Our Boxer puppy will be one in July and we want to breed him.

Hi,You don't legally need anything to put your Boxer to stud, but there some important rules that are considered morally and ethically essential. It is very expensive to health test your dog, which must be done before studding, so you will have to spend a lot of money before you can make any. First, is he registered? If not, you should check out how much people are willing to pay for a stud with no papers, it will probably be less than you expect but you may find it still worth doing, especially if you want to keep one yourself. Second is to get him health tested. Now this is an essential, even if your boy is healthy he could still be carrying a genetic defect that could be passed on to his puppies. Boxers MUST be heart tested before breeding as they are prone to heart conditions. This will obviously cost you but it has to be done. Next is to get his hips scored, again essential even if he himself is fine, also very much part of good breeding practice. Good owners also like to have the dogs eyes tested. This may well cost you near a thousand dollars but it has to be done before any money can be made from his stud fee. Some people stud their dogs without doing these tests, but if you've ever met someone with a two year old dog crippled and in agony with hip dysplasia you will understand why it is so important. You obviously care a lot about the future puppies you will be creating, sadly some people don't!Third, once his health tests come back clear is to find a breeder who can show you the correct and safe way to handle a stud dog during mating. It is certainly not as easy as most people think, dogs can be seriously injured if the mating goes wrong, and do you know how to aid your dog and the female if needed? It's really important that you learn how to properly handle you stud, for his safety and the safety of the female, and also anyone using him as a stud will expect it from you. After this you will be ready to go! Ideally you want to find a female that has also had the necessary health tests, but the real essential is a swab before mating just to make sure she doesn't have any disease that can be given to your boy. It is really difficult and expensive to get started if you want to do it properly, which is why sadly most people don't, but it will be very rewarding for you to see your boy sire his first litter in the knowledge that they will all be healthy, long lived pups. Good luck!