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Alot of these questions, in my opinion, aren't just about the dogs themselves, but for the breed as a whole. When we're breeding, we have to accept the fact that we are ALWAYS putting our dogs at considerable risk no matter what we do. You have to ask these questions: Is breeding a nearly perfect bitch so many times going to help the breed? Or is it just a mediocre bitch who really won't contribute anything better in the next litter than the last? Is this a rare breed trying to gain recognition and needing a wider gene pool, perhaps warranting that many litters per year? Does your breed suffer from any health problems that tend to pop up in the earlier years, making it a wise choice to breed older females/males?
1. Breed a bitch up to 5 times
I see this happen fairly often. I think it really depends on the bitch involved, and if she's really doing the breed a favour by having so many litters. I'll be breeding Visa for her 5th (and last) time this year. Her breeder had a singleton litter from her, then I had a litter of two pups, another litter of two, and a litter of four. So in breeding her four times, I have as many pups as I could get from a one big litter (it ain't much!) She has so much to contribute to the breed, that yes I'll breed her once more. She has many features that are incredibly difficult to find in a Belgian these days, and her lines are very old and considerably rare; With the small gene pool we have, I feel it's for the best of the breed to keep these lines going, and therefore breed her once more.
2. Breed 5-6 litters in some years
The main word here being *some.* I can see in the odd 10 or 15 years, having that many litters for some important reason (a line ending, some amazing stud dog getting neutered, or maybe you're moving or taking some big job and so breeding won't be possible for several years). In most cases that I see this (reputable ones) some of the dogs live with co-owners, so it isn't really the breeder that is having several litters at a time. The breeders who I know that *regularily* have this many litters per year are no good, and the dogs they produce are no good.
3. Breed back to back heats (not all time time, usually just 2 litters on back to back heats, I've never seen 3)
This will be my 3rd back to back breeding with Visa. She has some fertility issues, likely caused by a severe fever as a pup. The repro vet recommended back to back heats only for her, after I had issues with my first breeding with her (her second one). Do I enjoy it? Hell no. I HATE having puppies 8 months apart. Visa has never had issues recooperating, bounces back right away, and the day after having them you'd never even know she had them by looking at her.
Studies now show that it's actually better for the bitch to be bred on back to back heats. doesn't mean I plan on doing it in the future. I hope Visa is the only "special" one that requires it. If I could have one litter every two or three years I'd be happier.
4. Breed 7-8 yr old bitches
Depends on the dog, and the breed. Visa will be 8.5 for her next litter. She's in prime condition, acts like a two year old, moves like a two year old. Other than parvo as a pup she hasn't had a sick day in her life. I've never had such an athletic dog. People that meet her expect her to look old, and always remark at how young she seems. I think she's going to be one of those ugly emaciated 17 year old dogs before she dies.
In my opinion, while this isn't ideal for most (and I am not always going to take my own advice), I think the most beneficial thing for every breed would be to wait until females are older, and males are old or dead (use frozen semen) before breeding. In a perfect world. How many dogs are getting epilepsy at age 4, and dying of cancer at age 6, etc? Don't their breeders sit back and think "wow I wish I would have know that before breeding her twice. Now I have some epileptic pups, epi carriers, and some will probably die of cancer eventually." Visa was 6.5 when she had my first litter from her. I bred her to the frozen semen of a male who died at 14. I knew that Visa didn't have epilepsy, was still healthy at 6. I knew how long the male lived, what he died of, what he'd produced. My last litter, and my upcoming litter, are out of a male that is over ten years old. Again, I know his health status, and I know what he's produced. Visa will be 8.5, I'll know her even better than before, and I'll have an even better idea of what SHE has produced. It's purely ingenious to know your dogs as much as possible before breeding them. Therefore, breed them older! It's not as easy on the bitch, but it sure ain't easy on the breed when you're accidentally breeding dogs who'll get epilepsy two years from now (especially since their siblings in breeding homes, still get bred). And when you'e breeding, with the risks you already take, it isn't just about your bitch. Your bitch can get a c-section and be a-ok. It's about the breed. Selfish as that sounds, every breeder takes phenominal risks when they breed, and so they have to accept the fact that bettering the breed is just as important (if not more important) than their own dogs. Otherwise they wouldnt take that risk. It's the bigger picture.
1. Breed a bitch up to 5 times
I see this happen fairly often. I think it really depends on the bitch involved, and if she's really doing the breed a favour by having so many litters. I'll be breeding Visa for her 5th (and last) time this year. Her breeder had a singleton litter from her, then I had a litter of two pups, another litter of two, and a litter of four. So in breeding her four times, I have as many pups as I could get from a one big litter (it ain't much!) She has so much to contribute to the breed, that yes I'll breed her once more. She has many features that are incredibly difficult to find in a Belgian these days, and her lines are very old and considerably rare; With the small gene pool we have, I feel it's for the best of the breed to keep these lines going, and therefore breed her once more.
2. Breed 5-6 litters in some years
The main word here being *some.* I can see in the odd 10 or 15 years, having that many litters for some important reason (a line ending, some amazing stud dog getting neutered, or maybe you're moving or taking some big job and so breeding won't be possible for several years). In most cases that I see this (reputable ones) some of the dogs live with co-owners, so it isn't really the breeder that is having several litters at a time. The breeders who I know that *regularily* have this many litters per year are no good, and the dogs they produce are no good.
3. Breed back to back heats (not all time time, usually just 2 litters on back to back heats, I've never seen 3)
This will be my 3rd back to back breeding with Visa. She has some fertility issues, likely caused by a severe fever as a pup. The repro vet recommended back to back heats only for her, after I had issues with my first breeding with her (her second one). Do I enjoy it? Hell no. I HATE having puppies 8 months apart. Visa has never had issues recooperating, bounces back right away, and the day after having them you'd never even know she had them by looking at her.
Studies now show that it's actually better for the bitch to be bred on back to back heats. doesn't mean I plan on doing it in the future. I hope Visa is the only "special" one that requires it. If I could have one litter every two or three years I'd be happier.
4. Breed 7-8 yr old bitches
Depends on the dog, and the breed. Visa will be 8.5 for her next litter. She's in prime condition, acts like a two year old, moves like a two year old. Other than parvo as a pup she hasn't had a sick day in her life. I've never had such an athletic dog. People that meet her expect her to look old, and always remark at how young she seems. I think she's going to be one of those ugly emaciated 17 year old dogs before she dies.
In my opinion, while this isn't ideal for most (and I am not always going to take my own advice), I think the most beneficial thing for every breed would be to wait until females are older, and males are old or dead (use frozen semen) before breeding. In a perfect world. How many dogs are getting epilepsy at age 4, and dying of cancer at age 6, etc? Don't their breeders sit back and think "wow I wish I would have know that before breeding her twice. Now I have some epileptic pups, epi carriers, and some will probably die of cancer eventually." Visa was 6.5 when she had my first litter from her. I bred her to the frozen semen of a male who died at 14. I knew that Visa didn't have epilepsy, was still healthy at 6. I knew how long the male lived, what he died of, what he'd produced. My last litter, and my upcoming litter, are out of a male that is over ten years old. Again, I know his health status, and I know what he's produced. Visa will be 8.5, I'll know her even better than before, and I'll have an even better idea of what SHE has produced. It's purely ingenious to know your dogs as much as possible before breeding them. Therefore, breed them older! It's not as easy on the bitch, but it sure ain't easy on the breed when you're accidentally breeding dogs who'll get epilepsy two years from now (especially since their siblings in breeding homes, still get bred). And when you'e breeding, with the risks you already take, it isn't just about your bitch. Your bitch can get a c-section and be a-ok. It's about the breed. Selfish as that sounds, every breeder takes phenominal risks when they breed, and so they have to accept the fact that bettering the breed is just as important (if not more important) than their own dogs. Otherwise they wouldnt take that risk. It's the bigger picture.