Retiring Females

[Gracy]

At what age do you retire your Females?
My vet said about 8.5 - 9 yrs as long as their healthy.
My standard is 7yrs is that too young.
AKC accepts females at the age of 10yrs, that's is too old
in my book. Everyone opinion is so different.
Need all the imput.
Thanks

[yorkiegold]

Originally Posted by Gracy

At what age do you retire your Females?
My vet said about 8.5 - 9 yrs as long as their healthy.
My standard is 7yrs is that too young.
AKC accepts females at the age of 10yrs, that's is too old
in my book. Everyone opinion is so different.
Need all the imput.
Thanks

I know one kennel that retires them at 5 years. I think at 7 years, they've earned a nice comfy retirement.

CJ

[Gracy]

Anyone else out there with advice !!!!!!!!!!

[Olivier]

I will retire my females at 6 years old . My girls have a litter a year .

[Gracy]

My Lulu just turned 7yrs, she has had 3 litters.
My husband bought me Woody last year to sire.
He already sired Lily (due 9/30/05).
Now he wants Lulu, she just came into season.
My Vet said it's OK, She is very healthy.
I don't want to, yet haven't decided.

[YorkieRose]

I perfer to retire my girls at 5 yrs. I do not keep my Yorkies until they go to Rainbow Bridge, so I want them to go to a good home before they are old.
If Yorkies live an average of 12 to 13 yrs I want them placed long before aging problems set in. Most of mine are free of problems until 9 or 10..and by that I mean, tooth loss, cateracts, hearing loss..etc. I want the person who is gracious enough to dote on my girls and boys to have at least 5 years of no vet bills...because there will be vet bills in the end for 90% of them.

A healthy girl can be bred to 6 or 7 IMO
I retired Charlotte at 6 and her mother at 6..Katherine was my champion and I still did not want to breed her past 6..both my male champions were retired at 5 and 7 yrs. I feel these Yorkies have given me their all..they have produced quality pups with no complaints, been wonderful companions to me..so I owe them the best retirement possible. My champion, Chopper will be 15 at Christmas time..he retired at 7 and it killed me..but his mother has made him a king. He goes for a much loved walk each day..I could not do that for him. When Chop saw the lead he got so excited, he thought it was
"show time" and he loved it. He has had expensive dental surgery to save his teeth as long as possible...few breeders can or would put 1000's in a 12 yr old dogs mouth.

These are hard decisions to make..but I hate seeing ads for a 10 yr old retiree. The new owner is taking on a big responsiblity and there is so little time left in the Yorkies life to enjoy being an "only"..JMO

[Gracy]

Thanks for all the input.
I appreciate the advice.
I have no intentions of placing Lulu, she is my baby.
I plan on spaying her and keeping her till she goes to the rainbow bridge.
My niece would be the only other home period. But that's not the case.
Still undecided though.

[yorkiemom1970]

i retire my girls at 6 yrs of age. (from breeding). i do not place any of my girls (or boys) into homes after they are retired from breeding. i'm just a person who takes on a dog for it's lifetime. i couldn't ever part with any yorkie i have just because it's retired from breeding... just because they have babies for me now and then, they are MY BABIES first. i will make do with the space i have in my home, and everyone has their own little bed and the love of me, my husband and our daughter age 8 who is a huge yorkie lover, she's been around yorkies since her birth, and she is interested in jr. handling when she reaches age 9... and any baby i aquire can rest assured that he or she will never leave my care. i think 6 yrs is a good retirement age from breeding (for females) this may vary from breeder to breeder, but we all do things different. males can go a little longer in my opinion. best wishes!

[YorkieRose]

Whispersmom and I have a friend with 14 Yorkies..all are retired except 2. Right now she has a houseful of old Yorkies she can not afford good vet care for..Keeping them works when you are a very small breeder in numbers..I have tried to maintain the teeth of 25 adult Yorkies and it cost me $125/150 per dog, per year for cleaning. I can only handle about 6 now and give them everything they need, plus weekly baths, attention and love.

[yorkiemom1970]

i'm sure this lady is a wonderful breeder. however, if you can't afford to breed any breed of dog, and take care of them for their life time (i plan to retire from breeding someday myself, when i'm older and i wont buy any more breeding stock at that time) if you cant take care of them for their lifetime, then you shouldnt even get into this in the first place. i felt this thread was aimed at my last post is all. my point is this: when we get a female for breeding, she becomes our center of attention. she is doted over and adored when she has babies....i just cant for the life of me imagine placing a girl that i went through so much with , not only with her but the entire process of obtaining her and all the months of hopeful waiting that she might have babies someday, then when the big day comes, loving those babies........ and..... then there's mommy. no babies anymore....older yorkie, not what we wish she was any more,,,,how could you just place her, (the same girl who put all her trust and love in you at one time) to someone else. thats all i'm saying....i'm just a rare person i guess, because i just couldnt do this with my girls or boys. i dont want this to cause any controversy with any of you. its my thoughts...you are all wonderful, outstanding breeders i know. but this is my outlook on this paticular subject...we all have our opinions....and mine may not be worth much to others but it's the gospel to me. so in closing, best wishes to all of you and i hope yt will remain a place to post opinions and thoughts freely without controversy.

[yorkiemom1970]

and speaking of small numbers, i have 11 yorkies now. i have kept this number where it is from 10 plus yrs of careful planning along with not getting in over my head. i know i'm not very old, i'm 34 and have been breeding yorkies since age 24. i have watched 2 of my babies pass on. old age is so heart breaking. but if you are not able at your age, or situation to take care of your babies for their entire life, breeding stock or not, then you shouldnt be in the hobby anymore. its a sad but real truth that many of us will someday face...

[yorkielovebug]

Every female is different. Some need to retire at an earlier age than others, I like to retire mine around 6 years, because I feel like by then they have already done a good job for me, and they need a rest. But if they are in real good health, one more time might not hur. Because are just cut out to be mommies. Good Luch Yorkielovebug

[YorkieRose]

No, it was not directed at you. I have been in breeders homes who are so overloaded with dogs it is sad. Not enough time, money or attention for them all...and worse is the show breeder who "collects"..I have seen cages stacked 3 high with retired dogs..ones they are watching for the ring, etc...

I agree, we must each do what feels right for us...I am the first to admit I did not want my retirees growing old in my home.. I am so grateful to my bitches, nothing is too good for them and growing old in my kennel was not good enough. Even though they did not live the typical kennel life since my kennel was actually a part of the house itself... and they had others rooms in the house they could be with us...it is nothing more then numbers for me...I do not want my retirees being one of a large group..nothing more, nothing less.

I hope all comments are taken at equal worth..nothing I said was meant to cause contraversy.

[yorkiemom1970]

Originally Posted by YorkieRose

No, it was not directed at you. I have been in breeders homes who are so overloaded with dogs it is sad. Not enough time, money or attention for them all...and worse is the show breeder who "collects"..I have seen cages stacked 3 high with retired dogs..ones they are watching for the ring, etc...

I agree, we must each do what feels right for us...I am the first to admit I did not want my retirees growing old in my home.. I am so grateful to my bitches, nothing is too good for them and growing old in my kennel was not good enough. Even though they did not live the typical kennel life since my kennel was actually a part of the house itself... and they had others rooms in the house they could be with us...it is nothing more then numbers for me...I do not want my retirees being one of a large group..nothing more, nothing less.

I hope all comments are taken at equal worth..nothing I said was meant to cause contraversy.

pat, i understand how you feel. its really tough for everyone and i know this was a subject that not many like to even have to think about. i know that at times i let the thought of my girls getting older worry me so bad that i just dont know what to do but at the same time i just dont see how i would ever be able to part with any animal i have. i know i'm going to face this reality someday, and i hope i make the right decisions for my yorkies, and not just being selfish and thinking of how i would feel. at this point in time, i just couldnt part with any of them for any reason, but you have given me some insight and helped me to realize that maybe i should do some soul searching concerning this on down the line. thanks for sharing your own experiences and feelings concerning this topic. its not a tough decision to decide when to retire your female...what's so tough is deciding what would be best for her and the quality of her life afterwards... you have made alot of sense to me and although i know i couldnt place any of mine in another home for any reason now, you have given me alot to think about as i continue on my journey with these wonderful little dogs...

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by yorkiemom1970

i'm sure this lady is a wonderful breeder. however, if you can't afford to breed any breed of dog, and take care of them for their life time (i plan to retire from breeding someday myself, when i'm older and i wont buy any more breeding stock at that time) if you cant take care of them for their lifetime, then you shouldnt even get into this in the first place. i felt this thread was aimed at my last post is all. how could you just place her, (the same girl who put all her trust and love in you at one time) to someone else. thats all i'm saying....i'm just a rare person i guess, because i just couldnt do this with my girls or boys. .

Yorkiemom~

I think you are the rule rather than the exception.

I think most of us who love this breed feel the way you do...that yorkies are such loyal and loving dogs that they deserve to live their entire lives with their "family", and that includes the humans and the other dogs they were raised with for their entire lives. Yorkies are, like all dogs, pack animals, and they love their packs and enjoy the companionship of the others in their "pack", human and canine.

I think the "rare" yorkie owner is the one who feels they can give up an older dog after they have finished the "work" they were purchased to do. I understand the rationale but I also feel the cost of caring for the aging female should be included in the cost of her puppies. I think it would be very hard on a middle aged dog to remove it from it's "home"and family and "re-home" it elsewhere no matter how well it is treated. I could not imagine giving up a dog that I had had for 5 or 6 years!! I also believe that every dog needs one on one time and training every day including walks. It is my opinion that you should only have as many dogs as you can properly care for and give adequate attention to.

I also feel it takes a certain person who can be a breeder. I wouldn't be able to help with whelping a litter and then sell them later. I would bond to them if I had them from birth and I don't think I could give them up. I also would have difficulty risking any of my baby's with going through pregnancy if the possibility if death is as great as most breeders make it sound for these small dogs.