At what age do you first breed your girl?

[Lucky Me]

In my little dogs, I've always waited until 2 yrs old to breed my girls.
Somewhere I read to wait until 2 yrs. on the Labradoodles, so I did.
I had a gal call a few months back, on breeding Marley to her female this month.
I told her that her female (she will not be 2 until Oct 2009) was too young, & at the very least , also needed her hips tested.
So.... recently I read a through a bunch of web sites, and 2 different respectible breeders bred at 18 months.
What age is everyone else doing there girl's first breeding?

[Doodlesville]

personally i think its the maturity of the females

another debate is every time a female comes in heat that is not bred it increases the chances of cancers

K9s in the wild dont have us to tell them when to breed, they live long and have little health problems
something to think about

[KingstonTodd]

WE waited unil the first heat AFTER two years, both for her maturity, and her obedience since we needed her to listen to specific commands with the pups, but also for Gus. We wanted him to be mature enough and obedient enough to be trusted around the pups. Just our opinion, but if they are going to live 10-15 yrs, and only be breeding for 2 or 3 years before retirement, whats the big rush? Let them be puppies themselves first. Good for you on standing up for hip x-rays.

From our reading on cancer, the risk of an estrogen dependent cancer increases the most for letting them a first heat, increases a smaller amount with a second and a third heat, but any subsequest heats after 3 do not add significant increases in risk. SO waiting to two years or more doesnt really influence cancer risks.

[Jac]

Hi Judi,

I think that the 2 year old time-line probably started because that was when OFA would test for hips...maybe there was more to it, but I suspect that the age was set by tradition stemming from an earlier time and may not be applicable now, but is still used to guide because it "has always been done" that way...I personally wait for the second heat, as a minimum, and then I look at the maturity and general good health of the female. If she is mature enough to handle being a mother, then I will breed her on the second heat, so long as she has passed testing and is not too young. (I prefer around 18 months because I believe that she deserves to be a pup before she becomes a mother.)

I had one female that was ready to mother at a younger age, but I still waited until 18 months...but that is just my own personal determination.

[MaxandMe]

Most breeders i know wait till 18mos or 2yrs depending on maturity of the bitch.
Also with Pennhip tests being done at earlier ages some can breed at 18mos with confidence now if the bitch is ready that is.