Breeding practices

femarn1 · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject: Breeding practices

I have a question regarding proper breeding practices. I have been researching breeders and wonder what is the best practice for breeding the female. Is is best to hae cycles immediately following the previous or give the dog a cycle off. Also what is an acceptable amount of litters a female should have before she is "retired"?

dixiedi · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:34 pm Post subject:

According to my vet, it is best to breed every cycle as long as the female is healthy and does not have any problems during her pregnancy. It is best to breed every heat and retire the females young.
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Di & Archie

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Doodlesville · Senior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Posts: 1581 Location: VA

all 3 of my repro vets recommend this, if a dog isnt bred every heat they have a high rate of developing cancer

We retire our dogs between 4-6yrs, how i tell is when the litters get small or the have problems, i only have one that is breeding over 3,,so i do mean ONE problem they are retired
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Nancy at Doodlesville(Virginia)
Aussiedoodles, Goldendoodles & Labradoodles
www.Doodlesville.net

movistar · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:39 am Post subject:

I breed every heat. I breed three litters and my female is done.

gracielou · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

Every heat unless I have several several girls come in at the same time I don't breed ovre three litters at once to much work and I do it all by myself with a little help in the evenings and weekends from my husband. I don't have that many adults but 3 litters at once is plenty for me some breeders of course have more and can handle it that's great for them if they can. I retire early usually 4 in my business now I have never had over 2 litters per female but with that said I've tried to keep pups back from them, some times I retired early because I didn't like the looks of the pups. It isn't as profitable that way either but I'm trying to improve my lines as I go and without a lot of money it's the only way I can. Rolling Eyes

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Linda & Gracielou
Valley Center, KS
http://www.4pawspuppies.com

M&Tdoodles · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:58 am Post subject: this is GOOD news

OUR DAM HAS HAD 3 LITTERS CONSECECUTIVELY AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING SOMETHING WRONG BY NOT GIVING HER A BREAK.

TO PREVENT ANOTHER LITTER WE HAD THE SIRE KENNELED FOR 11 DAYS IN MAY & THE DAY WE BROUGHT HIM HOME HE JUMPED ON KELSEY(DAM)

MUCH TO OUR SHAGRN WE KEPT THEM SEPERATED BUT THEY WERE FOUND TOGETHER IN THE BACK YARD( DARN HOLE IN THE SCREEN ) AS I HEAR TOM YELLING " MARTHA YOU LEFT THE DOOR OPEN" Sad

WELL SHE HAD A LITTER OF 9 HEALTHY PUPS ON JULY 12TH..
.
WE KEPT THEM SEPERATED FOR 5 MORE DAYS AFTER ONE SESSION TOGETHER NOT THINKING SHE COULD BE PREGNANT WITH ONE LOCKING SESSION. OH BOY WERE WE SURPRISED WHEN WE HAD HER XRAYED & WE WERE TOLD 9 PUPS ARE ON THE WAY. Rolling Eyes

WE WANTED HER TO TAKE A BREAK WE THOUGHT THIS WAS TOO TAXING FOR HER. AS OUR VET HAS LEAD US TO BELIEVE.

WE READ & LOVE THE INPUT FROM OTHER EXPERIENCED BREEDERS ON THIS WEB SITE , THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INPUT.

WONDERING HAS ANY EXPERIENCED BREEDER OF LABRADOODLES HAD AN UNFORTUNATE DIAGNOSIS WITH CANCER AFTER THEY RETIRE THEIR DAMS AFTER BREEDING? Sad

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Martha and Tom
Lighthouse Labradoodles
Warwick, RI
WWW.RILABRADOODLES.COM

http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m91/ridoodles/

Doodlesville · Senior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Posts: 1581 Location: VA

We normally spay immediately so no i have not had that experience thank god
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Nancy at Doodlesville(Virginia)
Aussiedoodles, Goldendoodles & Labradoodles
www.Doodlesville.net

gracielou · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:24 am Post subject:

I have not had any issue with cancer either with any of my adults I do have them spayed also so they can just relax and enjoy life.
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Linda & Gracielou
Valley Center, KS
http://www.4pawspuppies.com

Tink · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:44 pm Post subject:

Wow... now THIS is news to me.
When I was breeding GSDs, I was told every heat was just too much so would do every other. I did have a dam that developed cancer and had to be put down. I wish I'd have known this then. Sad

'course 25 yrs can teach us many things I suppose.
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Hickory, Gypsy, Jessie, and Chip (happy master of his Harem)

Doodlesville · Senior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Posts: 1581 Location: VA

i know what you mean same thing happened to me with my Australian Shepherd, she died in my arms,,
you posted this and i remembered i HAD gone thru it, this memory is one of my worse ever
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Nancy at Doodlesville(Virginia)
Aussiedoodles, Goldendoodles & Labradoodles
www.Doodlesville.net

M&Tdoodles · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:40 pm Post subject:

Thank you ALL for your input, we do appreciate any others sharing also on this topic, it is a very informative thing to consider. Do you think 3 litters is enough. Kelsey is now 3 1/2yrs old. & has 3 litters. The first was 11 pups then 3 pups now 9.

We wanted to wait until she was 2 to start the breeding because we were told you want a Mature dog to be able to feed the pups and teach them the right ways, that if you start when they are only one they are too immature to breed.

You all are wonderful to share your experiences with the wealth of knowledge gained we are so thankful to have this as a resource.
_________________
Martha and Tom
Lighthouse Labradoodles
Warwick, RI
WWW.RILABRADOODLES.COM

http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m91/ridoodles/

Doodlesville · Senior Member Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Posts: 1581 Location: VA

is how they snap back from the litter , i have bred a female upto 5yrs old, however with that said, if a girl gets mastitis or doesnt gain weight quickly after a litter thats just the good lord teling me that its time for her to retire,
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Nancy at Doodlesville(Virginia)
Aussiedoodles, Goldendoodles & Labradoodles
www.Doodlesville.net

Tink · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:52 pm Post subject:

I've always wondered what determines the number of pups in a litter.
I had a GSD stud that always seemed to sire HUGE litters... we had one with 16 pups, another with 13 using him. I don't think he ever sired a litter with fewer than 11 pups.
Seriously, after the litter of 16 I quit using him!

So is it the male that determines how many? Or is it the health and size and nutrition of the female? Or maybe a combination of both?
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Hickory, Gypsy, Jessie, and Chip (happy master of his Harem)