility to prevent your dog from annoying your neighbours with his noise-making, there are several things you can take to minimize the problem. The solution could be as simple as a change of scene for the dog but it may also need the development of a behaviour modification program. Either way this is your responsibility to make sure that your dog isn't’t causing a problem to your neighbours. Very often being aware of the potential problem means you can take action to prevent it sooner rather than later.

The law and dog ownership
You need to make yourself acquainted with what regulations apply to dog owners in your area as many have restrictions on various activities, numbers you can keep etc. It is against the law for you not to have your dog under your care and control at all times.

Preventing problems and dog bites.
Statistics show that most dog bites causing serious injury occur in children under the age of five years. The child usually knows the dog or is the family's pet.

A dog’s temperament is dictated by what it’s born with and has inherited from its parents and things that happen to it and adequate training shape it. This in itself is an awesome responsibility for the breeder and its well known that some “lines” in a breed are more tolerant or easier to train because of the wisdom of the breeder in choosing their breeding dogs. When you are looking for a breeder one of the most important things they should be putting emphasis on in their breeding program is to breed dogs of even temperament The breeder definitely needs to have this understanding and knowledge to apply to which dogs they choose to use and its one of the most powerful reasons to be selective when you choose where you a buying a puppy from especially if you have children

Some breeders make a conscious decision to breed dogs with poor temperaments and just like we see in humans there are some dogs which have a mental defect which affects their behaviour. Basic temperament and instinct have a huge impact on how the dog will react to certain stimuli especially under stress and these coupled with training will decide the dog’s level of tolerance and its reactions.

A natural reaction when any dog doesn't want attention he’s receiving or if someone has entered his space and he doesn't want them there is to growl a warning this is how a mother dog teaches her pups and how the dog communicates with other dogs. It says that notice needs to be taken or something else may happen to let you know that the dog isn't’t happy about whets going on. Some dogs give several warnings while others only one or a couple. Some dogs may not give a growl as a warning at all and simply walk away from the child or there may be a stiffening of the body etc.

The potentially disastrous problem happens when a small child doesn't see the behaviour as a warning and they continue to carry on with what they are doing which has elicited the warning. They will follow or carry on even though there has been a definite warning from the dog that they don’t like whets going on.

The dog is left with two choices. It either escapes and runs away or it stands its ground. If it cant run away it feels it has no choice but to bite and defend itself. Some dogs depending on how it is bred and the character of the breed will choose to stand its ground and bite rather than escape If the dog has already given the child a warning and the child continues to do what its doing the dog, the dog either cant escape or chooses not to move away it will bite. The child’s actions may be very innocent but the dog reacts on instinct because the child has not reacted to the warning and the dog is still feeling threatened or frightened.

Kids running and shouting can also trigger another instinct called prey drive in some dogs or in many working breeds the urge to “round em up” by giving them a good nip on the heels. Children wrestling with and playing roughly make the dog think it’s playing the same as it did with its litter mates where it’s O.K. to use their teeth. Frightening a sleeping dog or petting while he’s eating can also be a problem [the latter needs to be helped with training.]

Any dog of any breed or part thereof can and may bite under circumstances that trigger his natural instincts and temperament. Even a mild mannered breed or dog can feel threatened and that it has little choice and there is never a situation, which can be definitely predicted. Young children always need to be supervised and taught to recognise the dog’s verbal and body language and what behaviour and manners they need to have around their dog the dog needs to have basic training which is kept up with practice all of its life so that it knows how to obey commands such as “leave it” regardless of any possible distractions.

No matter how reliable you think the dog has been before an adult who understands the warning behaviours of dogs and who is prepared to take action before the situation becomes a disaster should always supervise children. If this isn't’t possible then it is important to have some place to put the dog during periods when you can’t be there to keep both the dog and the child safe.

Kids and dogs get lots out of growing up together when the adults consider safety first but it’s a responsibility of the dog owner and the parent to make sure its only the positive things and its critical that the possible negatives are also understood and acted upon before the problem becomes a disaster and get help if you run into problems as the dog will not outgrow the behaviour without intervention. . Also remember that what your dog puts up with from your own kids and the way your own kids interact with your dog doesn't’t mean that the dog will want the company of other kids or that they will know how to treat or interact with your dog so you need to take extra notice and precautions to ensure the dog and the children stay safe.

Children should be educated into not approaching strange dogs.

If the owner is there and says that its O.K. teach your child to stand still and allow the dog to make the fist move. Its very important that they know NOT TO TOUCH A DOG OR APPROACH A DOG THAT DOESN’T APPROACH AND TOUCH THEM FIRST.

Most important.

Socialise your puppy before he’s 16 weeks old. What he learns now will put him in good stead for the rest of his life Between 8 and 16 weeks is the best time to show him all kinds of stimuli such as bikes, cars kids, other dogs etc as a dog that is used to these things and isn’t afraid wont bite when confronted with them.

Teach your children the pup isn’t a toy and to respect life and supervise them to ensure the pup is safe from being dropped or hurt in any way.

Never trust your child alone with your pup and if you have toddlers make sure you give the pup a safe haven to be able to get away from cuddles and constant attention.

Don’t tie your dog up and never let your child go near a dog, which is tied up, as this is a high bite potential situation because the dog sees the area in the ropes boundary as his territory, and become fearful if the space is breached.

Make sure your dog receives adequate training to compliment his breed requirements and your lifestyle.

In conclusion.
All of this may seem a bit daunting and a huge task but putting in the extra effort brings great rewards and ensures the very best relationship possible for humans and dogs.

The Master Dog Breeders Academy would like to support you in your dog ownership and we offer you membership [free if you buy your pup from one of our breeders] and a long relationship into the future for the benefit of all canine life.

Before becoming a member we ask you to agree to living with and caring for your dog by certain standards and ask that you sign a code of conduct. This helps you to understand the basics of what’s needed for the best for you, your dog and the community. It makes it easier for everyone to see that you are different from any other dog owner.