How to Find a Mate or Stud for Your Dog in the United States

Should you breed your dog at all?

Not every good pet should be bred. Before you contact a stud owner, answer these questions honestly:

• Is your dog a healthy adult with a temperament you would want in every puppy?
• Can you pay for vet checks during pregnancy and an emergency C-section if one is needed?
• Do you have the space and time to raise a litter for at least 8 weeks, often longer?
• Do you already have interested homes, and will you take back a puppy that does not work out?

About 28 states and Washington, DC have laws on the minimum age for selling puppies, usually 8 weeks. California, for example, bans selling a puppy under 8 weeks old. Plan to keep the whole litter at least that long, and read how to sell puppies responsibly before you commit.

Where can you find a stud dog in the US?

• Breed clubs: your breed's national parent club and regional clubs can put you in touch with members who own health-tested stud dogs.
• Your own dog's breeder: a good breeder often knows suitable males and may mentor a first-time breeder.
• Shows and dog sports: you can see a stud dog's temperament and structure in person and talk to the owner.
• Classified listings: on PetzLover you can search dogs for mating in the US, filter by breed and location, and save the search to get alerts when a new matching dog is listed.

Whichever route you use, message the owner through PetzLover first and ask for copies of health results and registration before you arrange a visit.

Which health tests should a stud dog have?

Health testing is the heart of responsible dog breeding. Each breed has its own risks, so the exact list depends on the breed, but most careful stud owners can show results like these:

A CHIC number shows that a dog has completed the tests its breed club recommends and that the results are public. It does not prove the dog is free of every disease, so read the actual results. The AKC also says a dog that tests positive for brucellosis should not be kept for breeding, whatever its pedigree.

How do you choose a suitable mate for your dog?

• Same breed for registered puppies: the AKC treats a litter from two different purebreds as a mixed-breed litter and will not register it.
• Similar size and build: ask your vet before pairing dogs of very different sizes, because the female has to carry and deliver the puppies.
• Temperament: meet the stud dog, or at least see him on a video call. A nervous or aggressive dog is a poor choice whatever his pedigree.
• Pedigree: ask for a three-generation pedigree to avoid close inbreeding and to check health results across the family.

What should a stud dog contract include?

The AKC advises putting the stud agreement in writing well before the mating, with a signed copy for each side. The stud owner sets the fee and may ask for cash, pick of the litter or one or more puppies. A clear contract covers:

1. Both dogs' registered names and numbers and the planned dates of the mating.
2. The fee, when it is due and whether any deposit is refundable.
3. If payment is a puppy: who picks first, at what age, and what happens if the litter is very small.
4. What happens if no puppies are born, for example a free repeat mating on the next heat.
5. The health results each side must show before the mating, including recent brucellosis tests.
6. Who pays for travel, boarding, progesterone tests or artificial insemination.
7. When the stud owner signs the litter registration application; many sign only after the fee is paid.

Stud fees vary widely by breed, by the dog's health results and by his show or working record, so compare a few offers rather than accepting the first price.

Do you need papers or a permit to breed a dog in the US?

Registration: for an AKC litter both parents must be AKC-registered dogs of the same breed. On the mating date the dam must be at least 8 months old and the sire at least 7 months old, and neither may be over 12 years. The litter application is signed by all owners of the dam and one owner of the sire. The AKC also requires DNA profiling of a frequently used sire, meaning one with seven or more litters in his lifetime or more than three in a calendar year. The UKC registers litters too, normally when both parents are permanently UKC-registered.

Local rules: breeding is regulated mainly by states, counties and cities. Los Angeles, for example, requires a breeding permit before a dog is bred, and dogs there over four months old must be spayed or neutered unless an exemption applies. Ask your city or county animal services before the mating.

Federal rules: USDA licensing under the Animal Welfare Act mostly affects larger operations. Someone who keeps more than four breeding females and sells puppies sight unseen generally needs a USDA license; most owners breeding one family dog do not.

How do you stay safe when meeting a stud owner?

• Keep early contact in the site's messages, and do not send a deposit before you have seen the dog's papers and results.
• Meet in daylight, bring a friend and keep your female leashed and under your control.
• Never pay by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency; the FTC warns that legitimate sellers do not require these.
• Use the Report Scam button on any listing with copied photos or pressure to pay quickly.

If you own the stud dog, read how to advertise your dog for mating for the other side of the deal. And to understand what careful families will ask you about the puppies, see how to buy a puppy in the US.