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The breeding programme of the Paris school
The Paris school has its own breeding programme. Presently it uses four breeds: the Labrador, the Golden, the Flat Coated and the Hovawart.
The puppies of other breeds come from reputable breeders.
Breeding is not a simple affair. As a breeder one sets oneself definite goals and must be prepared to suffer setbacks. Even if the main aim is to strengthen the genetic heritage of the breed there is also a lot of luck involved.
The Paris school owns breeding bitches which it uses only for breeding purposes. Other bitches (from its breeding program) are sometimes covered and the puppies from these litters trained as guide dogs. Usually, however, the sires used are those that have already been successful elsewhere. Bitches only reproduce 4 times during their lifetime which is not often.
Therefore puppies from other sources are also used provided they meet the criteria of the school. As the breeding costs are exorbitant the risk of failure should be kept to a minimum.
In the breeding process the choice of the parents (sire and breeding bitch) is the first important step to take. The rules are pretty much based on common sense:
- Studying the behaviour of the dog under normal working conditions.
- Studying the pedigree.
- Studying the veterinary records. For the last 20 years the Paris school tests for ERG and hip dysplasia..
- Talking to the dog owners..
CONCLUSION :
A good sire will have no genetic defects, e.g. dysplasia or retinal atrophy. He will have the prerequisites necessary to make a good guide dog: a sociable character, be eager to learn and be able to memorize and reconstitute what he has learnt.
The bitches have to be good "moms", should welcome their litters, have ample milk and be gentle with their puppies.
The bitch is in heat for about 3 weeks. This period is composed of 2 phases: the «pre-oestrus» and «oestrus» phases. Fertilization takes place during the second week which is when the bitch welcomes copulation freely. A special department at the National Veterinary School of Maisons-Alfort tests the bitch to determine when oestrus begins. By doing a vaginal smear and testing the progesterone levels it can be determined when the bitch is ready. (Titres must be over10 nanogrammes/ml). The veterinarians then alert the school and the bitch and sire are placed together in a quiet place, large enough for them to move around freely. If nothing happens the bitch is artificially inseminated with fresh semen. This takes place either at the above-mentioned veterinary school or is done by an accredited veterinarian. The procedure is repeated after 48 hours.
After 4 weeks one will know whether the bitch is pregnant or not.
The gestational period is 63 days.
During the first month: The body of the bitch does not change noticeably during the first month. The abdominal volume remains the same (unlike in phantom pregnancies when it increases). The puppies only begin to grow once the egg is implanted in the uterus (day 19). During this period the bitch may lose her appetite temporarily.
Before week 4: There are few clinical signs before week 4. The first sign, on about day 30, is a clear mucus discharge (any other colour is abnormal). The abdomen also feels full, from the ribs back. There is no canine pregnancy test so these signs are used to diagnose pregnancy. From day 25 an ultrasound is conclusive and shows the foetal sacs. These can only be felt by expert hands as from day 30.
If the bitch is carrying a small litter, characteristic clinical signs will appear in the 2nd month of gestation: a hardening of the nipples (especially in a primiparous bitch), and a rounding of the belly. On about day 45 the bones of the puppies ossify. Then an abdominal X-ray is indicated, to establish the size of the litter.
With the appearance of these first signs, a care programme is established for the bitch with regard to her diet, her activities and any specific needs she might have.
The bitch is placed with a breeding family to ensure an optimal environment for the pregnancy and reduce stress to a minimum. The pregnancy is followed by the school: a calendar is set up for regular de-worming and treatment of other parasites, her nutrition is adapted and her medication is checked to avoid any harm to the embryos. An early and quantitative diagnosis allows one to adjust her nutritional needs right from the start. The food is divided into several meals, and as from week 5 it will be rich in protein, increased in increments of 10% weekly for a normally sized litter.
A fortnight before delivery the bitch will rest more and more. She will sleep for longer periods and need a quiet environment. She should no longer do any prolonged physical activity and she should not mix with other dogs. The mammary glands grow notably and beige and brown excretions appear. Delivery is in preparation.
A week prior to the end of gestation the first signs of an imminent delivery appear. The bitch begins lactating, the hind-quarters tip as the vulva dilates and softens. A transparent discharge may appear as the cervix opens. These signs are due to contractions of the uterus.
The period varies depending on the breed, the size of the litter and whether the bitch is primiparous or not.
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Minor changes in behaviour follow. Her attitude alters. She will become irritable, begin scratching the ground and seek out an isolated spot to deliver. She may also refuse to eat and may want to be with her master constantly. The delivery box should now be prepared so that the bitch can get used to it. She should be spared any unnecessary stress.
Delivery is imminent when a rosy liquid appears at the vulva (the mucus plug which has dissolved). The bitch begins panting and the abdominal contractions start. As delivery begins the bitch will either lie on her side or crouch to expel the puppies. This has to take place rapidly. The puppies appear in a greenish black sac attached to the placenta. The mother has to pierce this so that the puppy, still attached by the umbilical cord, does not drown when he begins to breathe. One puppy is usually expelled every 20 minutes, but towards the end of the delivery it might take a little longer.
The discrete presence of the trainer, which is essential, calms the bitch. Sometimes she will need some help in expelling a puppy: it may be stuck or present as a breech (40% of births). Or the sac needs to be pierced because the bitch is either too tired to do so herself or lacks the necessary experience.
Each puppy is shaken, head down, to clear the respiratory tract of any mucus and ensure an optimal oxygenation. The skin fold test is done: when the skin is pulled up it should immediately retract. Each puppy is checked to see if it is able to suck and the umbilical cord is disinfected. It is then rubbed to warm it up and put under a warming lamp at 30-31 degrees Celsius.
After the last puppy is delivered the vulva of the bitch is cleaned and her temperature taken.
Finally she can rest. She will need all the energy she has to feed her pups during lactation!
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The education of the puppies begins "in the cradle". They are pampered like future champs from the moment they are born.
This is done to excite their senses.
- Vision - with coloured balls and raised objects. Failing that their vision will remain average.
- Touch - getting them to walk on different surfaces.
- Hearing - playing cassettes to them with a variety of noises, of different environments and animals.
- Kinesis - getting them to turn, to go up and down, to move freely.
They should be exposed to as many different stimuli as possible.
The neonatal (vegetative) period:
de 0 à 15 days The newborn puppy is both blind and deaf, but his senses of smell and touch are present.
During this period his motor activity is limited to the bare minimum: finding mom and his siblings. He needs to be in close physical contact with them. It is very important that his sense of touch is stimulated at this stage.
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The puppy sleeps 80-90% of the time. When he moves it is by crawling on his belly using his forelegs. His nutrition is 100% mother's milk, initially containing colostrum which is very nourishing. He feeds 7-8 times a day and his weight doubles in the first 8-9 days. He will compete for the best nipple and once attained will not let go. |
The weight gain of the puppies is closely watched and a consistent growth pattern should be attained.
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The mother plays a fundamental role. In licking the anogenital region of each puppy she stimulates both urination and defaecation. |
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There is still no shared bond, the puppies merely seeking a warm, soft object that supplies milk!
This is a transitional phase for the puppies from a solitary existence to one which takes into account their siblings. |
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Transitional phase: Transitional phase:
This is when the puppy wakes up and his motor capacity progresses noticeably. He can almost sit and can stand for short periods and he will now begin to explore, an importance moment in his life.
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He urinates and defaecates voluntarily. He licks, smells, feels, sees (the eyes open week 2) and hears (week 3). He startles when he hears a sudden noise.
He will begin to focus on the teat but also follow other stimuli, be they visual, tactile or olfactory.
He also begins to bond with his mother and begins to realize he's a dog.
By the end of the transitional period the puppy will have acquired the skills necessary for pack living.
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Socialization:
At 3 weeks
The puppy focuses on light and sounds heard. He will react to pain. He will memorize sounds in his environment. He begins to bark and growl. As his muscle tone improves so does his balance.
The mother will begin to punish him and avoid him when he is too cheeky. This coincides with weaning.
At 4 weeks
| The puppies recognize one another visually and audibly. They begin to mock fight and thus establish a hierarchy amongst themselves. Through play and pain they learn to restrain their bite and set their limits when interacting with each other. The mother's attitude during this mock fighting is crucial. She cannot bear to hear a whimper and acts as a referee of sorts.
The puppies sleep together in small groups and follow each other around. Sexual activity in males can be seen during play.
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At 5 weeks
There is a marked difference between the facial expression of a puppy at 3 weeks and one at 5 weeks.
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The muzzle elongates and the facial muscles become firmer. This raises the lips and allows the ears to move.
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At 6 - 8 weeks
The puppy can see, hear, moves about freely and mock fights. He tests his communication skills by meowing, yapping, growling and barking. He is very close to his mother and is unhappy when they are separated. His milk teeth make sucking painful for the mother who begins to avoid her pups: separation has begun.
The process of weaning - passing from milk to solids- requires a strict supervision of the puppies' weight and stools.
During this period the puppy begins to realize he's a dog. He learns how to interact with his siblings and how to interpret their different signals. His environment plays an important role in his life and all his senses and organs function optimally. He will go towards an object and begin to interact with it.
This environment should be full of tactile and visual stimuli, but at the same time it should remain unchanged and reassure him. The mother should always be present when introducing new sounds, forms or colours. She is the symbol of safety and stability and her presence comforts the puppy when he is faced with something new.
The puppy's domain opens up as he discovers new smells and new situations. He will begin to accept being alone, will enjoy looking for something (this stimulates his sense of initiative) and become more autonomous. Each day brings with it something new.
The socialization phase is characterized by 2 main aspects: progress and variety.
Each puppy is closely watched and his reactions noted.
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At 5 weeks the puppy is let out for the first time. To minimize the stress he is surrounded by familiar objects. Each puppy will be on his own at first, his behaviour is noted and then he is joined by his siblings.
A play area is created for the puppies. In it things are in constant motion, multi-coloured and forever changing. |
Different people will interact with the puppies, they will hear new voices and be handled in different ways.
The play area is changed every day to give them new stimuli. This is always done under close supervision so that nothing goes wrong.
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To strengthen the puppy's character so that he will be able to confront any traumatic situation in the future, the stronger stimuli are introduced just before he goes to his bowl at meal times. By now the puppy will be house trained.
The get him used to other animals the puppy is confronted with adult dogs of different breeds, as well as cats and farm animals.
Care should be taken that these animals are calm so that this is a positive experience for the puppy. |
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The puppies stay with their mother for the first 2 months. At 2 ½ months they are separated and placed with their host family.
At 7 weeks the puppy's character is tested. Different tests stimulate the 5 senses and his behaviour is noted.
- Auditory stimuli: closing a door, clapping hands ...
- Visual stimul: waving a white sheet in front of the puppy; confronting it with a manikin, an umbrella ...
- Olfactory stimuli: smelling a dirt bin ...
- Gustatory stimuli: chewing a bone ...
- Tactile stimuli: walking on different surfaces, e.g. tiles, carpeting, etc.
The tests are done as follows:
The puppy to be tested is put in the centre of the room which is new to him and where he will discover different objects: toys, ribbons, balls, etc. The evaluation is done by 2 people, the "tester" who interacts with the puppy and the "observer" who notes the reactions and attitude of the puppy at each stage.
The different stages are:
- The intra-specific adaptation (with the tester) and the inter-specific adaptation (where dogs of other breeds are introduced).
- Unusual objects: open or closed umbrella.
- Adaptability: memorizing the way to his bowl or bringing back an object.
- Domination tests which are timed over 30 seconds: lifting the puppy, turning him on his back and placing a hand on his chest.
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The testing does not take more than 5 minutes per puppy and each puppy is rated on a "temperament scale". His rating will determine which host family he will be placed with.
It is also important in the selection of the future guide dogs as it detects early on which puppies are stable, submissive and attentive, qualities essential for the months of training that will follow. |
Becoming a host family for a breeding bitch. |
The school owns the breeding bitch, but the host family has a life time interest in the dog. The family makes the commitment to feed and care for her and to return her to the school to be covered. All charges related to her pregnancy and to the delivery are covered by the school. The school likes the delivery to take place at the home of the host family.
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