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Purely for the love of the breed! This is the primary reason that people become breeders. Though most purebred dogs do fetch a good price, the breeders aren’t in it for the money. For any breed of dog, breeding requires years of commitment, a wealth of resources, and a great deal of research. Hunting dogs have specific needs that other breeds may not have.

The first thing you should do is learn everything you can about the dogs. You need to know which traits are prized, what trainers look for in a good hunter, and especially the difference between show-quality and pet-quality dogs. Show-quality dogs have special qualities in their appearance, for instance a straight tail, a proportionate head, and certain coloration or markings. People who wish for a show dog will know just what to look for in a hunting breed. Good hunters are prized for their intelligence and temperament rather than their appearance. Pet-quality dogs only need to be able to play nice and socialize well.

Show-quality dogs are hard to come by. In a litter of pups where both parents are of show-quality, you may get one or two that are also show-quality. In a litter where the parents are not quite show-quality, only one of the pups may be show-quality if you’re very lucky. The only certainty is that all of the pups will make great pets, and some of them will be excellent hunters too.

Because show-quality dogs are so rare, it is important that their pedigree be kept in order. If your dogs do not have papers, you’re not going to get the same price for them as you would if they were. If you are a good trainer as well as a breeder, you may be able to get a high price either way. Fine-tuned instincts, fearlessness, a sense of adventure, and a desire to please are all traits of a prized hunter.

Many breeders use artificial insemination to breed. This is acceptable of course, and allows you to select the male to breed your female with. Many times, the paperwork that you are reviewing will not tell you whether the male is going to bring all the qualities you want when you are attempting to breed your bitch. Nevertheless, once you do, you will be looking forward to the day when your brand new puppies will arrive.

Being well-prepared in advance can help insure the safe birth of healthy puppies. Have a veterinarian on call as well as another dog handler who has had experience, in case of any emergencies. Natural instinct has prepared your bitch to be able to handle the birth herself, but you may need to offer reassurance or help, especially if it is her first litter. She should be compelled to take care of the puppies as soon as they’re born. If not, there may be a problem and you will need expert advice.

Assuming everything has gone according to plan, the puppies should be fully weaned before they are sold. This takes at least six weeks, but most breeders choose to wait as long as eight weeks of age. The puppies should all have had their beginning series of shots. At about four months, hunting dog training begins. It can take up to a year to fully train a hunter, but the dog will have all its basic hunting skills by the time it is one year old.

As a breeder, you reap the rewards of the happiness and love you get from your dogs and this does not change even if you must sell them. If you are a breeder who is considering selling a dog you have bred remember that you are under no obligation to sell the dog. Make sure that your dog has a good home – just because someone has the money to purchase, a dog does not make them an ideal owner. Deny anyone who you feel is not an appropriate companion for your dogs. It is not only your right, but it is your responsibility to ensure that the pups are in a good, safe and welcoming home.

Hunting dogs are a lot of fun and great pets, but you have to make sure you have all the proper training supplies. Innotek has some great products out there, such as the Innotek Field Pro Series, the Innotek ADV-1002, and the Innotek ADV-300P.