The Midwoofery Breeder Blog

Evidence-based answers for responsible dog breeders

How often to breed and when to start breeding

Like many other things we used to do, when science is finally applied to our profession and we get information from good data, we realize th

Got milk? A guide to calcium during and after whelping

There's a lot of misinformation about the best source of calcium and not much about how much to give during whelping

When a newborn puppy won’t eat

Here’s a quick summary of what to do with a neonate that won’t latch on and eat right away.

What Helps a Dam Whelp Well and What We Don’t Know: Keys to Successful Whelping

What actually helps a dam whelp well? We sorted popular whelping advice into what’s been shown in dogs, what’s only been seen in other species, and what nobody has studied yet.

x-ray of a dam carrying puppies, with the skulls circled.

How to Count Puppies on an X-Ray

A vet who was never wrong on a puppy count taught me her method. Here’s how to read puppy x-rays, where puppies hide, and how I use the count on whelping day.

Dog breeder reading a puppy inquiry email on a laptop at a kitchen table

AI Puppy Buyers: What to Do When the Inquiry Isn't All Human

More puppy inquiries are being written by AI, not by the buyer. That changes how breeders need to read, screen, and respond. Here's a practical plan.

Circular family tree of 161 dog breeds grouped by color into related clades, from Parker et al., Cell Reports, 2017

Dog DNA Test Wrong Breed? Why Results Show a Breed That Isn't in the Pedigree

Your dog's DNA test shows a small amount of a breed you know isn't in the pedigree. Here's why close cousin breeds get mixed up, and when it's worth a closer look.

A Labrador Retriever puppy sitting on a kitchen table beside a printed sales contract and a pen

California AB 506: What the New Puppy Deposit Law Means Even If You Don't Live in California

California's AB 506 makes a puppy contract void if it has a nonrefundable deposit and the buyer is in California. What the law says, what's going around that isn't true, and what nobody knows yet. Any idiot with an internet connection can write about legal matters. Reporting for duty. Take my read on all this with whatever grain of salt you have handy, and talk to an attorney who actually does California animal law. Here's what I can tell you.

Why Bite Inhibition Is the Wrong Thing to Teach Puppy Buyers

I make three guarantees on my first call with a prospective family. Their puppy will bite them. Their puppy will destroy something they love. And their puppy will have accidents in the house. What I can't guarantee is that yelping and going limp will teach that puppy to bite softly, because that's not how any of this works.

A yellow Labrador Retriever lying in a whelping box with her newborn puppies.

Breeding for Good Whelpers: The Trait We Forget to Select For

We select for hips, coats, and temperament. Almost nobody selects for a dam who can whelp and mother on her own. Here’s why that matters, and what to track.

What's the Deal with Your Dog Eating Placentas? A Breeder's Guide to the Whelping Box's Strangest Snack

Most dams eat at least a few placentas during whelping. There are real benefits, real downsides, and the question of how many matters a lot more than whether she eats any at all. Plus a question about post-whelping loose stool that I haven't seen anyone else ask, and one weird thing I learned about human placenta recipes while researching this.

Why “Health Tested Parents” Doesn’t Mean a Guaranteed Healthy Puppy

Quick answer: Health testing on the parents lowers the chance of inherited disease in the puppies. It doesn’t get rid of that chance completely. Knowing what testing does and doesn’t catch helps you ask better questions and have realistic expectations. When you start looking at breeders, you’ll see phrases like “fully health tested parents” or “all clearances done.” That’s a good sign. It also doesn’t mean what most people think it means. What does “health tested” actually me

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