Looking for opinions on breeding?

Question

I have a female chihuahua, she will be 2 in May. She was a rescue and has not been spayed. The vet I take her to says I should allow her to have one litter before spaying her. Why? Does it make a difference? And if I do decide to do this, I have to hire a stud through a breeder. What kinds of things should I look at and ask when visiting the breeder? My baby is very different from what people think of when they think chihuahua. She's not shy, loves strangers, very playful, loves kids, loves to be picked up, dressed up, etc. doesn't bark much and never ever tries to snap at or bite anyone, even the little ones who pick her up and maybe are a bit rough with her. She's a golden retriever in a chihuahua package according to the vet! =) I want to make sure her puppies would be well tempered as well. We'd probably keep them all as chi's usually only have 2 or 3 pups.

Any advice? Comments?

Thanks,
Tori

Ok, she didn't say she should have a litter before being spayed she said I should allow her to because her pups would be so cute and well tempered. She is an older woman(the vet). The reason she wasn't spayed when we got her was she didn't come from the humane society or the city she was being neglected and abused and another lady, my neighbors friend, rescued her and they asked if we wanted her. That's what I meant by a rescue, sorry. I agree we should have her spayed even though she's almost 2. We do want another chi but we'll adopt or maybe rescue again, who knows.......thanks everyone for the sound advice =)

Answer 1

Hey there,

As someone who breeds and takes breeding VERY seriously, I would say DON'T. There are a number of reasons for this.

First of all, there's the fact that you have NO background on her. You have no idea what her family history is, what sort of genetic problems she may be carrying etc. You can mitigate some of this by doing the health testing recommended by the Chihuahua Club of America, but really you are taking a risk of producing dogs with health problems.

Secondly, really the only good reason to breed is to contribute to the development of the breed. Cute and sweet is not good enough, there are lots of cute and sweet dogs euthanized every day for lack of appropriate homes. Since she is not registered, she can't contribute to the gene pool even if she were an outstanding specimen, which considering her origins is not likely.

There is also the fact that no reputable owner of a quality stud would allow their male to be used on a female of unknown origin. This means you would have to resort to second-rate stud dogs, not the way to improve the breed.

Then there's your female to consider. Most dogs do NOT seem to consider motherhood to be a "relaxing" experience. Aside from the fact that Chi's often require a c-section, you are also looking at risks like mastitis, pyometra etc. One breeder friend of mine had his female simply drop dead when she went into labor. He had to cut his girl open with a kitchen knife in order to save the pups, then spend a few weeks feeding and cleaning the orphans around the clock (can you afford the time off work?). Not saying this is going to happen, but if you're not prepared to deal with situations like this then you shouldn't be breeding.

Then there is the fact that pet dogs, especially if they are spoiled, sometimes simply do not know what to do with the puppies and don't particularly want to deal with them. They'd rather be with you than attending to a bunch of demanding brats.

Then there's the cost. The pre-breeding exam. The stud fee. The enhanced diet and vitamins. X-rays. Emergency vet visits, if necessary. Post -whelping exam. Puppy food (boy do they eat). Checkups and first shots for puppies. Advertising. Hopefully everything goes well, but if not expenses can skyrocket, and you can still end up with no surviving puppies.

Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

I can't believe a vet would say that she needs to have a litter before being spayed. With all due respect, I would seriously consider shopping around for a new vet. This is a very, very outdated concept, it is the opposite of what you will hear from every other vet, vet tech, animal rescuer and breeder. Only experienced breeders who know what they are doing, provide all the proper medical care and have homes lined up ahead of time should be breeding. There is absolutely no medical benefit derived from having a litter, in fact it raises some health concerns. Not to mention the fact that as a rescue, your dog's pedigree is unknown. She's a wonderful pet, that does not mean that her pups will be valuable. Don't be lured in by the idea of making a few dollars either, if one single thing goes wrong with the pregnancy, you will quickly go in the hole with vet bills.

Your dog is in fact that perfect age to be spayed. She has received all of the health and growth benefits from her hormones and now she needs to be spayed to prevent the increased risk of certain types of cancer and pregnancy.

Answer 3

Your vet is not reputable if they think that she should have a litter.
It would only be a health risk, not all chihuahuas have easy pregnancies, and it would not change her temperament for the better as you mention she is already a great dog.

There is no guarantee that her pups will be of the same temperament, it depends on the dad too, and their dad and their mom too... you've heard the saying "you are just like your dad/mom" right? same thing here. Genetics matter.

There are too many unwanted and homeless dogs in this world.

Maybe you should ask your vet how many dogs they have euthanised for your local shelter, and then ask them if you should bring more puppies in this world.

I know you want to make money, and some believe that 'small' dogs will always find a home, but yours was a rescue wasn't she? So even she was unwanted too.

PLEASE DON'T!
Get her spayed, and stop the overpopulation of pets.

Answer 4

The only difference breeding her will make is to your vet bill, if she needs an emergency C-section as many of these big-headed breeds do.

I would NOT breed her! NOT! NOT!!! The fact that you got her through a rescue indicates that you know NOTHING about her genetic background, and therefore you have no way to know what qualities and traits you would want in a stud dog. Also, the fact that you adopted this dog should tell you that there are ENOUGH puppies already in the world - with more and more born every day that wind up in shelters, rescues, or just abandoned.

I would spay her immediately, and just enjoy her wonderful self for the rest of her life.

Answer 5

Even though your dog sounds wonderful, you should leave the breeding up to actual breeders. Since you don't know what kind of background your dog comes from, you can't be sure she isn't a carrier of defective genes. The other thing to consider is whether or not you intend to be responsible for the pups you help bring into the world. If you end up selling the pups, are you willing to take them back if the new owner can't/won't keep them...even after a few years? I don't know if it is the same where you live, but where I am spaying costs more after a dog has had a litter compared with one that never has. Something to look into.

Answer 6

Get another vet. The idea of "she should have one litter before being spayed" is ludicrous.

If you got her from a rescue group, I'm surprised that she wasn't spayed when you got her, or that spaying wasn't a part of the adoption contract.

Don't breed her - thousands of chihuahuas are killed every year because there aren't enough homes. Don't add to the problem.

http://justonelitter.com/article.html
"it's better to have one litter first." - Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

http://www.y2spay.org/Gina3.htm
The health benefits of spaying your dog are also well worth considering. If your pet has not come into her first heat, you can protect her from mammary cancer by spaying her now. Even after her first heat, spaying eliminates the possibility of other reproductive system cancers. The behavior benefits of altering are more pronounced in males, but spaying your female will spare you the drippy mess of her twice-yearly heat as well as the company of persistent suitors.

Answer 7

You NEED to find a different vet....NO good vet would EVER suggest breeding a rescue dog before spaying!!!! That is absolutely ridiculous!! Also dogs that have been adopted from legit rescues/shelters MUST be altered and are NOT to be bred.
Leaving this dog intact increases her chances of mamamry cancer as well as pyometria a very serious uterine infection that is often fatal. Also toy breeds are VERY prone to pregnancy/whelping complications..you stand a chance of losing your girl & or her pups. You also have a high risk of emergency c-section, mastitis, stillbirths, low litter birthweight, etc.
NO dog should EVER be bred that doesn't meet breed standard, have an impeccible pedigree, have/passed all health tests(NOT just simple vet exams)...

Answer 8

ou should have her spayed. The vet is wrong that she should have a litter of pups first. You know nothing about her background. It is better for her health to have her spayed right away. One thing you have to consider is that she may have 2 or 3 pups, or she may only have one. Lots of chihuahuas need to have a c-section. That can be quite costly. You stand a chance of losing her and/or the pups. I have been thru several c-sections with my chis and yes, have lost mother nad pups even tho I watch my girls like hawks the last week before they are due. It is a lot of heartache invovled with breeding dogs this small.

Answer 9

Get another vet. There is absolutely no need to let your dog have a litter before spaying her. My immediate advice is to not your breed your dog, as it simply adds to the population and thousands of unwanted dogs and puppies are already put to sleep every day.

If you do breed her, what will happen if she has more than 2 or 3 puppies? What are you going to do with those puppies? And what are you going to do with the puppies you keep? If you are following the advice of your current vet (which you shouldn't), then you will let those puppies have litters before being fixed, and it will just keep going from there. My advice is to just don't do it. Get her spayed now.

Answer 10

Find a new vet. That is simply NOT true about spaying. Dogs that are not spayed have a much higher rate of cancer. Breeding should be left to the professionals and only for those who have dogs that meet breed standards. Since your dog was a rescue, you have no idea of her bloodline either. Don't do it and find another vet.