earliest age to breed - Page 2

the 3rd heat usually averages out to about 2 yrs old for most females, however some females have them sooner, some later. The reason why 2 is a rule of thumb is because not only is the female considered a mature adult at that age, but also because in the USA the main hip testing organization is OFA which will not issue a hip grading for a dog until it is 2 yrs old.

Let me give this a shot. 1) if you are doing OFA for hips and elbow, they dont certify until the dog is 2 years old 2)under 2 years of age the dog is still considered by most to be a puppy 3) It usually takes most of us until a dog is near 3 years of age to complete all the trials and titles most good breeders want their dogs to have. Plus many want a show rating, and a breed survey(as well they should). There are different ideas on when a dog should be bred. I, for one, want my dog to be mature, earn the titles, have a conformation rating and a breed survey. Of course my dog should be physically as well as mentally sound. Also, depending on what you need to compliment your dog it can take a long time to find the right stud to add to your program. I have been searching for 2 years, and still haven't found the right male. Take the extra time to get all of your ducks in a row, so that you know when you breed your dog, you have done everything you can to maximize the potential of producing good dogs! In the long run, that pays off in more than monetary ways. Just my two cents.

Hi there is a web site i have seen where a bitch was bought from europe it has her on as WT8 January 2005 her first litter JUly 7 2006,she has her down as litter planed for March 2007 of the same biitch. She has had her hd ed done no sch not old enogh.

Natz, that breeding could have been the result of an accident, as those do happen. I would be concerned about the overall vitality of the female, as she will soon be with puppies and her physical development is not yet finished. And everything may be fine. Without human intervention, a young bitch can breed and produce puppies on her first heat. In my opinion, just because nature makes it possible does not mean that we should condone such a breeding 100%, as the body and very importantly the mind are not 100% mature. After all, we do want the best with minimal risk. Kind of like my grandmother who was married at thirteen (13) and had my oldest aunt (long deceased) at fourteen (14) years of age. That was common practice in the late 1800's but of course it is not today. This is difficult to apply to the canine world, but I think there is a similar parallel. Bob-O

tina5: "what female obtain shc 3 now a days. get real!" Many females achieve their Sch3's. I have one, and know many others.

animules--i'm sorry if that came off snobby, but it isn't the norm, is what i meant. i know of plenty sch 3 females as well and i congratulate you on titling your"females"(more then 1 female!!!) breeders usually just care about getting the bitch titled to a one so they can start breeding her. sorry if anyone took it the wrong way

Ditto Deesworld. well said..