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by Missing Shelby on 23 January 2011 - 15:01
by TessJ10 on 23 January 2011 - 15:01
Anyway, depends on the dog. 3 litters can bring a dog down, but almost always they come back with rest. However, many bitches can look fantastic and have zero ill effects even after having more than 3 litters. That would not be uncommon at all, to be just fine after multiple litters.
Can you meet this dog first, or are you buying unseen?
So to specifically answer your question, no, 3 litters does not = poor lifelong health, UNLESS the bitch has other health issues or is a hard keeper herself. Don't write her off just on the numbers.
by sable59 on 23 January 2011 - 16:01
i have a bitch that has had 3 litters and is almost 4.. i use to skip a breeding but have since learned it is easier on the bitch to breed back to back. get pups from her while she is young and retire her. i never said sell, give her away either. a bitch that i have for that long is like family to us and we would never part with them. they stay in our home and are truely a family member.
by noddi on 23 January 2011 - 18:01
by Ibrahim on 23 January 2011 - 19:01
Noddi, and other dear breeders
1. Off genetics, do I understand from what you said that the quality of puppies may/can be affected by the health condition of bitch (specifically recovering from a previous birth)? You mentioned substance, can we ad to that ligamentation, maybe muscle softness too etc?
2. Also does too many mating of the Sire negatively affects the puppies?
Thanks
Ibrahim
by alboe2009 on 24 January 2011 - 03:01
Are you asking because you're concerned for the health of the female? Or are you concerned for the health of the female to have more litters?
Are you asking breeders who have firsthand either done this, know firsthand or have seen this?
If medically then contact a vet or find out if anything has been documentated or researched. If you were looking for personal experiences then a few have spoken.
My thoughts are back to back can not be overall as good as bypassing a heat. But situation dictates. Would a back to back breed take away years on a females life? With no medical expertise I would say no ,as long as it is not continuos. Look at animals in the wild. At least with humans the enviroment is controlled to an extent.
I don't breed at this time but when the time comes, situation will dictate. The majority of myself says there will be a break in heats but what if the male I need is at one time and not the other? All I know is the bitch when whelping will be treated like a queen and caterred to.
by windwalker18 on 24 January 2011 - 04:01
It's fairly well accepted that the very very least requirement is that a bitch be OFA'ed or PenHip, which means at least 2 years of age... before being bred. Normally it should be at least a year before she has a 2nd litter, which means she'd be 3. I've had some females who looked like a wraith after a litter, and others who carried the litter and nursing without turning a hair. That's where it depends a lot on the female, and the size of the litter, how it effected her condition. Did she receive proper nutrition and exercise while carrying the litter, and while recovering afterwards?? If bred back to back one time (no excuses for continuing to do so except $$$$$ which IMHO is the wrong reason for breeding) Then she needs to rest for one season. All that's aimed at the person who bred her though, not at you.... You didn't say if you were purchasing her as a brood bitch, or as a companion and/or competition dog.
Ibrahim... as far as breeding males too often (or too seldom) it can and does effect the motility of the semen. Exactly how often a male should be used, medically, depends on his fertility level. If a male hasn't been bred in 6 months or so prior to being used it would be helpful to the semen motility to "refresh" those in the system prior to breeding him.
by BlackthornGSD on 24 January 2011 - 15:01
I know of a bitch who had 4 or 5 litters who live to be 16. I have a bitch who is a healthy 12.5 who had a number of litters--but she was very healthy and strong throughout and always loved having litters and always maintained good weight throughout. She also *loved* having puppies--not all bitches do. And if a bitch doesn't enjoy the process, feels unwell when pregnant, doesn't particularly like dealing with her puppies--then IMO, it's not good to keep breeding her.
Vets who are reproductive specialists will often tell you to breed back to back as many times as you want to breed the female, then spay her--because of the risk of pyometra and also because the bitch's body goes through exactly the same hormone cycles whether or not she gets pregnant. That seems pretty extreme to me, though, and although I will do a back-to-back breeding on a female who is in good health and condition, it's with the plan of giving the female a year off afterwards.
The key, however, is how the bitch is cared for along the way.
As far as how the health of the male or female contribute to the health of the puppies, check out this article:
www.miller-mccune.com/health/the-bad-daddy-factor-25764/
by sable59 on 24 January 2011 - 15:01
by noddi on 24 January 2011 - 18:01
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