**HOW OLD IS TOO OLD TO BREED A FEMALE? THANKS!!**

[S_B]

I have a bitch who I just had a litter off of this past April. She will be 11 March 2014.

She is a house dog, and unfortunately we give her unnecessary "treats" lol But she has more than earned it and is a spoiled brat! So she is a bit chunky, but still very athletic and can hang with the pup we have off her all day long romping and playing about.

She did have 3 pups in her, the first one was stuck and was extremely HUGE, we had to make a trip to the vet @ 4am and he did not make it. The 2nd pup came out with ease and the last was a struggle. The 2 surviving pups were good size, but my pups usually are so nothing out of the ordinary.

I really want to breed her again, she's in heat now, but I'm a bit conflicted. And concerned she will have trouble again, she looked like hammered dog shit after her delivery last time, and I felt horrible. but she sure looks great now!

[EWO]

It depends on the dog. If the last one was tough for her I would imagine this one would be as well. It is a tough call. There is no age that is too old. Some dogs are too old at 8 others still doing it at 12-12-13. I have a bitch now that I bred when she was 10. I was planning to breed her again because she did so well at ten, when she cam in heat she bled for about two or three days and dried up. Vet check said she was not 'in' and she has not been 'in' since. She is going on 13 now.

Best of luck. EWO

[S_B]

Thanks EWO, she has been whining to be let out and wants so badly to got to the yard and select a male herself! So she's having a good strong heat cycle, not to mention flagging us every time we pat her on the butt!

[BKNGAME]

I haven't seen anything posted on the male side on this topic but I have heard older dogmen swear against breeding a 10yr old stud. If he's able to produce should there be any differences of opinion?

[EWO]

The male dog is a little different as he does not have to carry the pups or give birth, or the real toll can be feeding them. Lotta stress on the bitch during these times. There are lots of dogs who produced successful litters after the age of ten. The odds of having a male throwing at the ten-eleven-twelve stage has a lot to do with the life they lived as younger dogs. It is not 100% but it does put the odds in ones favor.

If I had a stud dog that was throwing dogs for me I would breed him til he could no longer produce, have him collected, etc..etc..., regardless of his age. EWO