When do you decide a female is too old to breed?

Question

My vet says as long as she is healthy and comes in heat it's OK to breed her. Other toy breeders have said after 5 is too old. Just wondering what other people think and/or have done?

Answer 1

Well bit ches will come into season when they are 11-12 yrs old, does that mean you can still breed them??? That would be like your Grandma having a baby. Most Vets know little to nothing about breeding.

It does depend on your bit ch. If she has not had a litter before, 5 is getting too old to have one. If she has been bred before, and is in good hard shape, then yes, she could be bred again. Now, if you had a Great Dane or something, I would say no, 5 is too old. I would breed a bit ch that had a previous litter as old as 7, depending on the bit ches general health and whether she is in good hard condition.

Caninele- Breeders are professional BREEDERS, Vets are professional VETS, unless they specialize in repro, they know little to nothing about breeding. I would take the advice of a successful, long time breeder over a Vet who just skimmed over the breeding basics in school.

Answer 2

I rarely breed dogs that are less than four or so. My present ***** had her first litter of hopefully two when she was 5.5 - no problem giving birth at all and ultrasound of her uterus later revealed it was tight and healthy. I don't know about toy breeds as far as ages that they can be bred - they often live to be in their teens and even twenties and the calculations have their 'dog years' as being fluctuating depending upon breed, lifespan, etc., so a dog that lives to be twenty would still be relatively young at five or six or so. I do not at all agree with breeding more than maybe twice or three times in a lifetime and that with sufficient recoup time in between - although many 'repro' experts (who basically make their living off of people making litters so their opinion might not be in the best interest of the breed or specific dog) don't agree with waiting and recouping between litters. I also don't agree with breeding dogs that haven't been fully health, temperament and structurally evaluated and are being bred by someone who has the knowledge required to properly breed OR decide not to breed if the dog isn't worthy of being bred in the first place. I am in the minority in most respects :) What else is new! haha


add: Vets are professional veterinarians - they are trained for specific medical interventions and that is that -- most are very poorly educated in breeding techiniques or criteria and just as with physicians, not all are worth squat. There are knowledgeable vets JUST as there are knowledgeable breeders -- being either doesn't bring with it any expertise just by virtue of being either... To think that a vet is more knowledgeable about breeding because they have had medical training is like assuming a podiatrist knows about birthing a child because he went through med school alongside the obgyn! haha PLEASE don't go to your proctologist to help deliver your baby! hahaha

Answer 3

The rule of thumb is 2-8 years old but, for larger breeds, eight is probably too old. Toy breeds age slower so it is not. As the vet said, health of the dog is the main consideration. Always remember that breeders are amateurs and vets are professionals. So much in the world of breeders is based on opinion rather then science/

Answer 4

I have bred a 5 year old dog one time and will never do it again to another. This dog was 5 years and 4 months old and I decided to get puppies out of her since she was "mature" and could handle the mothering responsibilities and I tried to make sure she had a good "puppyhood lol" so I asked my vet what he thought he said it was fine to go ahead as long as I did it before she turned 6. My dog died in the process of giving birth to the first puppy almost a year and a half ago.
The vet said her body was past her prime age to be having puppies and the vet that told me it was ok was an idiot. I now have a new vet and puppies from my 6 terriers who are all around the age of 2 and a half and 3 and a half. Good luck with your decision. I loved my dog and not telling you what to do BUT if I were you and I loved my dog I wouldnt do it and risk losing her.

Answer 5

This would depend on the dogs and if it was her first litter or not. If she is 5 years old and her first litter than she is too old. If it's not than I really have to think about if it would be worth it or not. I'd have to consider her health and age and if she had developed and health concerns, Hip, eye, elbow, or anything that could compromise her or the pups. I would never just let a dog that age with out really thinking it over very carefully and then make up my mind. Of cource I'm an experienced breeder and have do so for 27 years. I dont think youd have the knowleded I have so in your case I'd say NO definetly not!

Answer 6

I wouldn't breed a dog over 5. Having puppies puts a lot of stress on a dog's body and especially a toy breed!

Answer 7

IF your vet said that, they are total idiots and you should get another vet.

I would never breed a female:
Before they are 2 years old
More than once a year
and not after the age of 5

That means NO MORE than 4 litter in the life of the female.

Answer 8

I never breed a female past age 6. Some are reyired by age 4. To me, it depends on the female.

Answer 9

Never after the age of 5 when giving birth the puppies put a lot of stress on the mother's body and at such a old age thats the last thing you want

Answer 10

my biological dad who isa vet says thecan be breed aslong as they are health