Please do not assume that because your girl is in a fenced yard that she is in no danger of coming in contact with intact males. Be aware that no fence, no matter how solid or how high, is a deterrent to a determined, amorous male. Dogs can smell your ***** for miles and miles, so you will have any number of very determined dogs of all sizes, all jumping and digging abilities that won't think twice about allowing a measly fence to get in the way of nature's call. If your dog is outside, you need to keep a keen eye on her, even when she is on leash. Wandering, determined males won't see you as a deterrent either.
And once a male is tied, there is nothing you can do till the deed is done. No looking out your back yard and shooing the male away, hoping that you caught them in time. You physically cannot separate them till it is over and done with.
Also, just a reminder, you may want to research the vet costs of raising a litter before you make the decision to use your beloved girl as the basis for completing your pet family.
After doing all the health screenings that any responsible breeder would do (As with most breeds, Westies have a host of genetic problems that should be screened for before breeding), the associated costs of the pregnancy vet costs, such as x-rays and ultrasounds and then the costs of raising the litter till 10-12 weeks with vet visits and initial shots, that $1,000 you shelled out for your girl may start to sound like a bargain.
And that is if there are absolutely no complications. Westies have a higher than average incidence of water puppies, which means a higher than average necessity for an emergency c-section. Throw in an emergency c-section for your girl (necessary to get those walrus puppies out before your beloved girl dies) and that $1,000 is beginning to look like a drop in the bucket.
Plus, factor in the place in your family that your girl has. Deaths of *****es are not uncommon in dog breeding. Are you willing to risk the life of your beloved pet just to save money on another dog?
As a responsible breeder, you will want to make sure that none of your puppies end up in rescue over their lifetime. That usually means that you microchip each puppy (another expense) before they leave with your name as one of the contacts. At the very least, you have a contract that specifies that you will take the puppy back, at any age for any reason. Are you willing, 5 years down the line, to be responsible for 8 - 12 dogs that you put on the ground?
If you choose not to do the pre health screens, are you prepared for one of your puppy buyers to come back and demand that you pay the vet bills for a genetically defective puppy you produced? This could run into thousands of dollars.
All questions anybody should be asking themselves before they decide to breed.
In the meantime, there is always the doggie chastity belt:
http://www.pabsforpets.com/
I appreciate all of the thought you put into the post, however, I am relatively sure that no male, no matter how amorous, will jump my 7 foot high fence, nor dig through 2 feet of snow and frozen clay.
At the moment, I'm not planning on pimping her out. We will probably spay her in a few months, before her next heat cycle. The health of our older dog may determine our ultimate course of action. I agree that the possibility of water puppies is something to seriously consider, thank you for the information.
In our 20 yrs together, we have owned 4 dogs and 3 cats. Currently we have 2 dogs and 2 cats. The 3 cats all came from the animal shelter, and all of the pets, with the exception of the one currently under discussion, have been spayed or neutered, and vaccinated regularly.
Not that it is anybody's business whether we chose to spay or breed our dog, but either way you can rest assured that she is well cared for in a loving home.
