what is the best age to start breedings dogs?

Question

We want to breed our dog she six half month at the moment my husband wants to do it when she around one but i have said that is to young surely around 2/3 year old will be better

Answer 1

IF your dog is -
1 - a pure breed
2 - KC registered
3 - has had all the breed appropriate checks
4 - Is show quality and has done well in shows
5 - has found the top stud dog with all the same checks

then the best time to breed in general is about 2 - 3 years old. If she does not meet all of the above then please concider getting her spayed both for your and her own good - Gettign her spayed prevents her from getting Pyometre and certain cancers, plus prevents her getting pregnant with a dog bigger than her which could easily kill her

Answer 2

When she has been hip scored and shown to have a hip score of no more than the breed average (around 12). When you have checked her history and know that there is no history of VKH, thyroid problems or eye problems in her breeding. When you are assured that she has an exemplary temperament. When you find a similarly qualified stud dog who complements your b1tch in looks and blood lines
If she came from a reputable breeder they are the people you should be asking these questions of. If she didn't, then you shouldn't breed from her anyway. There are far too many sub standard Akitas of dubious temperament being bred from. At 6 months you don't yet know that she is of sufficient quality to breed from.
Akitas have plenty of hereditary problems, remember if you breed from your b1tch and one or more of the litter develop a health problem, you could be taken to court and sued by the owner for any veterinary treatment it needs if you haven't done all the necessary tests. Akitas can have huge litters of rapidly growing pups - do you have the facilities to hang on to a litter of pups until they are 12 - 16 weeks old? Will you be able to take back any of the pups at any stage of their lives?
Please do plenty of research before breeding - there are far too many of this special breed ending up in rescue centres and in unsuitable homes.

Answer 3

If you have to ask this question you shouldnt even be considering it.

Firstly, 'why' do you want to breed your dog? Is it because you think she is a particularly good specimen and you want one of her puppies - what about the rest of the litter? Do you have good homes lined up? Akita's are a large powerful breed, and are not for the average pet home. What about the whelping of the b1tch, do you have someone with experience close at hand. As I have said on numerous posts before, there is no quick buck to be made with dog breeding, and even if you sell the puppies you have to consider that if the new homes dont turn out you may have to take them back and refund the money.

Are you at home 24/7, as you would need to be at least a week prior to whelping in case she delivers early, and for 8 weeks afterwards. Are you prepared to stay up all night to hand feed a litter if the mother loses her milk, or rejects the puppies?

Do your homework first, and speak to the breeder of your puppy.

Answer 4

it depends on the breed of dog and some breeds need a special health check around 12 months old. the average for a large dog is around 3 years old for a small dog is around 2 years. just seen shes an Akita personally i don't think you should breed Akita aren't for the faint hearted!

Answer 5

She should be at least 2 years old.

You also need to do a LOT of research on the subject. There is far more to it than just putting two dogs together and waiting for puppies.

I STRONGLY suggest that you join your local kennel club, as well as the local club for your breed and preferably the national club for your breed as well. You need to learn what to do and what to expect when breeding. You need to lean how to assist the b*tch, how to recognize signs of trouble, and when to call the vet. You need to learn what traits are considered desireable and which are considered bad, how to evaluate your dog and a potential mate, and how to bring out the positive ones while avoiding the bad ones. You need to learn how to read a pedigree. You need to learn about the health problems in your breed, and what tests need to be done to avoid producing sick puppies. And you need a basic knowledge of genetics.

You've got at least 18 months to learn, so get to it!

EDIT: BL, we learned FIRST! We studied, worked with our dogs, asked questions etc. Breeding was done AFTERWARDS, when we had a clue what we were doing.

Answer 6

This is more of a comment to everyone who is telling you not to do it, than rather an answer to your question.

Everyone says to leave it up to a professional to breed dogs. Well, how does one become a "professional". Eventually the breeders will get old and die, so who's going to be left to breed that breed?

Perhaps this person is trying to obtain as much information as possible to become a "professional". We do not know (for sure) if this person is a vet, or a vet tech, while we can only guess that they are not based on the question that is being asked.

So, give them a break and answer the question. If you do not have the 'answer', other than "don't do it", then you're not really answering the question and more about getting the points.

Answer 7

SPAY OR NEUTER!!!!!!!!

1.Not all dogs are built to be bred.

Most pets, although lovable, are not of breeding quality because they have genetic defects and other problems that should not be perpetuated. People who breed dogs for a living are very careful about choosing which dogs they will breed together based on physical characteristics and behavior. Some people decide that it would be fun to breed and just start looking for a dog that has the proper equipment and is willing. This can be a huge mistake.

2. There are already too many dogs in the world.

Breeding your pet is a serious endeavor and should not be taken lightly. There are far too many pets that end up in shelters without good homes. If your breed of dog has large litters, what will you do if you are unable to sell the puppies? Do you really want to contribute to the massive problem of pet overpopulation?

3. Dogs that aren’t neutered face serious health risks.

Consider your dog’s own health. Male dogs that are neutered are less likely to be hit by cars, because unaltered males have a very strong urge to roam and find a fertile female. Male dogs will go over or under fences, through doors and windows, and will pull leashes out of unsuspecting hands in quest of a mate.

Additionally, neutering greatly reduces the incidence of prostatic disease and eliminates testicular cancer in males, and cuts down on breast cancer in females. The possibility of uterine infections is also eliminated by spaying.

4. Female dogs used for breeding may have unwelcome visitors.

If you spay your dog, you will not have to chase persistent male dogs out of your yard. Also, you won’t have to worry about cleaning up messy heat cycles.

5. Be prepared to work like a dog when your pet goes into labor.

Many people do not realize just how much work and expense is involved with letting dogs have puppies. Getting the mother through pregnancy is the easy part, but labor is truly laborious for dog and owner alike. Dogs usually decide to have their puppies at the most inconvenient times, like 2:00 in the morning when veterinary hospitals are closed.

If your pet develops a problem during delivery, it means at least the expense of an emergency call. If the complications are life threatening, you must be prepared, especially if you have a breed of dog that has a broad head like a pug, to pay for an emergency C-section. It is very distressing to have to leave home in the middle of the night, worry about your pet, get a large veterinary bill and then try to explain to your boss why you cannot possibly come to work the next day.

6. It can be devastating when the puppies die.

There is always the prospect of the loss of some or all of the puppies. A neonatal mortality rate of 10 to 30 percent is considered normal. And, it’s easy to lose a puppy if you don’t have the experience or knowledge to care for newborns. Because puppies are not able to regulate their own body temperature initially, you may need to supplement their environment with heat.

7. Not all dogs make the best mothers.

If your female doesn’t have enough milk to feed all its puppies, or decides that feeding her offspring is not her cup of tea, it will be your responsibility to provide them with nutrition every three to four hours, round the clock. And how many mouths are there to feed?

Another aspect of puppy care that you can look forward to if your dog wants nothing to do with her brood is the manual stimulation of urination and defecation. Until puppies are three weeks old they will only void if directly stimulated. If mom isn’t doing this, you will need to take a moistened cotton ball and gently rub the urogenital area until the babes begin to urinate and pass stool. Failure to do this can result in some pretty unhappy puppies.

8. Good luck seeing a profit!

Your last responsibility before they go to a new home is to have them dewormed, vaccinated, and examined by a veterinarian. You will want to make sure that you have budgeted a sufficient amount for this purpose. Needless to say, if you decide to breed mixed breed puppies, you have no opportunity to recoup this expense.

Puppies are a lot of fun and it can be very exciting when they are born, but more often than not, owners find themselves in over their heads when they decide to endeavor into breeding.

Article republished here with permission from VetCentric.com
Copyright(c) 2000 by VetCentric.com

Answer 8

Ok, here's the case: you and your husband want to be bybs. You should not breed her at all. Please consider the following points:
1) Is she AKC registered?
2) Are you and your husband participating in shows?
3) Does she have champion bloodline behind her?
4) Do you have a mentor who can give you guidance?
The above are just some points. If any of the above answer is no, please have her spayed. You don't want her to go through all these pregnancy process. If you love her, please spay her. She doesn' t need a litter to become a better dog. Puppies cannot generate a lot of money for you folks.

Answer 9

Depends on the breed, but MANY breeds have health clearances that have to be done AFTER the dog turns 2. You NEVER breed before the health clearances are done!!!

Just saw you have an Akita. You need to do hip and elbow x-rays sent to OFA when the dog is 2. If the dog has hip or elbow dysplasia, DO NOT BREED!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

well, the best year to start breeding your dog depends on if your dog has fully developed. but if i were you i would wait until the dog is at least 2-3 years old. don't overbreed ur dog. actually i wouldn't breed at all, because there are enough dogs out there that need homes, including puppies! they need to be rescued or they could get put down. if you aren't satisfiyed with this answer than ask a vet.