I Want to Breed Welsh Springers

"I've called a dozen breeders and no one has puppies. This breed seems so wonderful, there really should be more of them, and I'd like my kids to experience the miracle of birth. Can you help me find a female to breed? We just want a pet, not a show dog."

"We've got a terrific Welsh Springer bitch, a great family pet. All our friends want a dog just like her, and I'd like my kids to experience the miracle of birth. Can you help me find a stud dog?"

Although waiting for a puppy can be discouraging, try to think of it as a positive sign that people are not breeding casually, that they are carefully considering whether they have time to raise the puppies, homes to place them in, and whether the dogs they are breeding are sufficiently sound in both temperament and health. Because breeders take this care, Welsh Springers rarely appear in shelters or pet stores.

Successfully breeding Welsh requires careful attention to genetics and pedigrees, as well as careful attention to temperament, instinct, and structure, and careful consideration of your responsibilities to the breed and to the people who buy your puppies. Since you are interested in breeding, I would ask you to consider the following.

1. Health (Return to top)
1. Hip dysplasia.
   Hip dysplasia is an inherited malformation of the hip joint that leads to premature arthritis and is eventually crippling. Ten years ago, Welsh Springers had one of the highest rates of hip dysplasia in dogs. By diligent screening of breeding stock, Welsh Springer breeders in the United States have significantly improved the statistics, but hip dysplasia remains a problem in the breed. If you are looking for a companion only, you should make sure that both parents are certified free of hip dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). That means an OFA hip score of fair, good, or excellent. If you are looking for a dog to breed, you should only consider a puppy whose parents and grandparents all scored fair, good or excellent. When your puppy reaches age 2, you should have her X-rayed and evaluated by OFA, which currently costs about $150. Under no circumstances should you breed her if she is not fair, good, or excellent. In fact, if she rates only fair, you should choose a stud dog with excellent hips and excellent ratings in his pedigree. Obviously, the stud dog you use must be OFA evaluated, and should have 2-3 generations of acceptable OFA ratings behind him.
2. Elbow dysplasia.
   Elbow dysplasia is an inherited malformation of the elbow joint. This is cause for concern because most of a dog's weight is supported by his front, not his rear. As of December 2003, 5.3 % of the 135 Welsh Springers evaluated by OFA showed radiographic evidence of elbow dysplasia. Elbow X-rays do not require anesthetic. The additional cost of elbow X-rays and evaluation done at the same time as hips would be about $100. Currently, most breeders do not check elbows, but it would certainly be to your advantage to purchase a bitch puppy whose parents are certified.
3. Eye diseases.
   Welsh Springers are less subject to eye diseases than other spaniels, but the most common concerns include entropion, hereditary cataracts, and glaucoma. Recently, some Welsh Springers have been diagnosed with abnormalities of the optic nerve, such as Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (ONH), which makes the dog blind in the affected eye, and optic nerve coloboma, which may also cause impaired vision. So far, most dogs diagnosed are able to see normally with at least one eye. Dogs with good vision in one eye may appear to be normal, even hunting successfully, but when the good eye is covered, they are blind. The mode and degree of inheritance is unknown in Welsh Springers, but it has been shown to be heritable in Poodles and German Shepherds (most likely as a simple recessive). In fact, it is not certain whether these affected dogs have a developmental or a hereditary problem. For example, ONH can also be caused by vitamin A deficiency, in which case it would not be heritable. The appearance of optic nerve abnormalities in related dogs suggests an inherited problem.

   Choose a bitch whose parents have both been examined by a certified veterinary opthamologist and currently show no evidence of hereditary eye diseases. This is called CERF certification. Eye condition can change, so the CERF certification should be from within the past year. Even better, ask to see copies of the actual examination forms, since a CERF number may still be issued with some abnormalities present that might concern you. A CERF exam performed by a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist can detect ONH and some other eye diseases in puppies as young as eight weeks of age, although the myelination of the optic nerve is not complete until 16 weeks of age, and some abnormalities may be missed in an 8-week-old exam. When buying a puppy as a show breeding/prospect it is to your advantage to have the breeder have your puppy's eyes examined before you purchase it. This exam will also rule out many other hereditary eye problems that may occur in purebred dogs.

   You should CERF certify your bitch shortly before you breed her and make sure the stud dog has a current CERF certification and his parents were CERF certified. CERF certification may cost $20 - $90, depending on where you have it done and what you ask for. The first time you have your dog's eyes checked, ask specifically for the dog's eyes to be examined both before and after drops are put in the dog's eyes to dilate the pupils. The exam before dilation will reveal whether the dog's eye-related reflexes, such as response to light, are normal. This is important to correctly diagnose ONH, and may be completed by a technician. After dilation, the opthalmologist can examine the internal structure of the eye. Frequently, if you just ask for a "CERF exam", someone will put in the drops to dilate the pupils without the dog being examined. This takes less time, is often less expensive, and is fine for your dog's annual checkups after the first. At low-cost "CERF clinics" which may be held in conjuction with a dog show or health fair, a professional will probably not examine your dog's eyes before the pupils are dilated. A veterinary teaching hospital is probably the best place to get a more complete eye exam.

   Be aware that some eye problems (persistent pupillary membrane, for example) are not severe enough to prevent CERF certification for a Welsh Springer, but two affected dogs should probably not be mated. Owners of a prospective stud dog and brood bitch should exchange copies of actual exam reports by the ophthalmologist, not just CERF numbers.

   CERF certification does NOT include glaucoma testing. This requires a separate exam with specialized equipment. The current pressure in your dog's eyes should be measured and the drainage angles in your dog's eyes viewed by gonioscopy. There is controversy about the value of gonioscopy in predicting primary angle-closure glaucoma. The current thought is that a dog with normal open angles will NOT develop primary angle-closure glaucoma, but there is disagreement about what degree of angle closure means the dog definitely WILL develop glaucoma. Also, until recently it was accepted that primary angle-closure glaucoma is inherited via a dominant gene, so if both of your dog's parents tested clear (by gonioscopy), you could skip this test. Now, the mode of inheritance is questioned as well. (Glaucoma can also result from an accident, in which case it is not hereditary. Also, a dog whose ocular pressure is currently normal may develop glaucoma later.) Gonioscopy costs about $75. Longtime breeders who have kept track of what they have produced and have NOT encountered glaucoma often consider their bloodlines to be free of it and skip the test. But, as a new breeder, without the benefit of direct knowledge about 3-4 generations of dogs related to yours, it may be a test worth doing.

4. Epilepsy.
   Hereditary epilepsy in Welsh Springer Spaniels is usually early onset (by age 3). This is probably the hardest health problem for breeders to deal with, particularly new breeders, because there is no positive diagnosis for carrier status or even for the disease itself. When a dog begins having seizures at age 9 months - 3 years, and when no other cause (eg. injury, poisoning) can be found, the dog is considered to have hereditary epilepsy. The only way to avoid it in your breeding program is by investigating the dogs in the pedigree, because the only way to identify a dog who carries epilepsy is by the fact that he/she has produced puppies that seize. Obviously, this depends to a large extent on people being honest and open when a puppy they bred DOES have epilepsy, and is complicated by the fact that a dog who carries the genes for epilepsy could "get lucky" in a few breedings and not produce it. To the best of my knowledge, there is no Welsh Springer in the world without at least one proven carrier in his/her 5-generation pedigree. Breeding to avoid epilepsy requires a heavy dose of both knowledge and luck. Even people who are knowledgeable and careful get burned sometimes. As someone who does not already have a network within the breed to glean information from, if you intend to breed, it is of vital importance that you purchase your bitch from someone who will discuss epilepsy risk in her pedigree with you openly and honestly, and who can help you evaluate the level of risk associated with potential stud dogs. Ask questions about the risk of epilepsy in the litter when you talk to breeders. Many Welsh Springer breeders are participating in a study at the University of Missouri to find a genetic marker for hereditary epilepsy, but no simple test exists now. Read about it here.
5. Autoimmune Hypothyroid Disease.
   A disease in which the dog's own immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. The disease appears to start earlier and progress more rapidly than in other breeds, though it occurs rarely. Breeding stock should be tested with a complete thyroid panel at 2, 3, and 5 years of age. Testing and OFA certification costs about $140. Read more about the disease and testing here.
2. Temperament (Return to top)
1. Shyness.
   This is the most common problem encountered in WSS temperament. I think ANYONE buying a Welsh should DEFINITELY meet the dam and make sure she is a dog you would like to live with. If you are considering breeding, meet the sire as well, and ask questions about the temperaments behind them. Raise your dog with plenty of opportunity for socialization, and be sure to look carefully at temperament in potential stud dogs. Temperament is a product of BOTH environment and heredity.
2. Hunting Instinct.
   Most Welsh have it, in varying degrees. If you want to hunt, or you want to sell to hunting homes, you are best to buy a Welsh with parents who hunt. I don't mean "Oh, yeah, he chases birds off the feeder." I mean parents with hunting titles (WD, WDX, JH, SH, MH), or parents who really do go out and hunt. See pictures or videos or better yet, see the dogs work.
3. Physical Conformation (Return to top)
1. Soundness.
   This takes some practice to evaluate. Structure affects the dog's stamina and quality of life. Common problems to watch for are bowed front legs, flat feet, insufficient angulation front and rear, rear legs too close together, narrow rib cage, narrow chest. You will need to evaluate your bitch and potential stud dogs on all of these counts. Evaluating this in isolation is difficult. You need to see a lot of Welsh in real life and talk to knowledgable WSS fanciers to learn to be able to spot the right amount of rib spring, good tight feet, etc.
2. Type.
   Does this REALLY look like a Welsh Springer? Remember, Brittanies are red & white, too, but the differences should be obvious to someone considering breeding. Again, this evaluation takes practice, time, and study. You need to see a lot of Welsh and talk to knowledgable WSS fanciers and read the standard to learn to recognize the distinctive head, the proper ear shape, the correct body proportions, etc.
4. Genetics (Return to top)

When people pay for a Welsh, they expect to get a healthy dog who looks and acts like a Welsh, just as you do. Just breeding a registered dog to a registered dog doesn't necessarily achieve that. 100 years ago, it was thought that after a few generations of selective breeding, you would weed out all the inherited material you didn't want and then everytime you bred a WSS to a WSS you would get dogs that looked and acted like WSS. We now know that's not possible. Constant attention to selective breeding for the appropriate traits is the only way to maintain the look and temperament. At the same time, attention to maintaining diversity within the gene pool is the only way to maintain health. If you are not knowledgeable about genetics, I suggest a book like Malcolm Willis's Genetics for Dog Breeders, George Padgett's Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, and anything you can find about population genetics.

5. Breeder Responsibility (Return to top)

The puppy-buying public is increasingly becoming aware that they should expect the following from responsible breeders. You should expect these from whoever you buy from. You should expect to be asked for them if you sell puppies. These should be stated in a written contract.

1. Evidence of health clearances on both sire and dam.
2. Money-back guarantees in case of hereditary health problems in the puppies.
3. Willingness to take the puppy back at any time if the owners cannot or will not care for it.
4. Restrictions on whether, when, and under what circumstances the dog may be bred.

It is your responsibility to socialize your puppies to a variety of people, sounds, and environments. They need to be in the house, not out in the garage or the barn. They should be easy to handle and accustomed to normal household and neighborhood noises. They should be accustomed to being clean so they will be easy to housebreak. They should have at least one set of shots and be wormed and checked by a veterinarian. You must be willing to keep them until every one has a suitable home. It is not unusual to keep puppies until 10 - 16 weeks of age or even older, waiting for the right owners. You should keep them until at least 8 weeks of age anyway, so they will learn social skills from their littermates and their mother. That means at least two months of cleaning up pee and poo and being awakened at all hours by squeaking and yelping. Also, it is amazing how many people who have said a hundred times that they want one of your bitch's puppies suddenly decide it's not the right time when the puppies are on the ground.

6. Risks to Your Bitch (Return to top)

Breeding is not risk-free. Make sure the dog and bitch both test free of brucellosis, of course. Bitches sometimes require C-sections, or die in whelp. They don't whelp conveniently in the afternoon after school. Count on her whelping all night on a school night, or during the day while everyone should be at work or school. Near her time, somebody needs to be home all the time in case there is an emergency. Any intact bitch is at risk of uterine infection, and at greater risk of mammary cancer than a spayed bitch. Puppies are sometimes born deformed, or dead. What will you do with a deformed puppy? Will you euthanize it immediately? How? Will you try to nurse it along? If you keep it alive, will you be able to sell it? What if it dies anyway? What will you say to the kids in any of these cases? If you want your kids to learn the facts of life from witnessing a real birth, you will need to prepare them for ALL of the facts. Do you have other experience in animal husbandry? Do you have someone experienced nearby who can help you tell if everything is normal, or if you need an emergency trip to the vet?

7. Getting Involved in the Breed (Return to top)

Many of the considerations in responsible breeding require you to make the effort to educate yourself about the breed. You cannot get all of the education you need "off the web" or out of a book. Getting involved in shows, hunt tests, obedience trials, etc. is not just an ego trip for the owners. It is a way to meet other, more experienced WSS fanciers and to learn from them. Good breeders go to events, join breed clubs at home and abroad, go to seminars, read books, watch videos, etc.

To be blunt, you are going to have a hard time finding someone who will sell you an intact bitch for breeding and for "just a pet". The majority of WSS breeders are too concerned about the breed for that. They want all breeders to show the same committment to health, temperament, physical conformation, genetics, breeder responsibility, and the future of the breed that they do. As evidence for this committment, they look for a willingness to have your dog evaluated against other Welsh in competition among, other things. Most stud dog owners are breeders themselves, and feel the same way. The quality of their dog will be judged by the quality he produces. This makes them reluctant to breed to bitches who have not been proven in competition, or who have not had all of the relevant health checks.

Some people think that breeders are a bunch of self-serving snobs who want to keep all the profits for themselves, and that's why they try to keep everyone else from breeding. Although there are certainly people out there like that, I have not found the majority of WSS breeders to be that way. I have found that most of them feel a great sense of responsibility and guardianship for the breed. They are concerned that when people begin to breed Welsh casually, problems that we work to eradicate (glaucoma, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, shyness) will become common, and the breed will get a bad reputation. The responsible breeders will end up taking in the dogs who are dumped because they are blind, or they seize, or they are crippled, or they are afraid of their shadows, because the casual breeders say "Once it's sold, it's not my problem" and "I don't have room to take puppies back" and "The owners ruined it; it's not my fault".

There is not a lot of profit in breeding dogs right. There is a serious lack of morality in doing it wrong.

Valerie Young

(Last modified on 12/20/04)