Please help me make the right decision Ok, I love dogs and yorkies. I have two yorkies: Cash (2 year old male) and June (6 months old female). Here is the dilemma: I have this dream of starting a great breeding program in the future. I was totally planning to breed June until this weekend. Now, I don't know if this is something that I want to do now. I am 23 years old and a journalist. June is still largely a puppy. She hasn't changed coat and I suspect she will only go into heat at a later date, probably only at 10 months. She is also really small, only 3 lbs. The reasons for not wanting to breed her anymore are: she is very small, I want her to have a great life, I don't know if I want to focus my life on this. It is a really big decision to spay a dog. It is something that you can never change. I need the great people on YT to help ease my mind for what I need to do. |
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It sounds as if you are leaning toward not breeding. With you being a journalist, I don't think you will have the time required to focus on breeding. There is more to it than just putting two dogs together. There are tests, living spaces for dogs and puppies, whelping areas, records keeping. Just to name a few things. No vacations because you can't leave your dogs. Sleepless nights two weeks before whelping and two weeks after. The list goes on and on. June is way too small. I would just spay and neuter them both and enjoy them as the nice lovable pets they are. You said you don't want to focus on this. If you start breeding and get to the point where you can consider yourself a breeder, your total life will revolve around the dogs. You have to focus on them 24-7. |
Kalina had 3 puppies on August 2nd. I haven't slept yet!!! Seriously! Her puppies were preemies and really, really small. One died. I took a week off from work and now I am taking off another week. I don't know that I can go back full-time next week either. I am arranging to have one of my daughters here at all times. Don't think that you life is going to be even slightly normal for a long, long time. Prepare for the unexpected. If you can't put your life on hold for at least 4 weeks, don't even consider breeding. |
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Puppies take a lot of time, and the costs and risks of breeding are plentiful. And you are right, she is too small and could need a c section and that could mean that you have to commit to hand feeding puppies every 2 hours day and night for weeks. |
If you are at all unsure that you are willing and able to dedicate yourself to breeding, then DON'T! It's not something you can easily just walk away from if you decide it's not going to work out. I would suggest that if you are considering breeding in the future, you start by finding yourself a breeding mentor. He/she can guide you through learning the aspects you will need to know in advance (the whelping process, genetics, medical testing, evaluating your dog, etc) You will get a better picture of what all breeding entails and can get a better feel as to if it's something you want to embark upon. As for your girl, yes, she is a bit small for breeding, even at only 6 months. (General rule of thumb is 5 pounds as an adult for a breeding female and even THEN you have to take her bone structure into consideration.) |
Thank you for your comments. I have spent the last 6 months researching breeding and I know about most aspects of it now. I am kind of relieved that June will be too small. I am paranoid of getting her spayed because she is so small and the vets in SA aren't as concerned about their clients - most pet owners just blindly believe what vets tell them. Are there any way I can ensure her safety? I wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to her. I will post another thread with this question, but I would love your advice as well. I don't want to rush the decision and I want to do the right thing for June. Btw, the thing that changed my mind was that we visited family this weekend. They are my favourite part of our family and they are also avid pet lovers. Elize, my aunt, used to breed Scotties and although she enjoys the dogs, breeding was too much. We talked about showing and breeding and I realized that now isn't the right time for me to breed. |
I agree she is too small to breed. I would also encourage you to have her spayed. If you do not spay her she is at risk for pyometra and from personal experience in years past I have lost a dog to pyometra. |
I am still considering my options as I don't like the idea of spaying her, but sadly, if I don't breed her, I have to spay her. I say sadly because of the risks involved (I followed the story of another Ytalker's girl dying from a spay). I know that the risks are slight, but she is so small! The vets here don't even think twice about giving a 2lb puppy her rabies and other injections on the same day. I spent the whole evening with a tiny, sick puppy! I wish there were more alternatives! Not just spay or breed! They are both such huge, final decisions. Anyway, I will give my little girl some more time and then we will decide. Phew, big decisions. |
If I read your first post correctly you say your June is 6 months old, way too young to breed, in addition as others have said too small. You never breed a female yorkie/toy dog prior to 18 months or 2nd cycle, whichever comes first. However, there are other factors you need to consider; the maturity level of your little girl, she's still a pup. |
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Thanks for all the advice. |
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Thank you for asking this question. I have a 6 month old female and a 5 month old male. I had thought about breeding when they are 2 years old but decided I couldn't handle all that is involved. I also went back and forth on my decision an asked a lot of questions and I am planning on having them spay/ neutered in a month They each weigh 8lbs. |
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