The 5-point whelping box audit every breeder should run before a litter. Why most setups fail on system design, not equipment.
Category: Dog Breeding
Explore the art and science of dog breeding, from genetic principles to ethical practices. This section offers insights into selecting breeding pairs, and enhancing reproductive health as well as newborn puppy care. Ideal for both novice and seasoned breeders seeking to refine their knowledge and contribute to the betterment of canine health.
Prenatal Stress in Dogs: Why the Last 6 Weeks of Pregnancy Are Doing More Than We Thought
Two 2025 canine studies show the last 6 to 8 weeks before whelping are not waiting time. They are an active programming window. The dam's chronic stress load in this period leaves a measurable signal in her puppies. Here is what to do with that, in real kennel practice.
Natural Breeding Done Right: The Environment, Timing, and Safety Protocol That Protects Both Partners
A veterinarian's protocol for natural dog breeding: how to time ovulation, prepare the environment, space matings, protect the stud's os penis, and spot the red flags before they cost you a litter or a breeding career.
How Can a Simple Scale Prevent Puppy and Kitten Neonatal Loss?
Learn how daily weighing and breed-specific neonatal growth charts can detect puppy and kitten health crises 24 to 48 hours before clinical signs appear. Covers birth weight thresholds, the two-centile rule, hypothermia staging, and essential neonatal monitoring equipment for breeders.
Why the Canine Nomograph Cannot Eliminate Puppy Vaccine Failure
The canine nomograph promises to predict when maternal antibodies fade using the dam's serum titer. Two biological realities break that promise: up to 20 percent of puppies experience failure of passive transfer, and antibody concentration varies from gland to gland. Your real leverage is upstream, in optimizing colostrum quality and maximizing intake in the first 24 hours.
How to Turn DNA Data Into Breeding Decisions
A genetic pairing decision matrix transforms raw DNA data into structured breeding decisions. Learn the five-step framework integrating genomic COI, carrier overlap, offspring COI projection, and phenotype scoring for both dogs and cats.
Why Is Canine Herpes So Hard to Eliminate?
CHV-1 seroprevalence is 30-100% in dogs. Eradication is biologically impossible, but thermal management, vaccination, and evidence-based prevention reduce neonatal mortality from 50% to under 10%. Learn why 37°C is the critical threshold.
The Ovulation Timing Worksheet: Track Every Cycle Detail That Matters
Stop guessing. Start tracking. The worksheet that turns your progesterone results into breeding decisions.
The Puppy Weaning Window: When to Transition From Milk to Solid Food
Most breeders start weaning too early. The 3-week window that shapes your puppies' gut health forever.
Canine Ovulation Timing: Beyond the Progesterone Number
Your lab says 5 ng/mL. But which assay? Which unit? The number alone doesn't tell you when to breed.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 