Here are five things you should know:

1. It takes time. You’ll have to clean nest every day, for two months. You should keep an eye on kittens and watch their development – you won’t have time for a holiday.

2. It takes space. It’s not a good idea to breed if you have a 3-room apartment. Your family members should agree with your plan of having kittens. You can’t lock up these little balls of fur. They’ll go everywhere - in your partner’s study, in your baby’s bedroom, your kitchen, your bathroom.

The most important concern is that of spaying.

Only those who are fully educated in all aspects of a specific breed and who have time and energy to put into making sure that bloodlines are kept strong and healthy should ever consider breeding. With that in mind, most owners of female dogs will not be thinking of breeding and should therefore seriously consider having their pet spayed.

If necessary surgery is carried out before your dog has her first heat cycle, likelihood of her ever developing breast cancer will become almost zero percent. That alone is a very good reason to have your dog spayed as breast cancer is otherwise relatively common in older bitches. The chances of your dog developing pyometra, a disease of uterus that can be fatal, is also greatly reduced.

Having your dog spayed will also relieve her of twice yearly 'season' and anxiety that often becomes part of it. She'll no longer want to roam in order to find male dogs to mate with and you'll no longer have to put up with crowds of dogs who follow you during walks or who gather outside your home. And most importantly of all, unwanted pups will not become a problem.