How many litters a year IS too many?

DLS · 08-12-2008, 12:04 PM

No matter WHO is breeding, how many litters do you think anyone breeding should be producing in any given year?

I myself can think of NO reason why any breeder should be breeding more than 1 - 3 litters a year. Especially in this day and age.
What do you think?

Rauschund · 08-12-2008, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLS

No matter WHO is breeding, how many litters do you think anyone breeding should be producing in any given year?

I myself can think of NO reason why any breeder should be breeding more than 1 - 3 litters a year. Especially in this day and age.
What do you think?

I agree 100%

Julie W · 08-12-2008, 12:19 PM

Actually, I only breed for myself. I wouldn't breed a litter that I didn't plan specifically for my own next prospect, so I only breed once every 5 to 6 years. Since I'm not one that can re-home my dogs if they don't turn out to be competitive, or when they are done with competition and breeding, they live out their entire lives with me. If I were to breed one or two litters a year I would be buried in dogs.

DLS · 08-12-2008, 12:46 PM

SO true Julie W, I took about 7 years off from breeding and showing because my own 'pack' was getting up there { 6 Dobes from 7 -13 years old} and I found that I was not spending enough quality time with my old timers { I could NEVER re-home one of my personal Dogs}. So for a few years I just played at home with my guys. Before that i used to breed 1 or 2 litters a year, i once bred 3 litters in one year {about 15 years ago}, I would NEVER do that again, even though I had great homes waiting for them, it was WAY to much work.

**MIA** · 08-12-2008, 12:53 PM

IF we are talking about a reputable breeder who is responsible for their dogs and has room to take them back at any time and cares about where their dogs go etc really it could be any amount of dogs as those dogs will be sold to appropriate homes and really the breeder wouldn't breed unless there is a line up of quality owners waiting for dogs - right? So this breeder wouldn't be a concern as they wouldn't be contributing to the pet overpopulation problem anyway, so breed away.

JavasMom · 08-12-2008, 12:58 PM

When you say 3 litters a year, are you referring to different dams each having a litter or the same dam having all 3 litters? Not a vet but it seems to me that one female having 3 litters a year sounds like a puppy mill mentality.

DLS · 08-12-2008, 01:05 PM

JavasMom, I am talking about different bitches! I personally only ever bred a female after the age of 2, I bred most only once and then they were spayed. A couple of my girls who produced exeptionally nice puppies were bred twice, with a year or two inbetween litters.

alwayshadpets · 08-12-2008, 01:17 PM

Such a responsibility for breeders to be responsible for all those pups if for whatever reason they have to come back. Thats why I will always count on a good breeder for a doberman.
Back to the original question. I would think 1 litter a year per bitch (bitch at least 2 years to 5 or 6 years old) and no more than 2 litters in that home per year.

"There is evidence of humans once having tails, but we knocked so many glasses off the table that natural selection eliminated them." Anon

clipclop · 08-12-2008, 02:19 PM

I take such comfort knowing that if anything ever happened to my Wyatt would have a guaranteed home and not end up in a shelter. He would go back to his breeder!

gracieface · 08-12-2008, 02:22 PM

I can't imagine having more than one litter in a year! of course my 9 babies are now 7 weeks old and I am tired, so much poop, pee, playing, kisses, nail clipping, it's great but exhausting.