Appropriate age to breed bitches
- Thread starter Island dog
- Start date
I think you are going to have to look at each breed as an individual.
IN dobes, for instance, especially depending on what things you want to pursue with your dog, 2 years old isnt feasible. You do schutzhund, your dog isn't eligible for a BH until 15 months old, and it's a rare dobe bitch able to get a III by 2 years old (rare for a bitch to get a III period, but still...). It's also rare for a dog to get upper level obedience or agility titles at 2 years old, though a CH certainly is possible. The doberman temperament test cannot be attempted for the first time until the dog is 18 months old. Heart certifications only START at 2 years old in terms of real readings - young ones are expected to be clear.
If you bred a bitch at 2, who came from a bitch bred at 2, and so forth - you could conceivably be 3 generations in before a bitch dies from cardio at 6 years old, and that's jus theartbreaking.
Some responsible dobe breeders are pushing back the ages the dogs are bred at for this particular reason.
Berlin's dam is going to be 8 years old, and her sire is over 5. If Berlin is bred, I would like to wait until she is at least 4 or 5 years old. More of a risk of complications, potentially - but I will also know more about longevity of her immediate line, I will know more of her capabilities in terms of the sports she chooses, I will have more of a health testing basis for her, and I will have had the chance to DO what I want to with her before breeding gets in the way.
IN dobes, for instance, especially depending on what things you want to pursue with your dog, 2 years old isnt feasible. You do schutzhund, your dog isn't eligible for a BH until 15 months old, and it's a rare dobe bitch able to get a III by 2 years old (rare for a bitch to get a III period, but still...). It's also rare for a dog to get upper level obedience or agility titles at 2 years old, though a CH certainly is possible. The doberman temperament test cannot be attempted for the first time until the dog is 18 months old. Heart certifications only START at 2 years old in terms of real readings - young ones are expected to be clear.
If you bred a bitch at 2, who came from a bitch bred at 2, and so forth - you could conceivably be 3 generations in before a bitch dies from cardio at 6 years old, and that's jus theartbreaking.
Some responsible dobe breeders are pushing back the ages the dogs are bred at for this particular reason.
Berlin's dam is going to be 8 years old, and her sire is over 5. If Berlin is bred, I would like to wait until she is at least 4 or 5 years old. More of a risk of complications, potentially - but I will also know more about longevity of her immediate line, I will know more of her capabilities in terms of the sports she chooses, I will have more of a health testing basis for her, and I will have had the chance to DO what I want to with her before breeding gets in the way.
H
I was kind of wondering about the end of heat cycle thing myself. They said it was closer to the end and early on in the pregnancy she was outside (for about 1-2 weeks). They never said if the mother had problems, but I'm pretty sure she didn't. I think the mom had all the pups naturally and at least 8 of them (I think). Would moving into another home be considered a major life change? If so, that would qualify as well. No dog fights, but the local kids may have gotten rough with her being outside while the owners were away.
R
For me, the risks of breeding a bitch at an older age are not tolerable. However, in my breed, we do not have a high risk of DCM that can present at older ages either.
I prefer to use a bitch as soon after 2 years of age as possible if I am planning to breed her. I will not breed any bitch before age 2 because of OFAs. Penny turned 3 while she was in whelp to Shaka. I entertained thoughts of breeding her on the previous season. Had I done so, she would have been 2.5 when the litter was whelped.
I would like to be finished with breeding girls no later than age 6 and have them safely spayed before they are much older than that.
JMO as always.
I prefer to use a bitch as soon after 2 years of age as possible if I am planning to breed her. I will not breed any bitch before age 2 because of OFAs. Penny turned 3 while she was in whelp to Shaka. I entertained thoughts of breeding her on the previous season. Had I done so, she would have been 2.5 when the litter was whelped.
I would like to be finished with breeding girls no later than age 6 and have them safely spayed before they are much older than that.
JMO as always.
For Jrts, I have known several breeders that have bred a bitch later, had large litters and no problems, but those bitches had also had other litters.
I know one breeder that had an oops breeding with a 10 yr old bitch who was in a yard with a young male (he was about 18 months).
Apparantly, the bitch hadn't had a heat in a couple of years and they figured that heat was silent. She produced a singleton, naturally and he was fine.
This breeder is very success in many events but mainly conformation with her dogs, well respected, knowledgable and married to a Vet
From what she has told me, shock doesn't begin to discribe what she felt when she discovered that bitch in whelp. (not whelping, in whelp)
That bitch had had a very successful career as a working dog, was CH. in the showring and a proven producer..............that singleton went on to do some great things.
I know one breeder that had an oops breeding with a 10 yr old bitch who was in a yard with a young male (he was about 18 months).
Apparantly, the bitch hadn't had a heat in a couple of years and they figured that heat was silent. She produced a singleton, naturally and he was fine.
This breeder is very success in many events but mainly conformation with her dogs, well respected, knowledgable and married to a Vet
From what she has told me, shock doesn't begin to discribe what she felt when she discovered that bitch in whelp. (not whelping, in whelp)That bitch had had a very successful career as a working dog, was CH. in the showring and a proven producer..............that singleton went on to do some great things.