Originally Posted by YorkieRose

35 yrs and this is what works for me...I give a bitch two chances to free whelp. Of course, you want to look at any reason for not free whelping the first time...look at her size, number and size of pups, condition, good muscle tone etc...is she spoiled etc..I have had spioled girl afraid of pain..but once pups came they were fine.

If she does well with her litter...is a good mom, I would try again..BUT that is the way I do it..I have had a number need a section the first time and go on to be the best bitches I have ever had..they produced free-whelped pups the rest of their breeding life..and others who needed a second section...when that happened my vet spayed at the second section..we figure they will need surgery to be spayed, so a second second is not alot different.

A good rule of thumb is the 3 finger rule..can you fit 3 fingers in the space under the anus to the vulva...that is ideal pelvic opening size. I have seen large skulls on xrays, the vet and myself said..NO WAY the pups would come out..but they did with no trouble.
Sometimes the first rule of breeding is.."there are no rules" that fit every dog and bitch in every situation. Dogs can not read books and many do the opposite of what the book says...or what the breeder has found to be true in the past...