Stud Fees

We require your female dog to come to us, to ensure that your bitch has every opportunity to become pregnant. We charge $2000.00, which covers food, room and board while your bitch is in our care. We can not guarantee how many puppies may be produced from each mating.

Bitches are less inhibited by new environments, so the bitch needs to come to the stud dog. Your bitch will be allowed to become acquainted with the stud dog, play together, eat together and just hang out. Only one bitch in heat is allowed on the property at a time, so there won't be competition for the stud dog.

I don't take studding out my Shiba lightly, so there are a few rules that are set in place to protect my male.

Mating Rules:

1. The female must be an AKC Registered Shiba Inu.

2. We will review the Pedigrees of your bitch and our stud dog to insure they are not related.

3. The female must have a full bill of heath prior to mating.

4. Pre-Breeding Health Check will need to be done one month prior to breeding

5. Her vaccinations should be current, and she should be tested and treated for parasites.

6. Most importantly to protect my male, the bitch must be tested for Brucellosis, which is an infectious bacterial disease that can cause sterility or spontaneous abortion in affected dogs.

7. Female bitch cannot be under 18 months of age. Ideally, she will be two years old.

8. In the event that the dog does not get pregnant, you will be able to bring her back a total of 2 more heat cycles.

Brucellosis Update June 13, 2017

For your Information:

The age at which dogs reach sexual maturity depends to a large extent on their breed. Small breeds tend to mature faster than large breeds. On average, however, males become fertile after six months of age and reach full sexual maturity by 12 to 15 months. Healthy stud dogs may remain sexually active and fertile to old age. Adult males are able to mate at any time.

Bitches have their first estrus (also know as season or heat) after six months of age, although it can occur as late as 18 months to two years of age. Estrus recurs at intervals of approximately six months until late in life. During estrus, the female is fertile and will accept a male. The bitch should NEVER be bred during her first heat.

The bitch's cycle is divided into four periods.

Proestrus: The bitch attracts males, has a bloody vaginal discharge, and her vulva is swollen. Proestrus lasts approximately nine days; the bitch, however, will not allow breeding at this time.
Estrus: During this period, which also lasts approximately ten days, the bitch will accept the male and is fertile. Ovulation usually occurs in the first 48 hours; however, this can vary greatly.
Diestrus: Lasting 60 to 90 days, diestrus is the period when the reproductive tract is under the control of the hormone progesterone. This occurs whether or not the bitch becomes pregnant. False pregnancy, a condition in which the bitch shows symptoms of being pregnant although she has not conceived, is occasionally seen during diestrus.
Anestrus: No sexual activity takes place. Anestrus lasts between three and four months

See the "Cycle of a Female Bitch" page under stud fees for more detailed information.

Pregnancy and Whelping Preparation

Watch for Signs of Pregnancy

Canine gestation lasts approximately 63 days. Signs of pregnancy include an increase in appetite, weight, and nipple size. However, a bitch with false pregnancy may also show these signs. A veterinarian can usually confirm a pregnancy through abdominal palpitation at 28 days or by using ultrasound or X-rays.

Once pregnancy is confirmed, you should talk to your vet about special feeding requirements and about what to expect during pregnancy, labor, and after birth. You should also be briefed on how to recognize and respond to an emergency.

Provide Proper Nutrition for your Pregnant Bitch

A bitch in good condition should continue into pregnancy with the same caloric intake that she had during adult maintenance. Her food intake should be increased only as her body weight increases, beginning about the last five weeks before whelping. Daily food intake should be increased gradually, so that at the time of whelping she may be eating 35 to 50 percent more than usual. As her weight and food intake increase, begin offering small, frequent meals to spare her the discomfort that larger meals can cause, especially in a small dog.

If you have been feeding your bitch a well-balanced, high-quality diet, you should not need to add anything to her food during her pregnancy. However, some breeders advocate supplementation with a protein source such as evaporated milk, raw meat, or liver. These supplements should never represent more than 10 percent of the bitch's daily food intake.

Accustom your Bitch to the Whelping Box

It is a good idea to build a whelping box well in advance so the bitch has time to become accustomed to it. Unless you have already accustomed her to a whelping box, she may choose your closet or another inappropriate place for a delivery room.

An ideal whelping environment is warm, dry, quiet, draft-free, and away from all other dogs when possible. Confinement and whelping location of your bitch is relative to her breed and size.

Puppies Are Born

Most bitches give birth easily without the need of human help. Each puppy emerges in its own placental membrane, or sac, which must be removed before the puppy can breathe. The mother usually takes care of this by tearing off (and sometimes eating) the membrane and then severs the umbilical cord. After delivery, she will lick each puppy to stimulate its breathing.

You should keep track of how many placentas are delivered and ensure that the number matches the number of puppies because a retained placenta may cause problems.

You must take over if the bitch neglects to remove a sac or sever an umbilical cord. A puppy can remain inside the sac for only a few minutes before the oxygen supply is depleted. The sac membrane should be torn near the puppy's head and peeled backward until the puppy can be gently removed. Then you should remove mucus or fluids from the puppy's mouth and nose and gently rub the puppy with a towel to stimulate circulation. The umbilical cord can be tied with unwaxed dental floss and cut on the far side of the tie/knot about two inches from the abdomen. The cut end should be painted with iodine to prevent infection.

At the time of birth, the bitch will be busy cleaning her puppies, warming them, and allowing them to suckle. It is very important for the puppies to suckle soon after emerging from the womb. Suckling lets them ingest colostrum, a milk-like substance containing maternal antibodies which is produced in the mammary glands just after birth. Colostrum helps the newborn puppies fight infection in their early days while their own immune systems mature.

To track nourishment of the puppies, it is advisable to identify and weigh puppies during the first 2 weeks. I always weigh my pups every evening before their last meal of the night.

Consult Your Veterinarian if Complications Arise

If something goes wrong, don't hesitate to call your veterinarian for assistance. Signs of potential trouble include:

Indications of extreme pain
Strong contractions lasting for more than 45 minutes without delivery of a pup
More than two hours elapsing between puppies with or without contractions
Trembling, shivering, or collapse
Passing a dark green or bloody fluid before the birth of the first puppy (after the first puppy, this is normal)
No signs of labor by the 64th day after her last mating

Keep Your Puppies Warm, Fed and Clean

Temperature

A newborn puppy cannot control its body temperature and must be kept in a warm environment. Chilling will stress the puppy and predispose it to infectious disease; overheating can kill it. The environmental temperature can be controlled with a well-insulated electric heating pad or a heat lamp. But make sure the puppies have a cooler place to crawl to if they become too warm.

The immediate environmental temperature should be kept at 85 degrees for the first five days of life. From the seventh to the tenth day, the temperature can be gradually reduced to 80 degrees; by the end of the fourth week it can be brought down to 75 degrees.

Nursing

The first milk produced by the bitch after whelping is called colostrum. Every puppy needs to ingest colostrum as early as possible after birth and certainly during the first 24 hours of life. Colostrum contains a number of substances that are beneficial to the puppy, including immunoglobulins that protect newborns from the infectious diseases to which the mother is immune.

For your nursing bitches, one thing to keep a look out for is canine mastitis. It is not that common, but you should be aware of it. Canine mastitis is a breast infection in bitches, usually occurring a few weeks after whelping. Normally, the breasts of a lactating bitch are warm and enlarged. If the breasts seem to be red, dark, hot, or painful when touched, then you should contact your vet immediately. Advanced canine mastitis presents itself as a hard, hot and almost black breast segment, which is extremely painful for the bitch when touched. Canine mastitis can be caused by weaning puppies too early, severe scratches from puppies' claws, or some other infection. A bitch with canine mastitis may be running a fever, be listless, and may not eat. She also may not allow her puppies to nurse, and if she does, she will be "snappy" when they touch the affected area.

Caring for your bitch after whelping

Some bitches eat very little for the first day or two after whelping. Then their appetite and need for all nutrients rises sharply and peaks in about three weeks. During this entire period, adequate calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D must be fed to avoid the onset of eclampsia. Optimal amounts of these nutrients are already present in a high-quality diet so further supplementation is unnecessary. Eclampsia causes nervousness, whimpering, unsteady gait, and spasms. Although very serious, it is readily cured by prompt veterinary treatment.

After whelping, the bitch ideally should be about the same weight as when she was bred, but not more than 5 to 10 percent heavier. For three weeks after whelping, she will need two or three times more food than her normal maintenance diet to help her provide nourishing milk to her puppies. This food should be divided into three or four meals. The composition of the food should be the same as it was during the last third of her pregnancy; only the amount per day should change.

Care for Orphaned Puppies

Newborn puppies must be hand fed if their mother is either unable or unwilling to nurse them. Cow's milk is a poor substitute for bitch's milk, which is more concentrated and has twice the level of protein, almost double the calories, and more than twice the calcium and phosphorous content. For feeding puppies, a commercial puppy formula is recommended; carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Remember that puppies grow very rapidly so make sure you weigh them every day before you calculate how much to feed them.

You may need to start with slightly less formula at each feeding and gradually increase the amount as the puppy responds favorably to hand feeding. Steady weight gain and well-formed feces are the best evidence of satisfactory progress. If diarrhea develops, immediately reduce the puppy's intake to half the amount previously fed, then gradually increase it again to the recommended level. Diarrhea in newborns can be very dangerous so consult a veterinarian for advice.

Never prepare more formula than is required for any one day because milk is a medium for bacterial growth. Maintain sanitary conditions at all times. Before feeding, warm the formula to about 100 degrees or near body temperature. Using a bottle and nipple, hold the bottle at an angle to prevent air bubbles. The hole in the nipple can be enlarged slightly with a hot needle to let the milk ooze out slowly when the bottle is inverted. The puppy should suck vigorously, but should not nurse too rapidly. Consult a veterinarian if the puppies are not nursing well. You may need to resort to tube feeding, which is best taught by a health professional.

Newborn puppies must be stimulated to defecate and urinate after each feeding. Ordinarily the mother's licking provides this stimulation, but orphaned puppies will need human intervention. Gently massage the puppy's anal region with a cotton ball that has been dipped in warm water.

Gentle body massage is also beneficial for any hand-reared puppy. Massage stimulates the circulation and thoroughly awakens the puppy. Stroke the puppy's sides and back with a soft cloth. The best time for a massage seems to be when the puppies are waking up and you're waiting for the formula to get warm.

Register Your Litter with the AKC Soon After Whelping

One of your most important tasks as a breeder is to ensure that your litter is registered with the AKC. Registering the puppies creates a record of their place in the history of your breeding program and in the development of the breed. It also opens the doors for the puppies' new owners to the wide array of services, information, and events provided or sponsored by the AKC.

You should be able to provide the new owners with a registration application at the time the puppy is sold. Therefore, it is essential that you apply to register your litter promptly after the puppies are born.

There are two easy options for you to register your litter. You can register your litter online by going to Online Litter Registration. When you register your litter online, you can get your litter kit in five to eight business days. Or you can download an application, fill it out, and send to the AKC, which takes to long in my opinion.

Registering your puppies with the AKC is another way to give your puppies a great start in life. Additionally, it confirms for your new puppy owners that you are a dedicated and responsible breeder.

Wean Puppies from Their Mother

There are many rules of thought about weaning your puppies. Experienced breeders tend to use methods that work best for them and their respective breed. It is recommended that you contact your veterinarian to discuss a feeding regimen for your litter.

Most puppies begin the weaning process at about two to four weeks of age. Some breeders recommend starting them off by offering a pan of puppy formula in place of their mother's milk. Other breeders combine the puppy formula with some presoaked or grinded dry puppy food to create gruel.

As the puppies get older, most breeders start adding more food and decrease the amount of formula.

To avoid digestive upsets, be sure to introduce all changes in food or feeding schedules gradually.

Sending Your Pups to Their New Homes

By this time you have learned everything you can about your breed, and you know all the pros and cons of ownership. It's important to share this information including the negative aspects with prospective puppy owners. You should be ready to explain why a dog requiring a lot of coat care or training may not be the best match for a workaholic, or why a tiny dog may not be appropriate for a family with small, active children.

A responsible breeder makes sure that their puppies go to good homes. This means careful screening and evaluation of each person or family interested in getting a puppy. Knowing the right questions to ask prospective owners helps breeders get a feel for the type of home they will provide. Some of these questions can include:

Why does the person or family want a dog? Why has the person or family chosen this particular breed?
Who will be primarily responsible for the dog's care?
Do you have the time to meet the demanding needs of the puppy/dog? Time for feeding, training and exercise?
Are there any children? If so, how old are they? How would they be instructed in the care of the dog?
Does anyone in the household have allergies?
Are the new owners committed to the grooming and health maintenance?
What is the potential owner's attitude toward training and obedience?
How often is someone at home?
Will they have time to walk and play with the dog?
Are the new owners prepared to register their new puppy with the AKC?

AKC Breeders have the responsibility to provide AKC registration papers to the puppy's new owners. This means applying for litter registration in plenty of time to supply applications to owners at the time of sale. You should explain the benefits of registration to the owners and help them complete the registration application. Conditions such as limited registration or co-ownership should be explained in full. You will also want to provide the new puppy owners with vaccination/health records, feeding instructions, health guarantees, return policy, any health or genetic tests, as well as a copy of the sales agreement/contract.

Commit Yourself to the Puppies for Life

For breeders, responsibility doesn't end when their puppies leave with new owners. Responsible breeders make sure their puppies' new families know they can turn to them with any questions or problems that arise throughout the puppies' lives.

As a breeder, you will be gratified by phone calls and letters describing your puppies' first teeth, birthday parties, and other milestones. You'll be thrilled to receive photos of a puppy's first show win or portraits with the puppy right in the middle of a happy family. But you will also have to be ready for bad news: a family splitting up and leaving the dog homeless; a vet contacting you about an unforeseen hereditary illness; a dog you thought would be a great obedience prospect biting a young child. As a breeder, you will need to be there with advice and support for all these situations. Responsible breeders answer questions, provide resources, and assist with problems that may come up. Responsible breeders assist in re-homing or take in puppies should the need arise.

We are here to help you through the process even after you have taken your bitch home. If you have any questions up until the day your pups are ready to go to their new homes we are just a phone call away.

Our stud Hunter