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SoCalyorkiLvr · 11-27-2005, 10:00 AM

I am not offering this bit of internet info for any reason other than information for those who may think it is not scientifically possible for a small dog to be bred to a larger dog and have healthy puppies.

I AM NOT SAYING BY POSTING THIS THAT I THINK IT IS OKAY TO BREED SMALLER FEMALES AT ALL SO PLEASE DO NOT THINK THAT.

I just thought this was interesting and on topic:

Answers to strange questions

The Science & Technology Channel Bill Sones and Rich Sones
Richmond.com
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Q. From a Spokane, Washington reader: Recently I have noticed a lot of media attention given to artificially inseminated mixed-breed dogs. If a very small dog like a teacup poodle is inseminated with a large breed dog like a St. Bernard, would the mother (1) abort (2) have one live birth puppy (3) have her life endangered?"

A. Generally not one and three, more likely two which may also include a litter of live births, says animal reproduction specialist Dr. Margaret V. Root Kustritz, University of Minnesota small animal theriogenologist (from the Greek therio = beast, gen = birth, ology = study of). "I get this question all the time. Dogs are plenty driven by urges to breed or be bred regardless of their mismatched sizes so artificial insemination might not even be necessary."

Once the female is pregnant, the puppies will grow to the size available to them, so even though it seems counterintuitive, a small female dog can carry pups from a giant breed male dog. Even where there is no size mismatch, says Kustritz, if a female dog has only one pup, it will grow to fill the space, thus becoming larger and more likely to cause dystocia (difficulty whelping) than would pups from a large litter.

11-27-2005, 10:00 AM	#42
SoCalyorkiLvr BANNED! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,246	I am not offering this bit of internet info for any reason other than information for those who may think it is not scientifically possible for a small dog to be bred to a larger dog and have healthy puppies. I AM NOT SAYING BY POSTING THIS THAT I THINK IT IS OKAY TO BREED SMALLER FEMALES AT ALL SO PLEASE DO NOT THINK THAT. I just thought this was interesting and on topic: Answers to strange questions The Science & Technology Channel Bill Sones and Rich Sones Richmond.com Saturday, October 15, 2005 Q. From a Spokane, Washington reader: Recently I have noticed a lot of media attention given to artificially inseminated mixed-breed dogs. If a very small dog like a teacup poodle is inseminated with a large breed dog like a St. Bernard, would the mother (1) abort (2) have one live birth puppy (3) have her life endangered?" A. Generally not one and three, more likely two which may also include a litter of live births, says animal reproduction specialist Dr. Margaret V. Root Kustritz, University of Minnesota small animal theriogenologist (from the Greek therio = beast, gen = birth, ology = study of). "I get this question all the time. Dogs are plenty driven by urges to breed or be bred regardless of their mismatched sizes so artificial insemination might not even be necessary." Once the female is pregnant, the puppies will grow to the size available to them, so even though it seems counterintuitive, a small female dog can carry pups from a giant breed male dog. Even where there is no size mismatch, says Kustritz, if a female dog has only one pup, it will grow to fill the space, thus becoming larger and more likely to cause dystocia (difficulty whelping) than would pups from a large litter.