The American Beagler Forum

What the oldest that a bitch can be breed an raise pups ? 6,7,8,9,10 yrs old ? What's some of u guys opinion and experiences ? Thanks

Any bitch over 5 years old has a higher risk of c-section, lack of milk & other problems. I have seen where folks bred dogs around 12 years old without problems. I personally don't like to breed them past 8 yrs old as I've had too many issues with older bitches having pups.

The way a dog is built can play a role in her being able to have pups without problems. leggy long body dogs would do better over the years than a cobby built short legged dog. The older a dog gets the less pups she will likely have.

I'd have to offer the same concerns as beagler 29431.Older bitches are prone to have a lot more issues carrying, whelping freely,nursing and recovering after raising a litter.
The oldest bitch I ever recommended that be bred was 9 years old.Normally I won't put a bitch that old through having a litter.I'd raised and known the female all her life and she was still extremely fit and active and had had two previous litters at 3 and 5 years old.She did fine with the litter but you could tell after about 5 weeks of age she was about done with the pups and ready to get out.
If your female has had previous litters without problems that's a big pluss for her in her later years.Some times you hear about somebody trying to "always wanted to raise some pups out of that old bitch" breed a senior female that hasn't ever been bred before.I wouldn't recommend that.Definetly have seen / heard about that being problematic.
I used to hunt with an old coonhunter from Georgia that had a beautiful blutick that could flat tree you a coon.She came in heat for her very first time at 11 years old and got bred by one of the males she had been kenneled with for years.Raised a nice litter too. So who's to say???????
The A.K.C. show dog breeders consider a bitch to be of desired breeding age between the ages of 3 [after they have competed,placed,won,etc.] and 5 years old.Most do not use bitches for breeding after 6.

I just gave a 10 year old female away that had 5 pups about 3 month ago and raised them all.

we just had a female raise 4 of 5 healthy pups and she is 11 yrs old

Got a 10 year old female with 3 healthy, 8 week old pups as I type this. She had no trouble whelping them and isn't having any trouble other than competing with them at the feed bowl right now.

just bred at 11 year old female (Fld Ch . Turbo powered by prop x Camp creek mandy) & she didnt take !!!
Boy was I mad , But before Ive bred 12 year old females & rasied every pup !!!
Also I dont think AKC will allow you to reg. pups after a female is so old . (not sure)

Katelyn wrote:just bred at 11 year old female (Fld Ch . Turbo powered by prop x Camp creek mandy) & she didnt take !!!
Boy was I mad , But before Ive bred 12 year old females & rasied every pup !!!
Also I dont think AKC will allow you to reg. pups after a female is so old . (not sure)

DO what you want, with your dogs ,but breeding 11 & 12 yr old dogs just does not make sense to me. If I keep a dog until that age it is because it has earned a retirement .

I'm old, I'm retired and my wife has kept me all these years. I may be old and retired but I'm NOT dead, yet, just saying.

warddog wrote:I'm old, I'm retired and my wife has kept me all these years. I may be old and retired but I'm NOT dead, yet, just saying.

I am also old and retired and my wife has kept me,but if I asked her to become pregnant,at this time of life, she would have me committed . Just saying .

If they will come in heat, they can have and raise pups.
Mother nature is a better guide to all this than we are.

iiiiiiiiiiiiithe oldest i have bred a female was 10 n she was in very good shape could keep up with younger dogs she had 10 pups but only one live one the rest were still born i gave her away after that and the guy i gave her to hunted her 3 more years

Another thing I would be concerned with, with a dog over say 8, is the quality of her eggs. The odds would be greater of havin pup problems in an older bitch.
It kinda works that way in humans also- women over 40?

I'm not sayin I would breed a female that old ,or even take one that old.
BUT ,If I keep a female til she 10 ,11 ,12 ,13 ,or even 14 years old ,I will breed her until she stops taken or has a prob. raisin the pups.
& wen she dies she has earned her keep.. no arguement juss sayin.