Breeding every heat. - Page 4

This was a great post and I learned from it.  I had heard conflicting information with more leaning toward the every heat cycle as long as the bitch is healthy and not run down.  This reinforces that.  The key being healthy and not run down.

I just stumbled upon this post, and I thought I was going to read about how bad it was to breed back to back,

I am surprised how many people are saying, "As long as the bitch is healthy"

That's what I go by, although, if it was a very large litter, like my bitch that just had 13 pups (first litter)
She was one out of thirteen, I'll be skipping her next heat, plus I want to put some obedience
 titles on her.     Nobody goes to any shows when pups are at home.

Based on my own personal experience, I gave birth to eight children, ranging in ages 32 to 12 years.

I did love being pregnant, that was when I felt my healthest!

Also, when I donate blood to the red cross, they have a questionare, that asks have you  had more than six 
children.     I believe I read somewhere that mother nature provides something good in the mothers
blood to keep her healthy, and able to take care for her offspring, so another generation can go forth!
Not that I'm a bitch or anything.....(I try not to be)..........................................

Wow, sounds like heavy stuff.....................

Anyway, here's my web-site    www.vonryansgermanshepherds.com

Thanks for the link, vomlandholz, I found it very informative, never really knew doctors,
that didn't preach about getting your dog fixed, other than my personal vet, that's a breeder herself.

This was a very good post, I too heard from the breeder I bought my male from that it was better for the female to breed every heat, he claimed that is what they also do in Germany, not sure if that is true or not.  Anywa, I always wandered why it was better for the female.  Now I understand, thank you for the information.

Liz 

Yes, the repro Vet I took one of my girls too said the same thing. My girl skipped a heat after her first litter and developed Pyometra. The Repro Vet asked me why I skipped and I was stumped. After treating, she told me to breed the next heat so I did with 9 awesome kids, then the next heat she had 8 but developed Endometritis so I spayed her. It wasn't worth putting my baby girl through all the trouble.

Tina

Not to repeat myself, but how can you find enough good homes to justify breeding a bitch every season unless she is one that only has a few puppies per litter? Last I heard there were somewhere around 200 GSD's sitting in Camp Wolfgang alone, not junkyard dogs either. Some with Sch titles and one Va if I recall correctly. I'm not sure this country really needs anymore GSD pets.

From one of the nations top theriogenologists( on of only six in the US that has her qualifications):

Beed a bitch back to back four times in a row, then spay. Only if the bitch recovers nicely between each litter. You will never get out of a older bitch what you will a younger dog.

Examine the reasons for breeding- to improve the breed- the bitch herself must have something to offer, and if she can not produce it in her progeny within four litters then you wont get it.

Blitzen, that's my dog's great-grandfathers name.

Anyway,I mostly have repeat customers, that are looking for a friend for a dog they already
got from me, or to replace one they got from me that has passed.

They go out my door with the understanding if they can no longer keep their dog, they may return
the dog for WHATEVER reason and whatever age it is.

I have gotten 5 dogs returned to me:

2 dogs cause of divorce
1 dog cause they were moving to CA.
2 dogs, cause the owners were basket cases!
Out of the 5,   I kept 2.
The others were rehomed, with the same understanding.

Even though they leave my house, in a way, they still live here, the door stays open.

Good for you for taking back the unwanted dogs you bred, Mirasmom. Sadly not all breeders do that and not all have repeat buyers for their puppies. Also many are only in it for the money and when they see GSD puppies advertised for thousands of dollars, they see what they think is an easy way to make some money. If these puppies sold for $250 the breed would be in far better shape.

When I first got into breeding, no one, but no one, bred their bitches every season. IMO there were fewer repro problems then and we didn't go to all sorts of heroics to get a bitch pg.  We also didn't see as many sections on bitches as I hear of today and there were just as many live births. Either the bitches came into standing heat naturally, accepted a male, and had a litter or they didn't. Now there are vets who make a living helping us get our bitches pregnant and of course they will want to see bitches bred every time they are in heat.

Personally, I'd rather shoot myself than have to place litter after litter of puppies. I got back about 25% of the dogs I bred over the years and finally had enough and stopped breeding.