Looking for a dam to breed my male giant with

[BestSchnauzer]

Hello, my name is Jordan I have a year old male giant Schnauzer. He's fully akc registered and I want to breed him. How can I find a dam?

[zeta1454]

Hello Jordan and welcome to the Forum.

Please check out the following advice from the American Kennel Club and the U.K. Kennel Club if you are thinking of using your dog at stud.

The AKC website has this to say regarding an enquiry about using a pet dog at stud:

“Most breeding decisions are controlled by the owner of the bitch and unless you can present a stud dog with stellar credentials, such as all his health clearances and some measure of success in the show ring such as a championship, not to mention if your dog complements the bitch and can improve upon any faults she may have, ….there isn't much you can do to entice a responsible breeder to breed to your dog. If your heart is set on becoming a responsible breeder, then visit a dog show near you and find yourself a breeder as your mentor.”

Responsible breeders will always look for a stud with proven credentials and with full health clearance, good temperament etc. and preferably with a strong pedigree of excellent dogs also fully health tested and known to produce healthy, good temperament puppies.

This information is from the AKC website:

“Responsible breeders choose mates for their dogs and bitches because they are trying to improve their breeding stock and create better dogs according to a written standard of the ideal (breed) e.g. Giant Schnauzer
Breeders go to dog shows to get the expert opinion of judges. In theory, those animals that obtain their championships are given the go-ahead that their DNA should be added to their breed's gene pool. To pass along worthy traits, such as excellent temperament, sound conformation. ….beautiful markings and color, is what good breeding is all about.”

From the U.K. Kennel Club website there is more detailed information for potential stud dog owners as regards what details you need to know before starting out:

Fertility - you may want to have their fertility tested if they are not already proven
Appropriate temperament
Fully health tested
Good general health
Free of defects, i.e. overshot jaw, cryptorchidism
Has proven themselves in show ring, working trials, agility etc.
Registered with The Kennel Club
Does not carry any Kennel Club endorsements precluding the registration of any progeny

Before breeding from a dog or bitch, we advise that breeders investigate whether there are any possible inherited conditions that may affect the breed. A stud dog can father many puppies and so it is essential that they are healthy and fully health tested to reduce the risk of passing on any health issues on to future generations. Stud dog owners can check which health tests are applicable to their breed by checking with the Kennel Club or by checking with their local breed club. It is advisable to speak to your dog’s breeder prior to mating to see if there are any health concerns in your dog’s pedigree.

There are several health schemes currently in operation to assist in the prevention or control of some diseases. These tests include DNA tests which give a definitive answer on the status of each dog. Where these schemes exist, we strongly recommend that both sire and dam are tested. In the case of a DNA test, we recommend that at least one parent should have tested clear for the particular condition.

Inbreeding, put simply, is the mating of related individuals – those individuals with common ancestors. High levels of inbreeding can impact the health of individual dogs, as it increases the chances of a dog being at risk for both known and unknown inherited disorders. It could also have an impact on the breed as a whole, e.g. a reduction in litter size and fertility. 

Dogs have different dispositions and personalities and when choosing two dogs to mate together, both should have a good temperament. The temperament of the potential parents will be a good guide to predicting the temperament of any potential puppies. If a dog shows any suspect temperament, such as aggression, then it should not be bred from.

Before the mating occurs, it is important that a detailed written stud dog contract is agreed upon and signed to prevent any future confusion. Ensure that a copy of your signed contracts are filed away in a safe place.
The terms and conditions of a mating do not fall within the jurisdiction of The Kennel Club. It is therefore advisable that any breeding terms or stud fees should be arranged by mutual agreement in writing between the owner of the dog and the owner of the bitch before the mating takes place.
As a general point, if a dog has not previously been used at stud, the owner might charge a nominal fee covering expenses at the very least. Once the dog has been proven (i.e. has produced puppies), the stud fee may be reviewed for any future matings according to the value of the dog as a proven sire and the quality of his progeny.  

A stud dog owner will be responsible for:

providing a stud dog contract
supervising the actual mating
knowing how to handle the bitch to ensure mating
ensuring the dogs are safe after they tie and that neither dog is hurt or injured
assisting or advising if the bitch shows little interest in mating
being available to give advice to the owner of the bitch on whelping or puppy care
being willing to help with any problems with the puppies, i.e. health issues, rehoming etc.

You will also need to check:

Is the bitch old enough to breed?
Has she got the appropriate health test and screening scheme results?
Is the bitch Kennel Club registered with no endorsements?
Have you checked how related the dogs are using the inbreeding coefficient calculators?
Has the bitch been bred from before? If so, how many times and were there any complications?
Is she generally healthy?
Is there any history of health concerns in her pedigree?
How have previous matings gone?
Is the owner happy with your stud contract?

As you can see there is a great deal of information you will need to consider as to whether your dog meets the criteria of a stud dog for responsible breeding and whether you have the knowledge to assist with the mating and be fully involved with the future of any puppies bred if necessary. It is a huge responsibility to embark upon breeding whether you are a stud dog owner or the owner of a bitch and, although it is tempting to look at the positives of bringing new lives into this world, there are far too many poorly bred and unwanted dogs to consider breeding if you cannot meet all the above recommendations.