Is there a minimum female weight limit for breeding??

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by ZZ_Blonde

About 25 years ago I got my first yorkie. She was about 4 lb. at most. I bred her once with a 3 lb male. The vet checked her to make sure she had more than one puppy. She had two in her. He said she would probably be fine but watch her closely. If there had been only one puppy he said definitely a C section. Little Ruffles had her two puppies in the middle of my sofa with my hubby and I on each side of her. One puppy , the male, was much bigger than the female. Both puppies and mommy all did great. I never bred her again nor any other yorkie over the years until this year. I just had puppies born yesterday with my Shadow. She had five. Shadow is about 7 1/2 lb. Although breach for 3 out of 5, she seems to have had them ok. She was bred with a 3 lb male. My vet told me he frowns on breeding a dog under 5 lb. and always make sure the male is smaller. He also said it is wise to have them x-rayed that last week to see how many there are. That way you may know (if he can tell on the x-ray) how many to expect and be monitoring that all have arrived.

I'm sure you did your research and were very prepared to handle this breeding with expertise. Glad all went ok with your babies and mother.


Once again the misconception of breeding to a smaller male to get average size puppies. Vets are wonderful but, not genetic specialists. The only thing that can determine the size is their descendents.......and even then, every once in awhile a fluke can come into play.

[daisysis]

I am sorry and I do not want to hurt anyone feelings BUT, my vet said a 3 pound dog can have puppies. Everything depends on her health and if her mother was able to give birth easy. Than most likely the daughter will too.
I am just telling you what the vet told me and he is a good vet, the best in the area....

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by daisysis

I am sorry and I do not want to hurt anyone feelings BUT, my vet said a 3 pound dog can have puppies. Everything depends on her health and if her mother was able to give birth easy. Than most likely the daughter will too.
I am just telling you what the vet told me and he is a good vet, the best in the area....

I had one of the best vet's ever in Dallas and I would turn to him for anything. His diagnosis was always 100% on. However, one night (I was assisting her for training) my breeder (breeding and showing yorkies since 1972 and before that Poms) ran into trouble while whelping, she asked me to call our vet, I went to call him and during that time she had milked the puppy down the horn, turned it, since it was being born head up (a real breech puppy) and delivered it. Anyway she yelled at me that I didn't need to call our vet. The next morning I contacted the vet and told him of the birth, what had transpired and that we had almost contacted him. His response was and I quote "She knows more yorkies, breeding and whelping than he would ever deliver or know" - In the next sentence he told me that every good and smart vet always has in their contact list the #s of every breed specific breeder expert, since they deal with that specific breed day in and day out. He went on to tell me that vet's go to school to work on sick dogs....and unless they are reproductive, orthopedic and genetic specialists they are general practictioners.

As a breeder, I would argue with your vet.....I wouldn't breed a 3 pound female, she may conceive several puppies, too many for her little frame, let alone feed a litter of 5 and being worried about eclampsia. Or, she could concieve 1 puppy, giving that puppy too much room to grow.......sorry, I just wouldn't take the chance, too many things can go wrong with a good sized female as it is....why buy trouble.