Breeding Season Recap: Q & A
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Hi guys! WOLF's breeding season (Jan-June) is now closed, but I wanted to share some frequently asked questions fielded over the season, just for reference. Hopefully it helps answers any unspoken questions people have, and/or makes things clearer. For reference, here is our GB page about the breeding season: click

1. Can a litter have multiple fathers?
Yes. Each puppy can in theory, be sired by a different father (they all must have PM OOC permission) -- so long as the female was covered by him within a similar time frame. Pup A could have Rocky as his father and Pup B could have Diesel as his father. Keep in mind, this doesn't mean a puppy can have two different fathers.

2. Does only the mom need permission to breed?
No. Both parties (mom & dad) need permission from their perspective PMs to breed.

3. I'm a LW. Who do I ask if I can have puppies? And can those puppies survive?
You'll need CM permission for whoever the LW is, and whoever the other parent is will also need permission from their prospective leadergroup as well. Puppies born as Lone Wolves will need to find a pack ASAP; any puppy under one month old will die within one week if it is a LW. Prospective LW parents are advised to do their homework and contact future PMs to see if they have room -- planning this ahead will prevent OOC/IC heartbreak! Avoid assuming there will be room somewhere before having the puppies -- most seasons, pup slots are reserved and/or full and PMs have the right to turn away any LW & LW puppy they see fit.
- LW needs CM permission to breed.
- Pack Wolf needs PM permission to breed.
- LW/PW pair need both CM & PM permission to breed.
- PW/PW pair (different packs) need both packs' PMs permission to breed.

4. I missed the breeding window. Can I backdate or forward date a conception thread?
No. Once the deadline has passed (June 30th) you cannot post a thread conceiving. The same goes for the opening of the season - conception threads can only be posted after January 1st. Within the season, you can of course forward/backdate threads within reason so long as they fall between 1/1 and 6/30.

5. What does a conception thread entail, what does it need to be considered legitimate?
First, it needs OOC permission of whoever the leader is of both the prospective parent's packs or usergroup. Second, it needs to be posted within 1/1-6/30. Third, the details are up to you -- you can be as vague or as explicit as you like about the actual "act" of conception, but it should be abundantly clear in your thread that the act has happened.

6. My thread partner went inactive during our conception thread and/or during gestation period. Does this impact the pregnancy?
If the mother went inactive, yes. The pregnancy is assumed lost or didn't take. If it was the male that went inactive, and it was before there was copulation within the conception thread, check with your pack PMs and/or CMs.
See also: I went inactive while pregnant. How can I save the puppies?
You can't. Unfortunately if you fall inactive or are placed on PPC, the puppies must be aborted.


7. I would like puppies. What is the difference between OOC and IC permission from my PM?
Everyone in game is required to obtain OOC permission from their Pack Manager to have a conception thread that produces viable offspring. You must obtain this permission BEFORE posting a thread where your characters copulate! IC permission is optional, but if I were you I'd make sure you have that too - if you don't, you may find your puppies driven out or killed! If you are a pack wolf you must obtain OOC permission from your PM to have puppies. Do so by private-messaging them on forum, or asking them in DMs. Something as simple as the following will open up an easy dialogue for you and PM: "Hello PM! I would like to obtain OOC permission from you this season for puppies, if you think it is appropriate. Thank you!"

8. My PM said "no" when I asked for OOC permission for puppies. Now what?
No is simply no! PMs have the full right to deny any OOC request for puppies they see fit (and also have the IC right to drive out any at anytime). They do not need a reason, though common reasons to OOCly deny requests are: they have all spots reserved, they limit breeding to long-term individuals, or they do not want puppies in their pack this season.

If you find your PM has said no, you have one of two options: revisit OOC permission with your PM closer to the end of the season (by the end of April, most puppies have already been planned or born) OR, leave that pack and try your luck elsewhere. Conversely, accept puppies may not be in the cards for your character this year.

9. My character is in "PACK HERE" and I had (OOC) PM permission from them to breed, but now my character is moving to a different pack. Do I need the new PM's permission too?
Yes. Unless you already had the conception thread while you were in the past pack's ranks, you will need OOC permission from your new PM, too. A PM's OOC permission to conceive is only valid for the time you are in their pack. You must have the OOC approval of whoever your current pack leader is, to breed (your partner, too). If your character is already pregnant and you move to a new pack, you may want to make sure you have spots waiting for you.. PMs are by no means obligated to house all pregnant characters (and their subsequent puppies) that show up at their borders!

9a. I have permission from PACK-A to breed but never posted a conception thread, and now my character is in a different pack. Does my old PM's permissions still count?
No.

10. My character is in PACK-A while the male getting her pregnant is in PACK-B (switch gender/vice versa). Do we need both pack PM's approval?
Yes. No matter where the puppies are born, both parents MUST have permission from their perspective PMs to have a conception thread. Both pack PMs must give you OOC permission to post a conception thread.

11. My pack PM said yes, but my partner's pack PM said no. What do I do?
You and your partner cannot proceed until your partner gets OOC permission from their PM. Either find a new partner, or find a new pack that is more willing to give permission to your characters.

12. I am a PM of a pack and was requested to grant OOC permission to someone. I don't have the room for puppies and/or don't want more puppies. What should I do?
Say no! Communicate clearly that you are not giving OOC permission.

13. I am seeing a rule being misused or violated. What do I do?
Report it! Either to your PMs, or your CMs. Chances are the rule is being violated by accident, or misunderstanding -- but if you are seeing something that is not kosher, please speak up! This is a huge community and things can easily get overlooked.

14. (Mother) Do I need a birth thread?
Yes. If the due date passed, and the mother is removed for inactivity after due-date but never posted a birth thread, the puppies are considered dead. Puppies do not need to post in said birth thread, and birth thread does not need to be explicit, but for timing and posterity's sake, a birth thread must be posted.

15. Is there a way to get pregnant without a conception thread?
No.

16. My puppy account keeps getting denied. Why?
You should not apply for approval until one day before your birth. Apply as active, not inactive. Additionally, all puppies must have accounts fully filled out (names, birth date, birth place, appearance, and parents) in order to be approved.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
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Ooc — mercury
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This is excellent -- thanks for putting this together!
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Here's a weird one that's not on there, but since this topic is here, seems a good place to ask.

Members require the permission of each PM in their pack to breed. Does a PM therefore require the permission of their fellow PMs? I don't think this ever comes up since PMs normally discuss breeding season plans together and permission is implicit, but I'm curious about the technicalities!
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Ooc — aerinne
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(May 04, 2019, 12:48 PM)Dragomir Wrote: Here's a weird one that's not on there, but since this topic is here, seems a good place to ask.

Members require the permission of each PM in their pack to breed. Does a PM therefore require the permission of their fellow PMs? I don't think this ever comes up since PMs normally discuss breeding season plans together and permission is implicit, but I'm curious about the technicalities!

I'm going to say yes, only because you'll need to coordinate puppy spots. We plan on having a private registry next year so we run into fewer issues next year. Only the admins will be able to see it, but it will allow us to have a greater overall view of who has permission (especially in regards to multi-pack litters).
i will pry his bony fingers free
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(May 04, 2019, 02:05 PM)Sequoia Wrote:
(May 04, 2019, 12:48 PM)Dragomir Wrote: Here's a weird one that's not on there, but since this topic is here, seems a good place to ask.

Members require the permission of each PM in their pack to breed. Does a PM therefore require the permission of their fellow PMs? I don't think this ever comes up since PMs normally discuss breeding season plans together and permission is implicit, but I'm curious about the technicalities!

I'm going to say yes, only because you'll need to coordinate puppy spots. We plan on having a private registry next year so we run into fewer issues next year. Only the admins will be able to see it, but it will allow us to have a greater overall view of who has permission (especially in regards to multi-pack litters).

Yup! What Remedy said :)

I’d also put that empirically, the Alpha (or whatever the equivalent in your pack is to Rank 1) is the one that has the final say on slots, and being a Beta (Rank 2) doesn’t mean you decide for yourself others’ permissions or that you are entitled to deciding for yourself whether you have permission. In other words, anything below Alpha/Rank 1 that is still a leader, still has to get permission from their fellow PMs - and Rank1/Alpha should be conferring with other PMs about their breeding permission too. PMs should be coordinating/communicating with their other leaders on permission and divvying up the slots.  There should be clear communication between leaders regarding permissions given to avoid any future issues, and PMs should track somewhere the permissions they’ve handed out. Sole PMs get to decide for themselves, of course.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
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Bumping this up because I've had a lot of questions recently that are answered here! And a good refresher, for those who haven't caught up with our "new" (as in, released when this post was made) rules yet!
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I hadn't seen this addressed anywhere thus far, but with the revision on the Guidebook and Breeding Season it was a question I had. Can characters enter the game already pregnant or is that still against the rules?
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Ooc — Chelsie
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Characters still cannot enter the game pregnant. A conception thread is one of the requirements for a valid litter!
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Ooc — Lauren
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Just want to add, this recap is for seasons 2019 to 2021- our policies have changed since. I will leave this up a bit longer so you see the reply, but then will archive. I am happy to work on a new FAQ if we think it will be helpful. <3
NEGATIVITY, WE JUST DEAD IT LIKE D-CON.