Much has been made recently of various dog breeds, large, small and ridiculously tiny. There is also a growing interest in specific cross breeds such as the labradoodle. Has the poor mongrel been forgotten in all this made-to-measure designer dogdom?

There are many great looking pooches out there of mixed parentage and each one is going to be unique, some of the most engaging looking pups are the result of a chance meeting and rescue centres are overflowing with great dogs passed over in favour of the pure breed in the next cage.

Dogs that can trace their ancestry back are often related, some diseases and defects have become inherent to particular breeds, and mongrels often have a better resistance to doggy diseases.

Mongrel or not, the same principles apply when it comes to finding your ideal dog. See the parents (if known), or if you are going to re-home a rescue dog, talk to the staff at the centre. Be wary of small ads that are offering dogs “free to a good home”, make sure that the dog is not a problem animal that the present owners are trying to offload.

A word of caution if you are taking on a pup of unknown provenance, pups grow and there is no telling how big your new friend will be when fully grown, as you will have no point of reference. Beware of throwbacks, mongrel parents of small stature have been known to produce much larger offspring. If a large dog is going to be a problem play safe and get a pure or cross breed.

Dogs used to breed too many litters, puppies that are taken from their mothers too early or dogs kept in terrible overcrowded conditions can be all too common if dog breeding is seen as purely a money making scheme and can result in litters that do not live very long or who have health problems, as well as being blatantly cruel to the animals.

Dog breeding is a skill and requires very good knowledge and understanding of breeds and of what it takes to be a responsible dog breeder. To find a good dog breeder, you may need to start with recommendations from others but try to do your own homework too. Ensure that you visit the puppies on more than one occasion, and you should always be able to see the mother – you should be suspicious if the dog breeder does not allow this. Observe the conditions that the dogs are kept in, ask lots of questions and see if the dog breeder is curious about you too. A good dog breeder should be very interested in what kind of homes their puppies are going home to.

If you are expecting a pedigree, make sure you see the paperwork and that it has the breeder’s name on and be wary of a breeder that is offering more than one or two breeds.

The director of Westchester County’s SPCA, Ernest Lungaro, has stated that, from the evidence collected and from how things appeared at the shed, he believed the owner had not intentionally caused harm to the animals.

The director has now come out and said that he confirms the dogs had died from an accidental fire at the owner’s premises.

It appears now that the fire was started as a result of one of the many space heaters that were housed in the Greenburgh shed malfunctioning.

The owner of the dogs, Ross Taylor, spoke to the Journal News and told them of how the whole incident had been a horrible accident and that he was really missing his dogs.

This isn’t the last of the incident for Taylor however, as he faces a list of other code violations, one being that he was breeding his dogs whilst in a residential area.

According to officials, this isn’t the first time there has been a problem with Taylor. Back in 2006, his dog breeding business had been shut down and, as far as they were concerned, that had been the last of the troubles. However, it now appears that Taylor had started up his dog breeding business once again and this will have to be looked into further.

As you are bringing your puppy into a family home, it may be wise to obtain a puppy from a dog breeder who breeds the puppies within a family home themselves. Make sure that you visit the dog breeder before making your decision, and see the puppies with their mother so you can observe the puppy’s temperament around people and other dogs.

Most importantly, you must observe the breeder to ensure that they put the appropriate amount of care and effort into raising healthy puppies. A good breeder should ensure that they take the time to raise the litter and take the appropriate health care precautions. A good breeder should not breed to order, or breed too often, so you may have to be prepared to wait for a puppy from a good breeder.

Finding a good dog breeder can take a lot of effort, but it is worth it. Going to dog shows and talking to other dog owners can help you pick up tips on reputable breeders – those who are a very knowledgeable about their breeding, socialise their puppies well and, most importantly of all, care about what will happen to the puppies that they breed.

Firstly, your dog will display some changes in appetite – dogs can get morning sickness too! At the beginning, your dog may not have their usual appetite although this will change as the pregnancy progresses and they will soon regain their appetite and start to gain weight. Your pregnant pet may be lazier than normal too, depending on the breed of dog. She may not feel like being as active as they had before with less desire to run or play as the hormone changes can affect them. Your pet’s behaviour may change as a result of the pregnancy and this is not as easy to predict. It may be that they become very affectionate or just want to be left alone. If you dog’s behaviour takes a turn for the worse, try to remember that your pet is affected by the hormones and that you should be patient with her.

Physical changes in your dog would be an increase in the size of their nipples as well as weight gain in the abdomen as the puppies start to form and the abdomen feels firmer.

When it comes to the final stages of your dog’s pregnancy and it is ready to give birth, the dog will become restless and often pick a spot where it wants to give birth. You should make this area as comfortable as possible for your pet and the puppies that are due to arrive.

Often, you may see advertisements in local newspapers or shop windows, or even on the internet, but you want to ensure that the dog breeder is professional and knowledgeable before you buy. Your dog breeder may be able to provide you with references from other dog owners who have purchased from them, but it would be even better to get a recommendation from someone that you know who has had a good experience with a particular dog breeder.

When you meet the dog breeder, make sure that you go armed with lots of questions. A good dog breeder should be more than prepared to answer your questions and should also ask you lots of questions too – if they are a responsible dog breeder, as they will want to know that the puppies are going to a good home that can look after them properly. They should ask you whether you have a garden or any children, or have owned a dog before. If they do not ask these questions then they may be the kind of breeder who is just looking to make as much money as possible from the litter, and you might want to ask yourself if this is the kind of person that you wish to do business with.

You are not just choosing your stud dog, you are also choosing the owner of the dog. You can also ask for references and always see the stud dog at their home in the flesh.

You need to ensure that the dog has a good temperament, confident and healthy. The dog must be well socialised and be happy. All stud dogs should be at least two years age.

There are some breeds that suffer with certain heath problems, so do your research prior to breeding. Some of these health problems can occur due to excessive breeding and cause unnecessary suffering of the animal.

If he is a pedigree stud dog, then they should be micro chipped and the dogs lineage can be traced back as far as several generations. It is important that you research this to ensure that you avoid close mating or in breeding.

The owner of the stud should also be willing to sign a written contract and also give you a receipt for the stud service. You must also agree if the mating fails what will happen next, for example, a second attempt without a fee.

The mating process should always be under supervision and a good stud dog who knows exactly what to do.

The majority of dogs can deliver their puppies on their own, but as a dog owner, there are things that you can do to ensure that things run smoothly and make sure that your dog has the best care.

Make sure that she has a quiet place to go for her to deliver the puppies. The dog may pick the location herself close to the end of her pregnancy by nesting, and you should allow her to do this. Once the spot is decided upon, try to make this safe and secure for puppies and in particular, try to put up some barriers so that the puppies cannot wander off somewhere unsafe. When the dog is having her puppies, keep things quiet in your home and try not to fuss around the dog. You can observe but from a distance and do not allow the dog to be disturbed unless there appears to be problems.

Try to keep things calm in your home during this time even if children are excited. Rest assured there will be plenty of fun and chaos over the coming weeks when the puppies finally arrive!

You need to be organised when preparing for the whelping. Ensure that you have a good sized box that is clean. You need to make sure that your dog is able to move comfortably inside it, but not too big in size. A good measuring guide to use a box that is approximately a foot wider and six inches longer than the sides of your dog.

Once you have got your box, fill it with clean plastic and some newspaper, do this in layers. This is so that when your dog is inside the box with her puppies, you can just take away the layer of paper with the mess on it. Often dog breeders will have their own preference.

You need to ensure that your new born puppies are warm and comfortable and that the temperature inside the box is around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You will then need to reduce the temperature by 2 degrees each day after. If you notice a puppy that is cold, do not feed it, instead get it warm by tucking it up your top or possibly even your armpit. A cold puppy will cry and will cluster together with other puppies, if they are too hot, then they will separate and look for shade to cool down.

If your dog has a lot of puppies, you should prepare additional feeding, as this will help ensure they all survive. It is also a good idea to do shifts for feeding times. If you find that your puppies will not suckle, then you should feed them via a tube.

The care of new born puppies can be daunting, especially if the litter is considerably large. Ensure that you gather as much information as possible about breeding puppies, especially if you are new to it.

The Kennel Club has a general code of ethics that is certainly worth reading with regards to responsible breeding which will give you food for thought before you go ahead. Potential dog owners who want to find a pedigree puppy will generally expect that the dog that they buy will be typical of the breed they had researched and chosen in terms of its look and the character traits associated with that breed.

The health of the dog will be at the top of their concerns and so irresponsible breeders who continue to breed unhealthy animals can be at risk of legal action so you need to identify if your dog is suitable to be used at stud through various tests. If your dog is used as a stud, you should ensure that all the necessary paper work is in order with your dog’s pedigree form provided, along with health certificates and Kennel Club litter registration forms completed.