please give her some good advice and help her tell her parents anything they haven't thought of.
help them do it responsibly..this stuff happens everyday but they are trying to do it right so help them out with some good advice
Fine- they want to do it right? Well then, here's the bare minimum for being responsible:
1) The bitch and stud should be titled in some way shape or form. With Shih Tzus, this usually means that they should compete in conformation and be champions. Please check my previous post on this thread to see why this is important.
2)Both bitch and dam need to be health tested. THIS DOES NOT MEAN A VET CHECK-UP. This means the animals need x-rays of hips and knees sent to OFA or Penn-HIP. Results should come back good or excellent. Otherwise you're at risk for producing puppies with dysplastic hips and knees.
Think breeding is cheap? Not if you're breeding dysplastic dogs. My neighbors had to replace the hips of their BYB Golden Retriever at the tune of $5000. What was the other option? Euthanasia. If Robin's parents don't know what either hip dysplasia, OFA or Penn-HIP are, they have NO business breeding. Especially if they aren't willing to fund hip surgeries for the pups they produce.
Do her parents understand the pedigrees of the bitch and the dam? With toy dogs this is especially important. In general you want smaller studs and bigger bitches. How big is the stud in question? If he's over-sized, the puppies could very well be too big for the dam, and cause a painful, dangerous, and even life-threatening labor for the dam. There have been countless BYBs who have lost bitches this way. Are Robin's parents prepared for that responsibility?
Do they know what CERF is? They should. Both dog and bitch need to have eyes certified by CERF before their bred. Most people aren't so thrilled about buying blind puppies. Ask all the rescue groups that are trying in vain to place blind dogs.
Do they know that dogs CAN get sexually transmitted diseases? Diseases which can cause sterility and even death? Hope they do. A Brucellosis test is in order at the very *least.*
3) Homes should be lined up for all the puppies before any of them are born. AND there should be a contract stating that in any event, no matter WHAT the age of the dog (be it 5 months or 15 years), that they will take back dogs that they have bred. EVERY responsible breeder does this. It is part of being a "grown up" about the situation. When you create lives, you take responsibility for them for the ENTIRETY of their lives. Just like kids. Contracts should also mandate spay and neuter of all pet-quality puppies. Which it sounds like, in the case of this breeding, they are all going to be anyway.
Finally- you say that the breeder Robin obtained her dog from has bred champions before? WHERE is the breeder in this situation. Any GOOD breeder would be involved 100% in a breeding involving one of their animals. At the very least, they would want to approve your choice of bitch. Your breeder is your mentor in a situation like this.
Was this dog sold on a show contract? If not, I find it odd that he isn't neutered already. Responsible breeders mandate the spaying or neutering of pet-quality dogs. Tell Robin's parents to call the breeder and ask for guidance in this situation.
People want all the fun of puppies, but none of the work. When will people begin to take responsibility for their actions? It's very hard not to become frustrated in a situation like this. Robin- please show your parents this thread. Or at least tell them to look into OFA, CERF, and Penn-Hip. You owe it to the Shih Tzu breed, and to any future puppies you produce.