When is the best time for me to breed my german shepherd and how does it work?

Answer 1

German Shepherds have started to be included in some BSL. It is probably a better idea to find a different breed if you want to have puppies.

Answer 2

Hello,
Great question and I see so many negatives here, it is unfortunate for ignorance.

I recommend the 3rd heat cycle for a female-usually about 2 years of age for a GSD female. This ensures that she is mentally ready for motherhood and has matured enough to produce healthy puppies.

For a young male, I will try them earlier such as 15-17 months.

This is of course after at least a prelim xray for hips/elbows. I also have thyroid levels checked along with pancreas function.

Showing in conformation or gaining its championship, does NOT ensure that the dog can produce.

For me personally, I title all dogs before breeding or are more than halfway for their title, but that is my personal choice. I thouroughly enjoy the competition and there is nothing better than a Best in Show put on my homebreds, except of course when one of my dogs go to a working home and has live saves to their credit.


What show line people and working line people are looking for are totally opposites in comparison and many breeders will NOT cross over to another style of dog to either correct structure or temperament, even if they are consistantly producing health or temperament issues.

Until all breeders of GSDs agree on type and temperament, there will ALWAYS be disagreement, but they all should be utilizing all avenues of the gene pool to strenghten this nobel breed.

I highly recommend that you join your local GSD club and talk to fellow breeders to find out what direction you want to go in for your own personnal breeding program.

It takes years to get your own formula down where you can consistantly produce the type of dog with the looks and temperament that will become your own "line" of dogs, but if you truly believe in what you are doing, you will go far.

Please don't get sucked into others way of thinking that their style of dog is the only way. People like this are very narrow minded and are NOT trying to improve the breed.


Breeding dogs is NOT for the faint of heart and can be devestating, but the rewards are great if you consistantly produce sound dogs that not only look beautiful but can perform in any working situation and live long and healthy lives.

A great place of reference is the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, your local GSD club, local all breed club or a local Shutzhund Club.

Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and if snubbed, please keep trying until you find the right person who is willing to teach you.

I have been exhibiting/breeding dogs for 36 years and am still learning. The day I don't learn something new about breeding dogs, it will be time for me to get out and retire.

Answer 3

It is rather unfortunate that SO MANY people take it upon themselves to try and POLICE the rest of us......
There are way too many people who will PUSH opinions that are really so very wrong onto other people........
Why is everyone so concerned when someone exhibits a desire to breed dogs??
Where is that passion when it comes to the abortion of human babies?
Where is that passion when it comes to feeding the homeless,or helping single moms,or trying to even keep their own families straight?
So what if the shelters have dogs in them!!
There are shelters full of humans too,,do something about that!!!
So what if there are a few strays around the neigborhood......
People eat dogs in the orient and other countries!!!!
Get over yourselves!!!REALLY!!!

Dogs are to be a comfort and a joy in our lives,,they are for companionship and protection,showing and playing with,,they are never again going to live in the wild as they used to,,,
Our prisons are full,,deal with that,,
our gas costs too much ,,deal with that,,
your representitives are money grubbing thieves,,,deal with that,,,

But DO NOT think for one second that ANYBODY gives a rats @$$ about what you think about people breeding dogs!!!!
You are only showing everyone what a windbag piece of $#!T you are!!!

This person asked for advice,with the connotation that THEY WILL breed this dog,,so take your ANGER and stupid opinions,stick em up your @$$ and either give a good answer,or go blow your bile and spew somewhere else........
MY ANSWER
The first answer was right,,,,,,you should wait untill the second heat..

Answer 4

As others have said, if you have to come HERE to ask that kind of question, then you haven't done your research, you haven't learned what you need to learn and you ARE NOT ready to breed and should have your dog neutered.

There are health exams that need to be done and both parents ancestry needs to be checked to make sure they don't pass on hereditary disabilities. Both dogs need to be old enough to be mature before they breed to avoid unhealthy babies from breeding of a physically immature female.

There are shots, vet visits, and a lot of things. You should have homes for the pups before you breed.

You need to do a google search and find websites that tell you about breeding dogs, and birthing a litter of dogs, and care of newborn puppies, and care of orphan puppies.

One of my breeders was a "casual breeder" and after the 1st litter he had his female neutered because it was way too much work to breed puppies.

Answer 5

Why are you wanting to breed your dog? Is she an exceptional specimen
of her breed, conforming closely to the breed standard? Has she any hard to
find virtues that would be a critical addition to the breed? Has she been
tested for genetic problems that can be passed on from the parents and does
she have an exceptional temperament? Has she been shown, and at least is on
her way to being a champion, if not already one?

If you want to bred and do it ethically, you must be committed to
learning all about your breed..its standard, its genetic diseases, the good,
the bad and the ugly. You must understand that your female could die. You
might have nothing but dead puppy bodies whether she lives or not. You might
have to pay for an emergency c-section to save her and/or the pups. If you
lose her, you are responsible for all the feeding of the pups, which will
require you to feed them every 1.5 to 2 hours. ALL hours, not just the
daylight ones. The puppies will poop 24/7, and this becomes your
responsibility to clean whether the mother survives to raise them or not.
The pups still need to be vet checked, vaccinated and dewormed no matter
what. When they reach certain stages of their lives, they need proper
socialization and guidance. They will be your responsibility at least for 8
weeks. After that 8 weeks, you are responsible to make sure they never wind
up homeless in a shelter or rescue. To ensure that, you will have to do
homechecks and make up contracts to be certain the new owners are going to
take care of them for life. You have to agree to always be available to take
back your puppies no matter what.

If you want to be a responsible breeder, look up your local breed
club, jump in and educate yourself. Listen to the advice of REPUTABLE
breeders and learn all you can about your dog. If you just wanna make
puppies to sell for lotsa money, don't bother. We have too many of those
already.

Answer 6

Usually when your mentor from your local german shepherd club approves of it. Lacking that then the rule of thumb is about 2 weeks after you have had the dog spayed.

Answer 7

Oh oh.. if you don't know how it works.. Then you got some research to do.. You should do a whole lot of reading before you even think about breeding your dog. There is no hurry anyhow, so get some books and do some research..

Answer 8

get the dog neutered. It's honestly best NEVER to breed, especially if you don't know what you're doing. The only valid purpose for breeding dogs should be to produce healthy puppies that improve the breed overall. It's impossible for the average wannabe breeder to do that. ANd it's healthier for the dog to be spayed or neutered.

Answer 9

NEVER!!! If you don't know anything about breeding you shouldn't be doing it. There are HUNDREDS (if not thousands) of homeless German Shepherd in this country - - and we don't have enough homes available for them!! And if you think ''purebred'' dogs end up in shelters you are so wrong! 25% of all shelter dogs are purebred dogs.

Answer 10

Take her to your vet and ask her, she should recommend some tests/X-rays before moving forward.