Dogs Mating
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 21 Jul 2019
WHEN TO BREED A DOG — WHEN IS THE BEST BREEDING AGE FOR DOGS?
Factually, male and female dogs can breed, dogs mating, as soon as they sexually mature which is a little before a year of age generally. However, is this the best breeding age for dogs? Well, no, it is not. Fertility is far from being a binary concept.
Indeed, fertility in dogs and knowing when the best breeding age is for a particular dog are very much dependant on several factors; including a dog’s health, size, age, and sex. We all know that small dog breeds become sexually mature much earlier than giant breeds, for example.
Just a quick warning: this article is not about when do heat cycles occur in bitches, or how many times can you breed a stud dog, or back-to-back breeding. Click on these links to read those articles if this is what you are after.
This article is about the three different periods in a dog’s sexual life, whether it is a male or a female:
when it is too early,
when it is too late, and
when it is prime time.
Unlike humans, female dogs do not go through menopause but their fertility decreases sharply passed a certain age. A dog breeder who owns a sought-after stud or dam should avoid breeding them past their prime, and before their prime. Such breeders could be unsuccessful and carry a higher risk rate for stillbirths and low puppy counts.