Age matters, whether you’re a responsible breeder debating when to retire your dogs or you’re looking for a puppy.
For the sake of the puppies’ and parents’ health, it can be crucial to verify the sire and dam’s ages.
So, the question of “what age can dogs have puppies” and “how old can dogs have puppies” arises.
When deciding if a dog is available for breeding, a number of factors need to be considered, including:
Most breeding clubs believe that a healthy female can be bred until she is eight years old legally. To prevent problems for both the mother and the puppies, it is best to retire her after 5 to 6 years.
Clubs Offering:
The resources listed below can serve as a guide for ethical dog breeding. You can either download the comprehensive guide to ethical dog breeding or follow each step as it is described below. If you’re prepared to breed a litter of puppies, you might also want to view the AKC webinar on planning breedings.
When Should You Last Breed Your Female Dog?
It’s advised to stop breeding when your dog is between the ages of five and seven.
Dog pregnancies after this age are rather hard on the animals’ bodies. After a certain age, dogs are much more likely to experience miscarriages, suffer injuries, or even pass away while pregnant.
To use on your fetus two weeks before delivery, we will provide you with a secure dewormer. After the puppies are born, she should have another deworming, and the puppies should have dewormings at 3-4 weeks and 6-7 weeks of age. Puppies should receive their first round of vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks, followed by booster shots every 3 to 4 weeks for at least 16 weeks. Heartworm prevention medication should be given to puppies born in the spring and summer beginning at 4 to 8 weeks of age.
Before breeding your bitch, get her in good health. Obesity lowers fertility and significantly raises the risks of pregnancy and whelping. Within six months of breeding (but at least two weeks before the breeding date), she should get a booster shot for her DHLP-PV. Brucella is a contagious disease of dogs that can be transmitted to humans and is typically passed during breeding, and some dog owners will demand a test for it. A stud owner who demands this test is doing so to safeguard both their dog and yours. Let the dogs get to know each other while being leashed to prevent harm to the male. Stop breeding attempts and try again after a vaginal smear to determine whether the female is in heat or after a day or two if the bitch displays aggressive behavior or tries to hurt the male.
The female will stand with her feet firmly planted and her tail hanging off to the side during breeding. The male will mount her and, following breeding, will stay connected to the female for between five and twenty minutes; this is known as the tie. The dogs should now be positioned together, facing opposite directions as is natural. Leave the dogs alone until the tie ends naturally. Every other day should be used to breed the bitch until she rejects the male.
Make sure your wife is eating high-quality food, not generic or store brand food. Feed her normally during the first three to four weeks of pregnancy, then begin incorporating puppy food into the diet during the final four weeks. This will guarantee that the pups have enough protein, vitamins, and minerals to support their growth. Calcium supplements should not be given to a pregnant woman because they increase the risk of hypocalcemia. During the nursing period, feed her puppy food. At four weeks, begin feeding the puppies; mush up dry puppy food with water, not milk. When they are fully weaned, put the b*tch on her pre-pregnancy ration after fasting her for 24 hours to reduce milk production. Puppies should stay with their littermates until they are eight weeks old even though they can finish weaning at six weeks to ensure normal behavioral development.
When a bitch is in estrus, also known as coming into heat, she has a chance of getting pregnant. Bitches typically start having babies between the ages of 6 and 12 months, and then about every 6 months after that. In order to give bucks time to mature, they shouldn’t be bred until at least their second heat. Their first whelping should occur before the age of 4-5, otherwise they run a higher risk of experiencing whelping issues. The heat cycle lasts an average of 21 days: 7 coming in, 7 in (the actual breeding period), and 7 out. From 3 to 10 days for each phase of the cycle, this can greatly vary from chum to chum. The vulva swells to indicate the beginning of estrus, followed by a discharge that may be clear or have a red tint to it. Keep your bitch under close supervision and leashed or confined, not just tied up; you may also notice some behavioral changes and male dogs hanging around your house. Every other day vaginal smears can detect the beginning of the breeding season.
FAQ
What age should you quit breeding a female dog?
It’s advised to stop breeding when your dog is between the ages of five and seven. Dog pregnancies after this age are rather hard on the animals’ bodies. After a certain age, dogs are much more likely to experience miscarriages, suffer injuries, or even pass away while pregnant.
Can you breed a 7 year old female dog?
The short answer is that dogs can bear puppies for almost their entire lives. Theoretically, dogs over the age of 12 can become pregnant. But these late pregnancies frequently result in problems for the mother and the fetus.
How many litters is it safe for a dog to have?
A good rule of thumb is 4-6 litters per dog. Reputable breeders limit even the healthiest mothers to 4-6 litters so that they can spay the mother while she is still young and in good health.
How many times can you breed a female dog in a year?
Maximum Number of Litters for Female Dogs A female dog may have up to three litters annually. Female dogs do not experience menopause; they can go into heat between the ages of six and twelve months. A dog could have up to 30 litters, assuming they live to an average age of 11.