Too Old For Breeding?

[Jazzys dad]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

OK - Jazz has just turned 5 last month, and has just come into season (found a few spots of blood as usual telltale sign) about 3 days ago.

We did try just over 2 years ago, but sadly she never took at the time despite being covered twice, and I'm now wondering if she is too old to have babies?

I'd like for her if poss to have a litter as I'm sure she'd make an excellent mum, and to keep 2 pups for her as company (I don't think she'd accept another dog in the house as it is at the mo, but if they were her own of course would be different).

Any suggestions or guidance here please??

 

[jinnyfizz]

Jazzy is one of my favourite K9 whippets :wub: and I can totally understand why you would want one or two of her pups.

But, and it is a big but with me, there are SO many whippets pups being bred that many of them are sold for whatever can be fetched, or given away, to homes which might appear suitable at first but become a pup's worse nightmare in the long run Now I'm not for a moment suggesting that you would do this, more like I am appealing to you to give a home to a pup that has already been bred

In my humble opinion, there are just too many pups and no more should be bred without a very valid reason - unfortunately I don't believe this includes the emotional reason of wanting a pup from your bitch.

There are so many different considerations - Jazzy's age and her health, the time of year that the pups will be born and sold on (you have to think about Christmas - having a young pup in it's new home can be too much for some people at that time of year), the fact that even though they would be Jazzy's pups it doesn't mean that they would be like her!! And that's just a few thoughts to ponder :unsure:

You will more than likely find that Jazzy will accept another whippet pup - it just takes a little time and, yes, she may be grouchy at first, but she will come round

I'm sorry that I can't be all enthusiastic about Jazzy having a litter and I really do understand how you feel about it. There are just so many "ifs" and "buts"

Good luck with whatever you decide to do :luck: :thumbsup:

 

[JACKSBACK]

hi the age in my opinion is no problem :thumbsup: also i know how you feel about breeding your own you want to carry her bloodline on .id say go for it though you will take to another dog eventually its not the same as your own. the past few days on k9 there seems to be alot of people giving unwanted advice do what you thinks best for you dont be brainwashed by people on k9 :thumbsup:

 

[Jazzys dad]

Thanks for both replies so far - However, I'm not that green to be brainwashed by anyone on here or anywhere else.

It's only a thought at the moment, although I always wanted a litter from her to continue the bloodline etc, but she never took before, and I was wondering (as she's just come back into season) about the idea again as the body clock is ticking away, and knowing what dreadful phantoms she's had in the past (carrying toys about & whining etc) think that she would be better of being spayed mid way after this season has finished - hence maybe one last crack at having her own litter.

Other than that I don't want to go out and buy another dog just for the hell of having 2 or more!! - She's my all, and so would her own offspring be, but if it's not to be, it's not to be.

JD

 

[JACKSBACK]

nice to hear :thumbsup: with your reply i think you have made up your mind :luck: :luck:

 

[rls22]

Just my personal feeling is that I would not have a first litter from a bitch any older than five.

Assuming you have not got a suitable stud dog lined up and obviously bookings for the pups then the mating would be on her next season, which would bring her near to, if not already six, which in my mind is certainly too old for a first litter.

There are however, members who have had first litters from bitches as old as seven and have had no problems what so ever.

A difficult decision ahead. :luck:

 

[~Annie~]

My thoughts, as you asked ...

I'm always on the fence on this one ... who am I to say who should breed and who shouldn't, and 5 is not too old although is oldish for a first litter, so why not ... but I do worry about litters that are conceived when puppies aren't prebooked and it's not clear from your post if you have any puppy bookings. Also, if you want a litter right now who is the sire to be? You may of course have already done masses of research into a good match for your bitch and have a suitable stud agreed, but if that's not the case I really don't think you have time to go about this the best way if your bitch is already spotting and the any stud dog will do approach seems somewhat misguided to me.

 

[LYNCHIE]

Personally id go for it dogs of our kind non ped whippits are bred over 5 with no problems choose new owners & stud dog carefully though good luck

 

[JAX]

Provided shes fit and healthy . 5/6years of age shouldnt be a problem to her . It does help if you have folk waiting for pups ,but they dont always come to anything anyhow . :angry:

Good luck with what you decide , Im sure we can give you all the support you need should you decide to mate her .

one word of advice , always be prepared sometime down the line you might have to have a pup back . you never can tell

Ive just had one of meloodys sisters back at 11 months

Jackie

 

[fallenangel]

Lacey's pups all went with the condition if for any reason they didn't want the pup they came back to me so before you line her as jax say be prepared to have pups back

 

[lalena]

its a tough decision to make. at 5 i'd be reluctant for a first litter, as her hips wont be as flexible, and she may end up having complications from that, ie a c section, or possibly problems with her milk drying up quickly, as well as the length of time it would take her to bounce back into shape. of course an older bitch however is likelier to be a bit better balanced mentally than one who is very young.

if youre looking for a pup/pups who will have her nature etc, youre more likely to get one of similar character/looks if you were to look at pups from matings between close relatives, rather than breeding her, because the dam is only half, and pups can and will take after the sires side as well as their mother.

if you do decide to breed from her, you need to get her into the best possible shape before mating her. the more toned she is, the better pregnancy and labour will go. start her on folic acid prior to mating, which reduces potential birth defects. have her vet checked, make sure jabs are up to date though not just before mating (i got told this by my stud owner, something about antibodies, reactions etc etc)

also, as mentioned, look beforehand for potential new homes, but dont count on them, be prepared to end up with a whole litter living with you, or pups coming back because something has gone wrong.

do you have an out of the way room in the house, warm, dry, where the bitch will feel safe and where she can be left alone? do you have ample savings to pay for a sudden vet bill? provisions if god forbid anything happened to her where you would need to take on her litter either temporarily or possibly permanently?

i'm not trying to bring you on a downer, rather trying to cover everything any breeder needs to have in place roughly.

whatever your decision, i wish you all the best, and would like to know how things go :luck:

 

[Jazzys dad]

Thanks for all your advice etc be it pos or negative.

It was just a passing thought when I first noticed her spotting & it came over that this could possibly be her last chance to be a mum, and hadn't even given a thought to sires etc.

However, the thought has subsided and she won't be having any matings now or the next season.

I will be looking at getting her spayed half way through her cycle to lessen her chances of pyometra, and to lower her hormones - I'm not looking forward to around 8 weeks time when she starts carrying her "babies" around again.

It drives me mad, and must be distressing for her also, as she'll constantly move them from room to room and back again etc - poor mite.

Cheers again

JD & Jazz of course.

 

[JAX]

Will vets spay half way through a cycle ? I would have thought it too dangerous .

Must ask the Vet who I work for if he would do it . I know he wont spay before 2 years old or 3 months since last season

 

[jinnyfizz]

3 months is half way through a normal 6 months cycle. The cycle being the season itself and the time before the next one

I think that is what JD means :thumbsup:

 

[lalena]

i hope it goes ok for her. i wonder if getting a pup later on will give her an outlet for any maternal instincts she has. my eldest bitch just wants to mother every baby she sees, and it doesnt matter what species either, kitten, human, puppy, its all good :lol: my youngest though is happy just with her teddy bears (i say hers, theyre my daughters. leave one unattended, and youll find it with purdey usually in the bathroom, or trotting around in the garden, toy in mouth) one of the pups from our first litter went to a home where their bitch was unable to breed because of her size, just too small for safety. she adored him, was really sweet watching her cleaning him etc and it gave her a focus.