Is she ready??

Please don't take this wrong but here are the things about breeding that I don't know if you know. I know it may sound like I'm putting you through the wringer,but I'm just trying to be sure you really want to do this,ok,ok. You can bring another puppy in any time,be aware if you do get a male you will need to keep them separated during her first,second,and third heat.A heat cycle is about 2 weeks coming in and 2 weeks going out,all the while you will not get much sleep at this time because the male will put up a fuss to be with her. For the duration they cannot play together,eat together,or be alone together at any time. Do you have a pedigree? There should be a few Champions in at least the 2nd generation. Although you may not be breeding for show puppies these are often your healthiest dogs. Champions past the 3rd generation doesn't count,they don't have any influance on the gene pool. She should be tested for hereditary and genetic problems before being bred,as should any male you would use for breeding. Check the BHCA website for descriptions.Some of the things are ,glaucoma,VWD(Von Willebrands Disease)and Thrombopathia(both bleeding disorders)and thyroid. Once she is old enough to breed evaluate her temperament,and get shots before breeding her(not while in heat,about a month before she is due)so she has lots of antibodies to pass to the puppies for protection. These dogs do not always breed naturally,you may need to help them. Has your husband delivered any litters or had to help a Dam who was having trouble? Someone will need to be with the mother and puppies for the first 2 weeks 24hours a day so she doesn't step or lay on them and to be sure they are eating ,and that she doesn't get infected milk,in which case you must pull the puppies from her and bottle feed them. You must then be prepared to get first puppy vaccinations and wormings. What if all the puppies do not have homes right away,are you prepared to keep one or two till they are past 3-4 months old,continuing the vaccinations etc. I can tell you from experience,if I had charged a price for my puppies that reflected all the time ,just the time,I had put into them,no one would have been able to afford them,not considering the money it costs to raise a healthy litter (lets say 7)to 8 weeks of age.(I never let a puppy leave till at least 10 - 12 weeks of age) Then,interviewing potential homes takes up alot of time too. Will you give a health guarantee of a year or just several days? Temperament guarantee? Replacement? What if down the road they can't keep the puppy,(who is not a puppy anymore)will you want it back? Consider all these things for the betterment of this breed.