Breeding dogs is a troublesome and responsible business, and also quite expensive. As a rule, two parties take part in it - the owners of purebred males and females. The only exceptions are kennels where all dogs belong to the same owner. In other cases, animal owners have the right to count on their share of the profits in the future litter. It just so happened that the owner of a male dog is given the right to receive money or the best puppy for breeding. Today we will talk about what a maintenance puppy means and how to choose it correctly.
Legal transaction
Surely many dog breeders have heard the expression “alimony puppy”. Not everyone knows what this is. The owners of the dog and the bitch enter into a transaction in which they are interested parties. Usually this is an oral agreement that the owner of a male dog receives a child support for the participation of his dog in breeding. According to the current rules, the owner of a male dog of any breed can choose any puppy from the litter or receive money for it.
This order is quite justified when it comes to a fairly common breed of dog. In the case where an agreement is concluded on the mating of rare and expensive animals, a real civil act or a referral for mating is drawn up.
In this case, such a document carefully provides for all the subtleties and surprises (after all, in this case we are talking about a natural process) and stipulates the conditions under which both parties will satisfy their interests.
How to choose a pair for mating?
In order not to make a mistake with a child support puppy, the owner of the cable should carefully choose a mate for the dog. The bitch must be in excellent health, fairly mature and of ideal pedigree. Among other things, the dog breeder must know for sure whether he will be able to place the puppy later or whether it is better to take it with money
Particular attention should be paid to what kind of care the dog’s owners can provide her during pregnancy and after. Puppies can be born healthy, but due to poor care, by the time the alimony puppy is selected, they can become ill and grow up weak. Previously, mating of dogs was prohibited according to the rules and for good reason
The dog’s body is not fully formed, and accordingly, the animal cannot produce healthy offspring. Childbirth has a special psychological impact on a dog, so young dogs often become mentally unstable. The ideal time for mating is the third heat
Previously, mating of dogs was prohibited according to the rules and for good reason. The dog’s body is not fully formed, and accordingly, the animal cannot produce healthy offspring. Childbirth has a special psychological impact on a dog, so young dogs often become mentally unstable. The ideal time for mating is the third heat.
To learn what the concept of “alimony puppy” means, watch the video below.
Alimony puppy: what does it mean, should you buy it? Breeding purebred dogs is a troublesome and expensive task. Participation usually requires two parties: owners of different sexes of purebred breeds. It is rare to find a private owner of a pair of animals. Only specialized nurseries contain several individuals.
Sometimes the cost of keeping pets exceeds the cost of the resulting offspring. In the classic version, the owners of bitches and dogs agree on mating among themselves.
Agreement or direction for mating
Many owners want to know what gives them the right to hope to own a foster puppy. What kind of document is this that confirms their right to the baby?
In the order for mating (or in the contract), all the conditions are usually prescribed, the observance of which will allow the owner of the male dog to be guaranteed to receive the coveted puppy:
— form of payment; — the number of puppies in the litter (without defects), which must be confirmed by an official examination report from a veterinarian; — the right of the owner of a male dog to pick up a puppy within a specified period after its birth.
We probably need to dwell on the second point in more detail, since some, for example, are interested in: “Eight puppies were born - how many are child support?” Regardless of the number of babies born, only one of the litter is considered child support. An exception can only be in the case of the birth of very expensive dogs, when the owner of the dog puts forward a condition for receiving two puppies. But this is discussed before mating.
When and on what day do puppies' eyes open?
Newborn pets begin to see when their eyelids are fully formed. On average, this takes 10-14 days after the baby is born. However, there are factors that speed up or slow down the process of insight.
Process Features
The opening of the eyes in tetrapods occurs slowly and begins from the inner corner, gradually moving to the outer. A thin gap appears on one eyelid, which after a while opens completely. Usually the process occurs first with one eye, then with the second. But there are cases of simultaneous opening.
Immediately after epiphany, the kittens see the world around them blurred, distinguishing only light and shadow. Gradually, vision becomes clearer. After 3-4 days, babies begin to see well.
The owner of newborns should not be frightened by the veil and the dull blue color of the iris. The film will disappear once the puppies are able to fully focus their gaze on surrounding objects, and the color changes to a permanent color by three months of age.
Differences by breed
The rate of formation of the organs of vision and hearing varies among different breeds.
It is important to take this into account when observing the growing process of a newborn baby. Knowing when puppies of different breeds open their eyes, the owner will be able to recognize problems in time and contact a veterinarian
The periods of insight are as follows:
- In Chihuahua babies, their eyes appear at 12-13 days. In the case of these babies, the gestation period that is longer than in other individuals plays an important role.
- Newborn spaniels develop at an average rate. Their eyelids open in the second week of life.
- German Shepherd cubs begin to see the outside world at 14-15 days.
- Toy terrier babies begin to see sight on the 14-15th day, but there are frequent cases of eyelids opening on the 20th day of life.
- Spitz babies develop a little slower. Their vision appears only on the 16th-17th day.
The indicated periods are fairly average. For each specific case, which depends on various factors, the situation develops differently. It has also been noticed that an ordinary yard dog opens its eyelids earlier than a purebred dog cub.
What does alimony puppy mean?
Many dog owners agree in advance to have priority in choosing a puppy. They often agree that the owners of the bitch can make their first choice, since all the burdens of raising the litter are placed on them.
Many dog breeders prefer not to give away the puppy, but to pay its cost in money. This option is discussed in advance. How to understand whether the puppy in front of you is alimony or not? You need to be an experienced dog breeder to make the right choice. The puppy must be active and healthy. If the owners of a bitch offer a payment for him, then it is usually considerable, since such a baby is more expensive than his brothers.
This is usually the best puppy of the litter. However, its exclusivity is determined by eye, so it is impossible to be 100% sure that it will truly be the best.
What does a “maintenance puppy” mean and why does it cost more than others? The price is based on the fact that this is the most vigorous and healthy representative of the litter. In addition, its characteristics must ideally match the requirements of the breed. I would like to warn inexperienced owners of male dogs that there are often cases when dishonest breeders give away sick animals. Therefore, if you do not have experience in choosing puppies, seek help from a dog trainer.
How to buy a Doberman - breeder survey
Once a Doberman kennel has been selected, the next step will be a detailed conversation with the breeder
You need to get answers to all the following questions, and during the conversation you should pay attention to how willing the dog owner is to engage in dialogue
where was the puppy born? If the dog was born in another place, this may indicate that the animals are purchased from “dog farms” or from random individuals for the purpose of outselling
If the puppy was born here, as we have already noted, it is very important to get to know his parents; what age is the mother? The bitch who gave birth to the puppy must be at least two years old; When was the last time the puppy's mother had a litter? Female Dobermans must bear offspring at least once a year, otherwise the risk of developing genetic diseases in their offspring increases; How many litters did the puppy's mother have? It makes sense to take a puppy from the fourth or subsequent litters; How can I view documents for a puppy and its parents? First of all, interest should be shown in relation to the health of the puppy, and then - recognition of its thoroughbred. You should not believe the phrases “They are not available right now,” “I don’t have the papers on hand,” “I lost my documents,” or anything else like that.
If you cannot see the documents that should be there, you can safely leave this nursery right now; How can I see puppies from previous litters, perhaps photographs? If mating took place previously on the territory of this nursery, and the breeder has photos of puppies from previous litters, this is a good sign. If a breeder maintains constant contact with his customers, this means that he has nothing to hide and, moreover, he values his dogs; How socialized is the puppy towards children, other pets, etc.? If the breeder begins to answer confusedly and talk about the well-known features of the breed, it means that no preliminary training of the puppies was carried out at all.
Child support - what is it - an obligation or a right?
Owners of a male dog should understand well that the main costs of maintaining a bitch during pregnancy, organizing childbirth and the postpartum period, as well as caring for the dog and offspring fall on its owner. Therefore, his interests must be respected.
Quite rightly, many dog owners believe that when a bitch brings less than five puppies, giving one of them as payment is too high a price. In addition, we must take into account that the male also took part in the birth of a small offspring. Therefore, quite often, when four puppies are born, the owner of a male dog can receive 75% of the cost of the puppy, if three - 50% of its cost, if two - 25%. For the birth of one puppy, the owner of the male dog does not receive anything. But this is discussed before mating. As for the answer to the question of whether the owner of a male dog is obliged to pick up the puppy, we answer: of course not. He can generally leave it to the owners of the bitch or receive monetary compensation for it. It's his right.
What rights does each party to the agreement have?
The mating contract specifies all the conditions on the basis of which the owner of the male dog will receive a guaranteed reward for participation:
- Type of payment.
- Confirmation by the veterinarian of an official inspection report of the number of individuals in the litter (with the exception of culled ones).
- Agreed dates for when the male owner can pick up the puppy.
In this case, it is not at all necessary to pick up the crumbs. The owner of the male dog has every right to refuse the reward.
Sometimes the question arises: if one puppy is born, is it given away as alimony? Owners of the “dad” must understand that the financial costs of caring for a pregnant dog and raising offspring fall entirely on the shoulders of the owners of the “mama”. It is also important to respect their interests.
If there are less than 5 individuals in the litter, then giving away one of them is too unprofitable. But the participation of the male dog cannot be ignored either. In such difficult situations, they decide to pay part of the cost of one puppy. The percentage of payment depends on the number of individuals in the litter:
- 4 – 75 %;
- 3 – 50 %;
- 2 – 25 %.
The parties discuss the possibility of having one child in advance. Such a result may well be considered an unsuccessful mating or you can pay a minimal percentage of its cost.
Benefit for both parties
As a result of successful mating and subsequent birth of babies, both interested parties should benefit. Since the main expenses and difficulties of care fall on the shoulders of the owner of the female, his requirements must be taken into account first of all.
If we are talking about common breeds, then an oral discussion is sufficient. Sometimes the owners of bitches prefer to pay the market value of the baby and keep it.
If representatives of rare and expensive breeds are to be mated, then a written document cannot be dispensed with. It must highlight all legal points and clearly indicate the benefits for both parties. In addition, the agreement sets out unexpected situations that are important to foresee in advance.
An oral agreement or a legally formalized transaction.
The owners of the male and female participating in the mating enter into a deal. Often, such a deal is a simple oral agreement between interested parties that the owner of the dog has the right to take from the future litter the puppy he wants. Such relationships are quite reasonable if the parties agree on common breeds of puppies. However, if we are talking about rather rare breeds of animals that can cost a lot of money, then it is often necessary to draw up a real civil contract drawn up in compliance with all legal norms. In this case, the document must spell out all the nuances and the occurrence of unexpected situations (after all, this is a biological process). And if something does not go as expected when concluding the contract, these lines should be a guarantee that both parties will be completely satisfied.
Still, in most cases, the owners of a dog and a bitch simply agree in advance on who will have the right to choose the best puppy from the litter. It also happens that they agree that the owner of the bitch will take the maintenance puppy. Some owners of bitches never give up a puppy at all, preferring in return to pay the owner of a male dog a certain amount of money for providing his dog for mating.
Attitude towards the owner
Need I say that the efforts of breeders in relation to this breed were aimed at raising its obedience to humans to the absolute level? This is not even 10, but 100 out of ten points. In the case of the owner, crazy love is also mixed with innate instincts. The dog will be ready to follow his man anywhere, and in complete hunger he will always give the last piece of game he gets to him.
The love of German Shepherds for their owners has no limits.
Now that we have a little understanding of the basic qualities of a shepherd dog, let’s move on to considering the external breed qualities that you will need to rely on when choosing a maintenance puppy.
Choosing a puppy
The time has come to finally understand the question of what constitutes a maintenance puppy. What kind of animal is this, how to choose it correctly? It should be noted that this task is not easy even for an experienced dog breeder. As an example, today a German Shepherd puppy will appear before you. Why him? Because this is one of the most popular breeds in our country, in stable demand.
The owner of an alimony puppy needs to check the RKF pedigree and brand. You should not choose the baby you like at first glance - first impressions can sometimes be deceiving.
Required documents
When thinking about how to choose an Alabai puppy, do not forget about the documents. Only their presence can be a reliable confirmation of the breed. The following documents are required for the dog:
- Pedigree. This document confirms the breed. It contains the necessary information about the ancestors.
- Veterinary passport. It contains notes about the vaccines given.
You should not take risks buying alabai without documents. So, as a result, a cute puppy may turn into a completely different dog than you expected. In addition, he may have some hereditary diseases.
Backbone
It should be strong and strong, the forelimbs strong and straight. If they are bent, then this is a sign of rickets. Your puppy's legs should have large joints. This ensures that he will develop a good backbone in the future.
The baby's paws should be compact, have thick pads and dark nails. Pay special attention to the length, position and slope of the croup. It is preferable for the puppy to have a wide shoulder girdle, a relatively short back and lower back, and fairly wide hips. The hind feet should not have extra dewclaws. The tail is without kinks or pathologies.
Shifting deadlines and other dangers
The main task on the part of the owner is to monitor all stages of the process. Sometimes there are deviations that require contacting a veterinarian.
Early opening
Epiphany earlier than 10-14 days after birth is influenced by various reasons. Most often this is a feature of the breed or a long gestation period.
If the owner sees open eyelids on a newborn, this is not a reason to panic. You just need to reduce the lighting in the room where the offspring is kept. This will protect your visual organs from excessive exposure to light. In addition, it is necessary to protect the nest with newborns so that the babies do not crawl out, harm themselves or injure the mucous membrane.
Late opening
One of the factors influencing the slowdown of the process is the health status of the baby. If a kitten was born weakened and was then exposed to infectious or viral diseases, then it begins to see a little later.
The living conditions of newborns and mother dogs also affect the condition of the baby. Excessive lighting, low room temperature and unsanitary conditions have the most unfavorable effect on the development of a dog.
Possible diseases
If after two weeks the newborn has not begun to see clearly, then you should take a close look at the four-legged pet. In some cases, signs of inflammation, souring of the eyelids or other problems are noticeable. Then you can’t hesitate to visit a veterinary clinic for an examination and diagnosis. Here is a list of possible pathologies:
- tissue fusion;
- conjunctivitis;
- blindness;
- injuries.
Before visiting the veterinarian, wipe the baby's face with a soft cloth moistened with chamomile decoction, a weak solution of furatsilin or potassium permanganate. Only a veterinarian can prescribe further treatment and medications.
Head
Quite large, but proportionate to the body. The muzzle is not sharp, the forehead is medium in size. The gap between the muzzle and the forehead is clearly defined. Until three and a half months, the puppy's ears are drooping. Erect tips at an early age indicate ossification of the auricles, and this, in turn, indicates a calcium imbalance. The ears should be clean and odorless.
The eyes are of medium size, without any discharge. Puppies at the age of 30 days may have blue eyes, then their color changes. Do not take a puppy with light eyes or odd eyes.
Health
Some breed standards require tail docking. This procedure must be performed at an early age - 2-4 days. It is during this period that docking is most easily tolerated, the animals do not experience suffering, and the wound heals in the shortest possible time. As a rule, this procedure is performed at home. If puppies are taken to the clinic, then you need to take a bitch with you who will calm and feed the babies.
At 2 and 4 weeks, deworming is carried out, and at 6-7 weeks of age, the first vaccination is given. The bitch is wormed along with the puppies. You should be wary of not only tapeworms and roundworms, but also heartworms.
We suggest you read: How to teach a dog commands at home, what basic commands to teach a dog (list). Step-by-step training instructions
Puppies leave home no earlier than a month, usually after activation, which occurs at 6-7 weeks. A veterinarian or specialist from the breed club examines the puppies, after which they receive the first document - a puppy.
Character
As it became clear from all of the above, the alimony shepherd puppy stands out from the entire litter due to its external features and physical characteristics. Whether or not to take such a handsome man into your home is, of course, up to you.
I would like to say a few more words about the baby’s character. He has a calm and balanced disposition from birth. Like any cub, he is playful, but in no case shows aggression. He is brave and courageous, he will not be scared by the cotton of a newspaper. He fights bravely for his favorite toy. This is a charming creature that will become your faithful and devoted friend in the future.
We check the technical condition of the house
When checking the technical condition of the house and assessing the quality of construction, carefully inspect and record the nuances, ask questions, photograph and write down all the shortcomings and defects.
Roof condition. Conclusions about the condition of the roof can be drawn from the attic. If you see signs of leaks, mold or mildew, then the roof is leaking and repairs will require significant investment.
Exterior walls. Cracks on the outer walls of a house can indicate serious defects and further consequences, for example, improper settling of the house. Even if there are no obvious cracks, they may be hidden behind a layer of fresh plaster.
Ceilings and floors. The ceiling of the lower floor will tell you about the quality of the floors. If it bends, it's bad. In the future, the situation will worsen, and replacing floors is a troublesome and expensive task. The floor must be level. You can check this by taking a building level with you for inspection.
Foundation and basement. It is not so easy to independently assess the quality of the foundation. But the strength and reliability of the entire house depends on it. An indirect sign of a high-quality foundation can be the absence of cracks on the walls of the house. Only specialists can give you a more accurate assessment. Inspect the basement - if you notice signs of flooding, most likely the foundation construction technology was violated. In this case, there will be a constant smell of dampness and mold in the house, and in the future you can expect complete destruction of the foundation.
Water supply. Check for leaks or rust on the pipes and find out from what source the water comes into the house. If from a well or well, take some water for examination. If the water turns out to be of poor quality, be prepared to spend money on a purification system.
Sewerage. Fill up a large volume of water, drain it and see how quickly it goes away. Also inspect the pipes - there should be no leaks, stains or condensation on them.
Heating system. It's best to check your heating when it's cold. But even if the inspection of the house took place on a warm day, ask to turn on the heating boiler and after half an hour check the temperature in the radiators in all rooms of the house. Inspect the boiler itself - there should be no traces of rust on it, nor any smudges or puddles nearby.
Electrical system. If there are household appliances in the house during the inspection, ask to turn on all appliances at the same time
It is important that the network can withstand the load without interruption
Ventilation. Check the vents to make sure they are not clogged.
It is better to come back with a technical specialist to check the options you like for a thorough examination. This will be cheaper than subsequent repairs or selling an uninhabitable house.
Also, a specialist can detect non-obvious defects, pointing them out to the seller, you can save money when purchasing.
Do babies need special care these days?
The formation of visual organs is a complex process that takes some time. Epiphany does not always go smoothly, so the main thing for a loving owner is the desire to help his little friend.
But human participation is not always necessary. The main thing at this time is to provide full care for small dogs and simply monitor on what day the puppies will open their eyes. It is also worth taking care of the mother bitch.
At first, it is advisable to protect newborns from bright lighting by placing them with their mother in a dim, well-heated room. You should not open your eyelids yourself. If a purulent crust appears on the eyes, you can wipe them with an antiseptic solution. They do this until the kitten opens its eyelids.
If the eyes become very festered, swollen or do not open completely, you need to call a veterinarian at home. Self-medication or delay can result in dogs becoming blind for the rest of their lives.
