# Quesions for the show breeders please:)



## Purple-peep (May 14, 2009)

I have a bunch of questions for the show breeders out there, if you don't mind.  

How old are the females when they're bred the first time?

How many litters do they have per year?

How long are they pregnant for?

At what age are they retired from breeding?

TIA!


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## EmmasMommy (Jun 2, 2008)

I am not a show breeder but I am currently showing a female and will eventually breed her after she is a champion and I asked my breeder those very questions when I purchased a "show potential" with a "show contract" I have also read quite a bit about this very subject.

A bitch is usually 18 months or older when she becomes a champion ( now there are exceptions but its usually in the second-third year)remember with Maltese the long flowing coat is cut down for pregnancy unlike the "wash n wear" breeds that can go back into the show ring after pregnancy

They wait until the later half of the second year at the earliest anyway so that all the bone is laid down and their growing phases have stopped and the mother will be healthy before the pregnacy. 

Two litters a year seems to be the norm...the gestation of the litter takes approximate63 days and then the puppies are with the mom for 9-12 weeks and weaned, so 9 weeks of pregancy and 10 weeks of nursing and then some rest time in between maybe skipping an estrus ( the bleeding/breeding phase with dogs) and bred again within a year of the last litter. Some don't skip an estrus, some do.

It varies but most female retirees seem to be 5-5.5 years, now sometimes its earlier and of course sometimes its later. I know my breeder had a bitch ( 5.5 lbs) that had 2 litters of 1 pup each and each was a C-section so he retired her early obviously birthin' babies was not her thing. On the other hand my Mimi's mom ( 4.5 lbs) had easy free whelping of a litter of 4 and he bred her to have another litter and she had a another easy preganacy and free whelped her 2nd litter of 3 within the same year. I guess you have to know your dogs to do it well, in the mother and puppies best interest.

I guess alot depends on the size and health of the mom, how easily she gets through pregnancy and birth and lactation/motherhood.

I hope this helps.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Not all breeders do things the same way, so I feel there is no right or wrong answer here (within reason, of course) 

Typically, a bitch is at least 18 months old before they are bred. As long as a bitch is good size and not a late bloomer, I use this as my guideline also

Some girls are bred back to back (so no more than 2 litters a year) some are bred, then skip a cycle, etc. It depends on how often a girl goes into heat also. Caddy is every 5-6 months like clockwork and Caira is every 9-10 months, so there is more time between litters. 

As for how many litters and how old, personally, I plan on 4 litters max and spaying by age 5. Of course if I get incredible puppies from a girl, I might prolong spaying and try for a 5th litter. 

Caddy has had 3 litters and has recently skipped two heat cycles and is now back in the show ring, so I am hoping to finish her and maybe try breeding her one more time. she has produced some very nice puppies so I would like one more litter from her. But if not, for now Marina is having fun showing her!


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## Purple-peep (May 14, 2009)

Thank you ladies!

This is very interesting to me.

I've wondered too if the females tend to go into heat at the same time?


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

QUOTE (BellarataMaltese @ Mar 5 2010, 03:42 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892744


> Not all breeders do things the same way, so I feel there is no right or wrong answer here (within reason, of course)
> 
> Typically, a bitch is at least 18 months old before they are bred. As long as a bitch is good size and not a late bloomer, I use this as my guideline also
> 
> ...


That is great information, Stacy! I had no idea that females can have very different heat cycles. I thought they went into heat once per year. How interesting.


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

QUOTE (EmmasMommy @ Mar 5 2010, 01:18 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892675


> I am not a show breeder but I am currently showing a female and will eventually breed her after she is a champion and I asked my breeder those very questions when I purchased a "show potential" with a "show contract" I have also read quite a bit about this very subject.
> 
> A bitch is usually 18 months or older when she becomes a champion ( now there are exceptions but its usually in the second-third year)remember with Maltese the long flowing coat is cut down for pregnancy unlike the "wash n wear" breeds that can go back into the show ring after pregnancy
> 
> ...


 :goodpost: You have done a great job of explaining all this. Great job.

Tina


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