If you use dogs for breeding, you must consider the animals’ welfare. Breeding that may cause animals to suffer is prohibited.
Requirements for bitches used for breeding
These requirements apply if you want to use a bitch for breeding:
- The bitch must be at least 18 months old before being mated.
- If the bitch has two litters within a 12‑month period, she must then rest for at least 12 months before the next litter. The only exception is if a veterinarian considers a shorter rest period acceptable.
Dogs that may not be used for breeding
You may not use dogs for breeding if they
- are not in good physical or mental health
- have diseases or disabilities that their offspring risk inheriting
- are excessively fearful or aggressive
- are unable to reproduce naturally.
You may also not use dogs for breeding if any of the following apply:
- They have diseases, lethal genes, defects, or other traits that can be inherited and cause suffering in their offspring, or that may prevent the offspring from behaving naturally.
- They are, or are very likely to be, carriers of a recessive gene for disease, lethal genes, defects, or other traits that may cause suffering or negatively affect the offspring’s natural behavior. The exception is if they are mated with a dog that is confirmed to be free of the corresponding gene.
- The mating combination increases the risk of disease or disability in the offspring. “Disability” here means a condition that makes it harder for the animal to perform natural behaviors or functions.
- They show behavioral disorders in the form of excessive fear responses or aggressive behavior in unprovoked or everyday situations for the dog.
- They lack normally developed sexual organs and lack such bodily and reproductive functions as are normal for the species and that promote natural behavior.
- The mating combination may result in an increased risk of birthing difficulties.
Dogs that are excessively fearful or unjustifiably aggressive may also not be used for breeding. Such behaviors are harmful to the animal’s well‑being and may be passed on to the offspring.
It is therefore prohibited to breed from dogs
- with an extremely strong urge to fight
- that are easily provoked and bite
- that are difficult to stop once they have started an attack
- that direct their willingness to fight towards people and other dogs.
You may not use dogs for breeding if they cannot reproduce naturally. You may also not use a bitch for breeding if she cannot give birth naturally. The risk is that a predisposition for difficult births will be passed on to the next generation.
A veterinarian may sometimes need to perform a caesarean section, but this must not happen too often. You may not continue to breed from a bitch that has undergone two caesarean sections. If the veterinarian determines that the first caesarean section was due to anatomical defects in the bitch, she may not be used for breeding again.
You can read more about this at Jordbruksverket.
Source: Jordbruksverket
