Dogs are the most loyal creatures created by God. Once you start to pet a dog, there is no going back to it but wait, do you know that there is a specific age for a dog after which they should not breed.
Although we human beings get too attached with our pets and what comes after is the hope of their pups so that their existence in our lives never ends but what we all need to know is their appropriate age to breed.
Today, in this article, you will read about the age of dogs after which they should not be bred and why it is so.
Continue reading:
Suitable Breeding Age Groups:
Normally smaller breeds of dogs get mature by the age of 6 months and can immediately start breeding.
A male dog usually starts breeding between the age of 6 months to 12 months.
Female dogs breed after their first heat cycle which is later than the male dogs. Suitable breeding age group of female dogs is only after they are 18 months old.
A dog is considered a puppy until the age of 1 year. But we know that a puppy can start breeding before the age of 1 which means that it can give birth to puppies while still growing itself. On the other hand, a bitch isn’t allowed to breed before the age of 1 since its chances of bearing stillborn puppies are high.
Well, the above mentioned average age criteria is not 100% applicable on all dogs. Some male dogs can start breeding before 6 months of age. Breeding in dogs depends on various factors including their size, age and health.
What Factors Affect Breeding in Dogs?
Depending upon the type of breed, various factors can influence the quality of breeding.
These factors include:
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Size of the Dog –
If the dog is physically not eligible to breed then its age wouldn’t matter even if it has reached the minimum age of breeding. Size of the dog typically matters on breeding so every dog owner must know about it.
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Health of the Dog –
As much as the size of the dog matter in breeding, the health of it also puts an effect on the quality of breeding. If the dog is not healthy enough to breed, it may be eligible by age but not by health. If your dog is suffering from any chronic disease, it should not be allowed to breed because the disease will flow into the next generation and will spread. To know more details about your dog’s health, visit a nearby vet.
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Sex of the Dog –
It matters if the dog is male or female to know at which age will they be eligible to breed. Usually, female dogs need more time to mature and be ready to breed as compared to the male dogs. Sex of the dog also matters while breeding because both of the sexes have different harmones and body functioning which affects the breeding in various manners.
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Age of the Dog –
Most important thing to keep in mind while breeding a dog is its age. You must ensure that your dog(male or female) has reached the minimum age before breeding.
Another important factor in breeding is the maximum age of breeding a dog. After a particular age, your dog must not breed. Usually this age, as prescribed by various veterinarians is 8 years. Depending upon the sex, there are different age groups upto which your dog can breed.
How Old is too Old to Breed a Female Dog?
A female dog starts breeding at a considerably late age which is after their first heat.
There is a maximum age for a female dog upto which it can breed. After this age, the female dog is not eligible to breed. Although female dogs don’t have menopauses still they don’t ovulate after a particular age.
This age is 7 years. Various veterinarians have claimed that a female dog stops breeding at an age of 7 years. This is the age where she retires from breeding.
How Old is too Old to Breed a Male Dog?
Male dogs start breeding at a very early age and breed for a longer time until it is time for their retirement from breeding.
Male dogs breed upto a particular age after which they stop producing sperm or say, healthy sperm. Although the breed of a dog highly matters when it comes to the maximum age of breeding.
The average age recorded for a male dog to stop breeding is 10 years. Once your dog has turned 10 years old, you must know it is time to stop breeding him.
People who try to breed their dogs even when they reach their retirement must understand that breeding cannot be done in female dogs after 7 years and in male dogs after 10 years.
To know more about the right age to breed a dog, click here.
Source:
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-when-to-Stop-Breeding-a-Female-Dog