breeding question - YorkieTalk.com Forums

MyTrixie143 · 08-02-2006, 02:04 AM

I am curious, I have heard alot of people here on YT that have yorkies that did not come in to heat the first time until they were 17 months old or a year and a half old. Would you still have to wait until the second heat to breed them?? How about if they didn't come in to heat until that late and then only came in heat once a year, would that be any different?? All female dogs I have ever owned have always came in heat before they turned a year old and then came in heat again every 6 or 7 months. I am just curious what you would do if you had a dog do this and it would be something new to learn... Thanks to anyone who can answer my question!!!

angelbaby's mom · 08-02-2006, 04:44 AM

Not totally sure, but I think the main reason you would wait until the 2nd heat cycle is to be sure the dog was mature enough. So, if she is 1 1/2 years old, then I would GUESS it was ok to breed. I think it's just the "average" that they cycle every 6-7 months, so that is why the rule-of-thumb is the 2nd or even 3rd cycle.

I could be totally wrong, though.

BamaFan121s · 08-02-2006, 05:13 AM

I would still wait until the second heat cycle. (Some people even prefer to wait until the 3rd) IMO, the 1st heat cycle, not an age, is an indication that the dog's reproductive system is maturing. (Kind of like with humans...some get there earlier than others.

) Allowing her ample time to mature is crucial and gives ample time for any would-be health issues that can be brought on by the variance in hormones to present themselves.

JeanieK · 08-02-2006, 05:18 AM

My vet said it is a matutrity thing. If they are too young it is like a teen age mom, physically they are ready, but not mentally, and if thier first heat is real young, they might not even be done growing. So if they don't go into heat until a year and a half, I would guess it is OK to breed the first cycle. They may have even had a heat earlier but you just didn't notice it.

YorkieRose · 08-02-2006, 07:41 AM

I have no problem breeding a bitch on the first heat if she has reached 14 months, 5 pounds..and out of her puppy stage. Each bitch is different...good luck

BamaFan121s · 08-02-2006, 08:03 AM

This is what I like about this site...lots of opportunity to learn new things.

OK, I have a question for anyone who wouldn't mind (respectfully) throwing in their .02: What do you feel marks a bitch's 'sexual maturity,' which would obviously directly relate to healthy litters? Age only? I'm just curious for everyone's input here as I see alot of opinions.

I have always been under the impression that an important part of waiting until the second cycle was to allow time for the female to reach full sexual maturity, which I would think would be marked by the heat cycle, not age. Thyroid problems don't often present themselves until hormones are in full swing. Wouldn't it stand to reason that any testing done in that sense wouldn't be completely accurate unless the female was fully developed?

YorkieRose · 08-02-2006, 02:20 PM

I think it is a debatable question for sure...would a bitch who has her first heat at 6 months and second at 12 months be more mature then a bitch who has her first heat a 14 or 16 months? Kate's, mother, and two aunts had no sign of heat until 14 to 17 months. One was bred on the first heat, one at the second heat..and one at the 4th heat..I never noticed any difference in the three bitches pregnancy's, health or as mothers...Kate has had no heat and is 14 months...it is a thing in their line, but once they have a first heat, they are 6 to 7 month girls.

I don't think there is an age you can attach to maturity...I can not recall seeing any of my girls grow in size passed 8 to 10 months..but emotionally they are not all mature by any means..Kate was very settled and mature at 8 months...Emee is 7 and is very much a puppy.

It never hurts to wait..but I can not say it is a big mistake to breed on the first heat if the bitch is well into 14/16 months...that means she would whelp at 16/18 months...
I would be interested in how many breeders find thyroid problems in bitches under 5 years...I have not encoutered this problem..groomed a few older Yorkies who were on thyroid meds..
Bama..I am really not disagreeing with you, waiting is best IMO..I doubt there is a breeder who regrets waiting, but many who regret not waiting...

PennyNLola · 08-02-2006, 03:17 PM

Hello. I had to reply to this thread, because I enjoyed reading what everyone has posted so far. Lola, just had her first heat at 8 and 1/2 months. We were going to breed her, but now we are not going to. If we were still going to breed her, we were going to wait until her 2nd heat regardless of how old she was. For instance, if she came into her first heat @ 12 months and then not again until 24 months, it didnt matter. We were still going to wait until the 2nd heat. With Penny, our female Min Pin, we waited until her 3rd heat. (She is now 2 years old) We tried on her 2nd heat but she didn't take, so we tried again on her 3rd heat. I think there is nothing wrong with waiting...but IMO every breeder is entitled to his or her own way of doing things...I learned that...thanks!

BamaFan121s · 08-03-2006, 05:24 AM

Thanks for the input Pat...very interesting.

And no worries, I respect and appreciate your input as always.

MyTrixie143 · 08-03-2006, 05:52 AM

Thanks for the information!!! See, I learned something new today!!!! Oh and bamafan121s asked the other question I was wondering. Once again thank you everyone for answering my question, now I will know what to say if someone asks me the same question someday!!!

Beach_Bum · 08-03-2006, 01:42 PM

I have a female yorkie and my friends mom has a male. Now they both have the same Dad but different moms. Can we breed then together or No.

sylvan · 08-03-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach_Bum

I have a female yorkie and my friends mom has a male. Now they both have the same Dad but different moms. Can we breed then together or No.

No... that is a very close line breed and not worth the high risk.

YorkieRose · 08-03-2006, 02:42 PM

IMO that is "inbreeding"...and breeders do inbreed to set type and other varies reason they give..BUT there is no need to do this and it is very risky in Yorkies. It may not bite you in the butt every time..but it will bite you and then you have genetic problems to deal with, unfair to the pup, unfair to the buyer, unfair to the breed...but your vet will get richer!

BamaFan121s · 08-04-2006, 05:20 AM

Yeah...I'm gonna have to cast my vote for "NO" here too.

08-02-2006, 02:04 AM	#1
MyTrixie143 Mom to 6 Beautiful Furkids Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,409	breeding question I am curious, I have heard alot of people here on YT that have yorkies that did not come in to heat the first time until they were 17 months old or a year and a half old. Would you still have to wait until the second heat to breed them?? How about if they didn't come in to heat until that late and then only came in heat once a year, would that be any different?? All female dogs I have ever owned have always came in heat before they turned a year old and then came in heat again every 6 or 7 months. I am just curious what you would do if you had a dog do this and it would be something new to learn... Thanks to anyone who can answer my question!!! __________________ A dog is a furry person! http://www.dogster.com/?300866 Tracey and the gang DestinyHarmonyScamperGracieLillieKiwi Hershey Peppi

08-02-2006, 07:41 AM	#5
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	breeding I have no problem breeding a bitch on the first heat if she has reached 14 months, 5 pounds..and out of her puppy stage. Each bitch is different...good luck

08-02-2006, 08:03 AM	#6
BamaFan121s Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 11,432	This is what I like about this site...lots of opportunity to learn new things. OK, I have a question for anyone who wouldn't mind (respectfully) throwing in their .02: What do you feel marks a bitch's 'sexual maturity,' which would obviously directly relate to healthy litters? Age only? I'm just curious for everyone's input here as I see alot of opinions. I have always been under the impression that an important part of waiting until the second cycle was to allow time for the female to reach full sexual maturity, which I would think would be marked by the heat cycle, not age. Thyroid problems don't often present themselves until hormones are in full swing. Wouldn't it stand to reason that any testing done in that sense wouldn't be completely accurate unless the female was fully developed? Last edited by BamaFan121s; 08-02-2006 at 08:07 AM.

08-02-2006, 02:20 PM	#7
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	age I think it is a debatable question for sure...would a bitch who has her first heat at 6 months and second at 12 months be more mature then a bitch who has her first heat a 14 or 16 months? Kate's, mother, and two aunts had no sign of heat until 14 to 17 months. One was bred on the first heat, one at the second heat..and one at the 4th heat..I never noticed any difference in the three bitches pregnancy's, health or as mothers...Kate has had no heat and is 14 months...it is a thing in their line, but once they have a first heat, they are 6 to 7 month girls. I don't think there is an age you can attach to maturity...I can not recall seeing any of my girls grow in size passed 8 to 10 months..but emotionally they are not all mature by any means..Kate was very settled and mature at 8 months...Emee is 7 and is very much a puppy. It never hurts to wait..but I can not say it is a big mistake to breed on the first heat if the bitch is well into 14/16 months...that means she would whelp at 16/18 months... I would be interested in how many breeders find thyroid problems in bitches under 5 years...I have not encoutered this problem..groomed a few older Yorkies who were on thyroid meds.. Bama..I am really not disagreeing with you, waiting is best IMO..I doubt there is a breeder who regrets waiting, but many who regret not waiting...

08-02-2006, 03:17 PM	#8
PennyNLola Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 169	Hello. I had to reply to this thread, because I enjoyed reading what everyone has posted so far. Lola, just had her first heat at 8 and 1/2 months. We were going to breed her, but now we are not going to. If we were still going to breed her, we were going to wait until her 2nd heat regardless of how old she was. For instance, if she came into her first heat @ 12 months and then not again until 24 months, it didnt matter. We were still going to wait until the 2nd heat. With Penny, our female Min Pin, we waited until her 3rd heat. (She is now 2 years old) We tried on her 2nd heat but she didn't take, so we tried again on her 3rd heat. I think there is nothing wrong with waiting...but IMO every breeder is entitled to his or her own way of doing things...I learned that...thanks! __________________ "Life Gives to the Giver and Takes from the Taker." Penny, Lola, and Rocko....

08-02-2006, 04:44 AM	#2
angelbaby's mom YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: OK, but Texas soon! Posts: 326	Not totally sure, but I think the main reason you would wait until the 2nd heat cycle is to be sure the dog was mature enough. So, if she is 1 1/2 years old, then I would GUESS it was ok to breed. I think it's just the "average" that they cycle every 6-7 months, so that is why the rule-of-thumb is the 2nd or even 3rd cycle. I could be totally wrong, though.

08-02-2006, 05:13 AM	#3
BamaFan121s Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 11,432	I would still wait until the second heat cycle. (Some people even prefer to wait until the 3rd) IMO, the 1st heat cycle, not an age, is an indication that the dog's reproductive system is maturing. (Kind of like with humans...some get there earlier than others. ) Allowing her ample time to mature is crucial and gives ample time for any would-be health issues that can be brought on by the variance in hormones to present themselves.

08-02-2006, 05:18 AM	#4
JeanieK Donating YT 12K Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Council Bluffs Iowa Posts: 12,552	My vet said it is a matutrity thing. If they are too young it is like a teen age mom, physically they are ready, but not mentally, and if thier first heat is real young, they might not even be done growing. So if they don't go into heat until a year and a half, I would guess it is OK to breed the first cycle. They may have even had a heat earlier but you just didn't notice it.

08-03-2006, 05:24 AM	#9
BamaFan121s Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 11,432	Thanks for the input Pat...very interesting. And no worries, I respect and appreciate your input as always.

08-03-2006, 05:52 AM	#10
MyTrixie143 Mom to 6 Beautiful Furkids Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,409	Thanks for the information!!! See, I learned something new today!!!! Oh and bamafan121s asked the other question I was wondering. Once again thank you everyone for answering my question, now I will know what to say if someone asks me the same question someday!!! __________________ A dog is a furry person! http://www.dogster.com/?300866 Tracey and the gang DestinyHarmonyScamperGracieLillieKiwi Hershey Peppi

08-03-2006, 01:42 PM	#11
Beach_Bum YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Windsor Posts: 2	Breeding Question?? I have a female yorkie and my friends mom has a male. Now they both have the same Dad but different moms. Can we breed then together or No.

08-03-2006, 02:42 PM	#13
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	breeding IMO that is "inbreeding"...and breeders do inbreed to set type and other varies reason they give..BUT there is no need to do this and it is very risky in Yorkies. It may not bite you in the butt every time..but it will bite you and then you have genetic problems to deal with, unfair to the pup, unfair to the buyer, unfair to the breed...but your vet will get richer!

08-04-2006, 05:20 AM	#14
BamaFan121s Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 11,432	Yeah...I'm gonna have to cast my vote for "NO" here too.