You love your dog dearly and think, wouldn't the world be a better place if there were more dogs just like her or him? However, before you breed your dog, take some time to consider whether or not it is the best thing to do and whether you are doing it for the right reasons. Make this decision carefully and only after a lot of research and talking with experienced breeders.

Breeding dogs is not as simple as it sounds. To safeguard the health of your dog and his or her offspring, you need to be able to handle any situation you encounter. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you have the time to dedicate to breeding? The time you will need to spend with your new pups will increase dramatically.

• Will you be able to afford the costs involved in vaccinating and deworming the pups?

• If you can't find new homes for the new babies, are you willing to keep them? This means more feeding and more cleaning.

• Remember you started with one dog; you may end up with a total of six to eight or even more.

• You want to breed because puppies are soooooo cute. Keep in mind they will grow up quickly and may be not be so cute anymore. What will you do then?

• You want to let your kids experience the miracle of birth. Unfortunately, the whelping process has usually been completed by the time you realize it and everyone has missed "the miracle."