Breeding 6 year old bitch? - Page 1

Has anyone ever successful bred a 6 year old maiden bitch? I had planned to breed this Fall (age 3) but got into law school. I know it wouldn't be fair to puppy I hold back to breed while I'm in school....and I can't imagine having a litter during final exams.

Yes, she has SV A stamp hips and elbows and OFA cardiac, thyroid, DM. She holds titles in herding, obedience, and rally. Is a certified Therapy Dog and has passed a Temperament Test with gunshot. We were training IPO and her bites are full; she is fine with helper pressure (verbal and stick); and always did out. Tracking was good. 

thanks, in advance!!

Not the best idea but better than dropping School (not that you would)

Why not breed her now and place/sell all of the pups  then when you can keep one breed her again.

If you wait to long it is hard on them to stretch the body, better to do it when young, then when you breed them when older the race track is ready for the pups.

If you want to wait then I would breed her to a male that produces pups with smaller heads not the Akitas we are seeing these days and I would look for one that produces a medium size dog.  Less chance of them getting hung up on a narrow birth route.

I had one experience. Thought the fellow was crazy and decided to basically 'humor' him with the breeding. Eight weeks later I get an email, she had 11 pups. Maybe he wasn't so crazy after all. He was confident throughout the process.

He had experience with sheep and what he said he did was to reduce the estrogen production leading up to her cycle and then add estrogen as it started creating sort of estrogen in overdrive condition. Not 100% sure how it did it, but, it worked for him. 

There is almost zero correlation between birth size and adult size of most mammals.  The AI Bull studs (beef and Dairy) have done extensive research on this.  They actually rate birth size of their bulls.

bczc you are correct when looking at bull size that way.  When you check dairy calf production you will find that many if not most dairy's will use an Angus bull or bull that will produce a small head and or build on Heifers.  Sure have bought and bottled fed a few of those.

After the first calf they will breed the cows what ever they are wanting.  Many split the herd, top milkers go back the same breed bulls.  Those who are not so good will usually go to a meat bull for calfs worth more money.

Meat cows they will do something along the same lines staying with meat producing bulls.

Same holds true if you are breeding a horse later in life.

It can be done, but is ofcourse harder on a 6yr old maiden bitch than a 3yr old maiden bitch.  You will also likely have to do a surgical insemination for sucess, both to evaluate the condition of the uterus and to eliminate any uterine cysts.  In your situation, I would highly consider breeding her now and putting the best two bitch puppies on a co-owernship...at least that way, if something happens to her fertility while you are in school, you can take a puppy from one of her daughters. 

I bred a six year old maiden female, who I had raised from a pup, and titled to a Sch. I.  She was in good health, and had  10 puppies, females and males.  One was stillborn however,  one had something wrong with it and the mother rejected it, and one other died after only one day.  The other 7 grew to be drivey,  healthy dogs and as far as I know are all fine today.  The mother came through without incident and produced plenty of milk.  Another time I bred a 7 year old female, who did have several litters prior.  Everything was fine until the final puppy, and she was having trouble.  Fortunately, I had oxytocin which allowed her to push that final pup out.  That litter were all healthy.  Years later, I can say that final pup actually turned out to be the best of the bunch.  Breeding older dogs can have its problems, but if your bitch is healthy and of good quality, as long as you are prepared, it can be done.  That being said you must realize not all puppies will always survive, for various reasons that may or may not have anything to do with the age of the bitch.  In German Shepherds a 30% mortality rate is about average.  Unfortunately, nature sometimes takes them no matter how well you are prepared.

DCW

If you do this, make sure you have a reproduction vet on standby, in case a c-section is required.

Could you breed her now and co-own a female or two with a friend? I bred a 5 year old for her first time. She had a difficult delivery. Her mother was a super easy whelper.

She had 11 pups. 7 made it. A c-section would have been a better plan but I was hoping she'd be like her mother. 

Ok, thanks for all the responses! I really am not comfortable doing the co-own thing..... And, I have put so much time and energy into her and she is such a fabulous dog that I definitely want to keep a pup back from her. 

She is extremely fit and healthy....runs an 8 mile trail loop 3 times a week (more like double for her as she tears around chasing things) on top of play sessions; work; and swimming. She doesn't have a piece of fat on her. Never been to the vet for anything except shots/wellness visits (hard knock on wood). She's almost all East German...for what it's worth.

Thanks again!!

Sarah