Breeding – A few questions answered and old wives tales put to bed – hopefully 😉

I am not a vet. I am not a genetics PHD. I am not a (human) midwife or a Biologist. However I have been breeding Labradors for over 20 years. I am a fairly regularly called on contact for dozens of folks mating, whelping and litters problems and questions a year. I also have stood dogs at stud for over 20 years and also handle stud dogs from OUTSIDE our kennel as part of my job. So I’ve attended a few matings (wink), seen a few litters (wink wink), and hopefully, can give a answer to these items below, from genuine and real, multiple multiple experiences. Breeding is inundated with myths and legends. The following are just *some* of the most common questions I get asked and usually have to refute what ‘someone’ has told the questioner. They are also some of the most commonly held ‘old wives tales’ or ‘misconceptions’…… However in *some* cases, who knows. I could be wrong, but I will make it clear when something is *my opinion* and not plain scientific fact 🙂