I warned you that you would get negative responses because what you did was not responsible. That doesn't make you a bad person, it makes you an uneducated about this specific subject person. I did not bash you in any way and took nothing for gospel. I said MAY have eaten her puppies, since you don't really know if she did or didn't. Taking her from a bad situtation and giving her a better life is great and I commned you for that, but...perhaps you just don't realize the genetic and health problems within this breed. Breeding dogs even for ONE litter need to be health tested for hips, heart, thyroid, and other problems because they can and do pass these on the and puppies can have a lot of problems, some not living long lives. Would you wish this on prospective puppy buyers or owners of your puppies, or even the puppy you choose to keep??? It's not to bash you, but what you have done is irresponsible to this breed in general. Helth testing is necessary to try to breed OUT the health and genetic problems in the boxer breed. By not doing so you and others who breed even just one litter have the potential to create other dogs with health issues and this in general weakens the breed. Unless you spay and neuter the puppies yourself that you are breeding out of this litter, you are sending out puppies into the world who COULD be bred by people who said they would spay and neuter, but don't. (I personally know people who did this) Then you have added to the already overpopulation of the breed and to the genetic gene pool with dogs who may or may not have genetic and/or health issues to pass on. If even one or two of those puppies just bred have health issues and are used by others to breed, much like you have done this one time, look how many puppies it can make??? That is the real crux of the problem with "breeding because you love your dog and want one just like them". It's not you personally, it's not that you are a bad person, it is that SO many people do just what you are doing, just one litter and it can and does create so many health problems and overpopulation. If you truly love the boxer breed, it seems logical that you would want fewer health problems in the breed and fewer dogs without homes. Sure, the puppies you bred may all end up in good homes, BUT, what if they don't? what if they are used to breed like you have done and create more problems?? That is the bigger picture that people are trying to explain to you. You want one cute puppy but you have added to the whole big problem facing our beloved breed. I am not bashing you, I am just trying to explain WHY people get so upset and why breeding without having ALL of the proper health testing done (yes it's expensive) and having your dogs evluated by judges and/or Reputable breeders to ensure that your dog does indeed have the best possible attributes to pass on is important. If everyone bred just one litter from their backyard pets.....the boxer breed would be destroyed as we know it and its already happening. Please try to see past your own desire and the fact you are offended to what we are trying to say. It's also very important to have a reputable breeder mentor you and help you in case there are problems. Nobody here can help you with that if there ARE problems. I really do wish you the best of luck with the puppies but it was an irresponsible thing to do whether you choose to see that or not. Building a nice whelping box and taking good care of the mother is great, but it doesn't change the fact of adding more puppies to the world that do not have properly health tested or evluated parents. You are mistaken, I would say it to you in person. I would say it to anyone only to try to explain what is happening to the breed. People don't understand what they are doing to it=/ I am not preaching, I am only trying to get you to see why it is important and why it gets people so upset. I hope both mom and pups do well and you are able to find them all good homes but I also hope that you will have spay/neuter agreement on the pups. Another note, no REPUTABLE breeder would use your male unless he was evaluated by professionals for conformation standard and health tested, and most likely unless his parents were health tested as well. There may be some who would, but not the right kind.
This is the truth of the matter and there is much to learn here. Breeding is a VERY big deal, even for just one litter. It may not be the advice you are looking for but it is the truth. I hope you can get past the defensive to see what it is I'm trying to explain. I really am not trying to attack you. I would say this to anyone who did the same. I did not know these things either until I did more research. Please don't take it personally but rather use it as an avenue to find out so much more.
I really do wish you the best of luck with the mom and pups and I hope that they are all healthy.
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