So now you are sure you want to breed your bitch, having thought carefully about all the financial considerations you are now ready to think about what kind of a mate you will want for your bitch. Of course in an ideal situation; you will spend a great deal of time - and put a great deal of thought into the sire you choose. In reality however it's more likely that you will be swayed by convenience; either geographical or financial.
In reality however, most studs are chosen because of more practical reasons such as location - if the sire is located far away you pay costs for not only the travel costs but also lodging while you wait. Most people end up choosing a sire that is somewhere between suitable and practical.
But if you have already committed and are certain about breeding with your bitch then choosing the perfect sire is very very important. Choosing a sire is one of the most important decisions you can make. Your decision will be made much easier with a clearer picture of exactly what you want from a sire.
To begin: examine your bitch closely. In conjunction with what you know about breed standards and requirements - take an objective look at your bitch. What are her strengths? What are her weaknesses? Using the AKC standards as a guideline will help you in your evaluation. Once you have identified your bitch's key strong points (for example her great temperament) as well as her weaknesses (for example her tendency to become jealous) - you should go about seeking a sire which compensates.
Unfortunately the choice is not always this calculated. In order to breed responsibly you must keep in mind that the purpose must always be the betterment of the breed. If every breeder had adhered to this principle throughout history then the various breeds of dogs would look very different today. With the 'betterment' of the breed in mind - choosing your sire should become a long process indeed.
You will also want to keep in mind that the number of litters the sire has already produced might actually count against him. If he can be likened to 'the village bicycle' then perhaps he is not the best choice. Sires who father too many puppies have a disproportionate amount of influence in the breed. When choosing a sire you will want to delve back into the ancestry for at least three generations.
There are two basic principles when it comes to breeding. The first and most basic school of thought is to breed like and like. In order to preserve the breed integrity and have the minimal risks of genetic faults this is the safest way to approach the breeding and choosing of a sire.
Be aware of in-breeding. Line breeding and in breeding are close and you want to stay far away from in breeding and line breeding if you want healthy puppies. Line breeding a fancy term that show breeders use and do. The Sire is bred back to his daughter. No matter what fancy term is used it is still inbreeding. It is supposedly done to keep their lines pure and to keep production those champions. Most veterinarians agree that it is unhealthy.
Once you think you are near to a decision about the sire you wish to choose then be sure to make some time to talk to the owner of the sire. This knowledge - in conjunction with the research you have done and the other specialists you have spoken to should assure you of a good choice.
When speaking to the owner of the stud dog you should be aware that being aware of the weaknesses in the stud is part of being a good owner. If the stud owner is not forthcoming with the shortcomings of his stud, then perhaps you should think about choosing another stud. Of course when selecting a dog to breed you need to make sure that the dogs you choose are worthy of the honor. Any faults will be exaggerated and you might end up paying the price for poor choices much later in life. The major consideration when choosing a stud is that your choice is the most suitable and complimentary choice for your bitch.
About the Author
Steve Allison is a third generation of professional dog breeders along with his brother Gary. It all started with his grandparents in 1970 with the Boston Terriers and has expanded to Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Pugs, Shih Tzu's and Pomeranians. He is also actively involved with dog rescue and has a website that showcases the puppies they occasionally has for sale at All My Puppies Online
Aquariums and fish keeping have come a long way from the preserves of the rich, when they first became fashionable, to a hobby every modern man may want to indulge in. The color an aquarium adds to a living room cannot be compared with mere furniture.
Most owners would naturally want to make the most of their aquariums by making them attractive and filling them with healthy fish. An important part of keeping that aquarium of your dream is to be creative and make use of aesthetic aquarium decorations. Apart from creating a more natural abode for your fish, aquarium decorations create a more stimulating landscape for the viewer; adding that extra color to your living room.
As with any form of decoration, there are a lot of alternatives you could choose from, when it comes to giving your aquarium that natural look. Thus, different people hold different beliefs about what should be and what shouldn't be used in an aquarium as decoration. However, the bottom line is that personal preferences come first here. You should be free to decorate your aquarium with whatever item you think is OK, as long as it is not harmful to the fish. After all, it's your aquarium and you should like how it looks. Now let's take a look at some natural objects that can add that extra effect to your aquarium.
The first items we will consider here are stones and rocks. These make excellent natural decorations for your aquarium. One question that needs to be attended to here is whether you can use stones you collected yourself. Naturally, there should be nothing wrong with decorating your aquarium with your own collection of stones, however, you will have to be sure that these stones won't affect the pH level of your aquarium and that they do not contain harmful toxins. For the pH, the best way to test a stone is by pouring some drops of a weak acid on the stone and see if it reacts. If it does, it's probably not safe to use in your aquarium. But if you are not sure, or if you want to play safe, it is always better to get aquarium stones from your local pet shop or aquarist center, at least that will give you peace of mind. Besides the aesthetic value, your fish will appreciate the presence of stones and rocks in their water, as they can be arranged to create caves and hiding places.
Besides stones and rocks, other decorations you may find suitable for your aquarium are drift wood and mangrove. Not only can these be a very attractive decoration for your aquarium but some people believe that some fish require these materials to thrive. The only catch here is that drift wood should only be used as decoration in aquariums that have slightly acidic pH water. This is because wood has a tendency to lower pH levels of water and sometimes causes increased hardness of water. However, the beauty it brings to your aquarium is worth the extra effort in keeping the water as it should be.
What about corals and shells? These are wonderful decorations for your aquarium, but they don't work well in fresh water and should perhaps be avoided as much as possible, as they tend to be harmful to fresh water fish. However, in marine aquariums, corals and shells constitute a great way to add some natural beauty to your aquarium and could even be very helpful to your fishes.
This is in no way exhaustive; there are still several ways and items that can be used to adorn your aquarium, you only need to be creative. However, make sure whatever you put in your aquarium is not harmful to those lovely fish.
About the Author
Michael Russell - Your Independent guide to Aquariums