size what matters - Page 1

if mother only had two in her litter and grandmother only had two in her litter  and great grandmother had one in each of three litters is that any indication of the litter size of the daughters of the first mother

size of litters generally runs in the family.  you have 3 generations of bitches where each produced small litters,  so I would probably say that a female from them would also produce small litters.

you can't always be certain,  but more than likely that is the case

If a bat and a ball cost  $1.10, and the bat cost a dollar more than the ball, how much does the ball cost?

an added 2 cents... also consider if continuing to breed with a decreasing fertility over the breed norm is in the best interest of the future of the breed.  You might choose to breed her once because of her qualities, but it might be better to keep a male, and purchase a female from a more fertil line to proceed with.  

I bring this up as 30 years ago most shepherds produced 7-9 pups per litter... but more and more I'm seeing and hearing of 3-5 puppy litters... just something to consider.

thanks windwalker,  you wouldn't happen to be the same has Windwalker kennels would you?

I have also found keeping a male a problem, due to him passing on the small litter sizes to his daughters.  but it isn't like continueing to breed bitches who produce small litters.

I think it is silly to keep a male pup for the purpose of breeding him with a female you get later.

A stud has to have great titles etc, be it workiing or show line.

I bred my girl with an American and Canadian Champion, with multiple selects in pedigree, OFA excellent. The resulting pups have three generations of OFA H/E.

How can one plan to breed a male pup? I think the concept is silly.

A male of any breed of dogs really will have to earn his rare chance to reproduce. Females with excellent pedigree and normal OFA can be bred to an outstanding stud.  There is a gender bias, rightly so, IMO.

"A male of any breed of dogs really will have to earn his rare chance to reproduce.  Females with excellent pedigree and normal OFA can be bred to an outstanding stud.  There is a gender bias, rightly so, IMO."

I couldn't disagree more.  This is like saying the male contributes more of his genes to the litter than the female.  I believe that all breedings should be carefully thought out and purposeful, however thinking that all you need is an accomplished stud is hogwash.  Just because a female comes from good bloodlines and has good hips doesn't mean she can work, has good nerves, etc.  It's obviously possible to get a dud in a litter from two SchH3 parents, and you could be breeding that dud if all you've done is have her hips checked!

I think if there were more people who titled their females to SchH3 (real titles, of course - or equivalent herding, etc) instead of doing the 1 and then hanging them up to breed, we would have less wash-outs in pups.  I, of course, am not saying that there aren't wonderful producing bitches out there with only a SchH1, but there are probably just as many who couldn't hack the training to get to a SchH3. There's not near the amount of pressure and training in the 1 as it takes to get to a 3. 

This same mentality exists in the horse industry, for those that are familiar.  Anybody with a mare breeds her to a "great stud" and expects to get something wonderful.  Doesn't happen!

No, Equally, but the fact is in the arithmetics.

A great male can sire hundred of pups in his lifetime. There need not be a great number of  top studs and still have enough diversity.

A female of excellent pedigree produces 30-50 pups in her life.

The gender bias is completely justified.

I would much prefer to pay the stud fee and shop for sperms from great studs than to raise a male and take the chance that it is worthy. The reasons are far too obvious, only to the kennel blind.

Very few males of any breed of dogs should reproduce.

For females very good is good enough, but  male stud has to be outstanding.

If you insist that only SCHIII or Champion females can breed, then there may well be insufficient puppies for the demand. One can insist that only SchIII or Champion males can reproduce and there will still be plenty of puppies for any demand. It is simple math, and economics.