# How Old Should A Male Be When Breeding



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

How old should a male GSD be when you breed him?

I am not a breeder

I do not plan on breeding

I just saw something on a website that kinda raised a red flag to me


----------



## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

No less than 2 years. Often older. 2 yrs is when they can get OFA certified, although other countries will certify earlier. And in a Stud dog it's often perceived to be more important that the dog is titled, which can take longer than 2 years. It is not uncommon to see an untitled or lower titled female when breeding, but most bitch owners want to take their girls to a good stud, who is frequently more titled and older. Often if the male is untitled, you're dealing with people who are only breeding in house or to other untitled females.


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

The SV requires 24mos old & a breed survey.
For the USA....I believe that they should be at least 24mos old....not all breeders title & survey their dogs.


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

OOOPS....
The dogs should also be certified, either by a-stamp or OFA.


----------



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Males, just like females need time to mature. Then you have to wait till their hips and elbows are certified when they turn 2. So I guess the soonest should be 2 years old.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think some lines are not really even mature (physically, and maybe mentally too) until they are 3 years old. You can get all the titles and whatnot at 24 months or even less but as a buyer I'm not sure I'd even consider a sire that was 24 months.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Thank you guys!

Well that confirms that the people I got Sinister from were BYB. They are breeding a 10 month old male puppy and they are also breeding a 11 year old male dog.

Both of my dogs parents are missing off of their website

His dad should be 3 years old right now and the mom should be 4 years old right now. So I doubt that they are retired. I want to know what happened to them. I would try to get ahold of them but they are very rude and could give a **** anyway.


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

an 11 year old male wouldn't necessarily be a red flag to me. After all, once he's done the deed, his part is over. If he's 11 and still going strong - working, competing, whatever, then I would look at it as a huge plus  Sure, he may have slowed down from when he was in his prime, but longevity is a good thing to pass on.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily count for people using him as a stud because he is there and handy..


----------



## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Ones way to young the other WAY to old that's not good that mister Sins mom and dad are off site eather


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

how old is too old for a male to breed? It's not like a female who will be putting her body through the stress of having a litter; he does his "duty" and then he's done. If he was a good stud with good genes to pass on, he doesn't lose those just because he's older.


----------



## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I've always heard anything over 10. They start to loose sperm count and a older male could be easier to hurt with his older bones? I know somepeople who won't use a male over 8. But no youger than 2.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

There have been awesome litters sired by dogs who were dead! A good stud dog is a good stud dog and people will even save sperm and use it later. Recently a stud dog I've always had my eye on passed and I was very sad, lost that opportunity unless there's viable sperm somewhere. I don't think it's so black and white that the age really matters, only the quality of the dog and what the dog has proven in his work and progeny. But that said, you can't be a proven stud when you are 10 months old.


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

ChristenHolden said:


> I've always heard anything over 10. They start to loose sperm count and a older male could be easier to hurt with his older bones? I know somepeople who won't use a male over 8. But no youger than 2.


losing sperm count would only mean that it might be harder for the bitch to conceive or that she might have fewer puppies in a litter. 

I don't know about being easier to hurt. If he's that fragile, there is still AI and other methods if you wanted to use the dog. Otherwise, if it's a disorder that has his old bones so brittle, he probably wouldn't be a good candidate anyway.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I dont think the breeder takes her dogs to shows or agility. They are dogs that live in a big barn outside and have kennels. I dont see any hip ratings or awards for anything on her website and most of her dogs are 90 pounds +


----------



## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

How YOUNG can they breed? We are thinking about adding another pup and are in the process of getting Zeva fixed. Found a place today that we are going to use. When to boys start making swimmers and react to a pup in heat? I'm so nervous about Zeva hitting first heat before we get her fixed and have to wait. 

We are thinking about getting a male when we find one that fits. We would like a pup too, in hopes to integrate him into the house easier.


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

well, Rayden started howling at the door when the neighbor's dog went into heat. He was around 8 months old. 

I don't know how early they can breed though I would guess not any older than a female's first heat, which is around ?? (Freya is my first girl dog and she was 2 when we got her. So I have no idea lol)


----------



## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

I hear it's 6 to 8 mos. Some take a bit longer? Not sure. My first puppy too


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

A male dog can produce puppies the moment he can produce sperm.....no age stipulations.
An older male dog will produce puppies as long as the sperm is viable.....be it "Live or frozen semen".
I personally, have not used "frozen" semen.....not much knowledge about it.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LaRen, while it is good to understand what makes a good breeder, please do not dwell on the idea that your dog came from a less than stellar breeder. If you are happy with the dog, then let that be the end of it.

Your dog's behavior and training is up to you. Your dog's health may be no better or worse because of his breeding. That you may have supported a BYB, well, what is done is done. Next time you will have a lot more questions to ask whoever you buy a dog from, and that is how it ought to be, continuous learning. 

Many of us got our first GSD from less than stellar situations. 

Using Penhip or a-stamp, hips can be certified at 1 year. Pre lims can be sent in to ofa also. 

I have bred one dog at less than two, nearly five years ago. He had a nice temperament, and that is more of a concern than all the other things in my opinion, but could he have developed differently once he was fully mature? Yes. So to make the best evaluation of the dog physically, and temperament wise, I think two should be the earliest one should consider breeding. If a dog is eleven years old and still siring litters, I would say that suggests, a very healthy dog.


----------



## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

I have two adult females apparently from BYB. The oldest is from a male named Reiko when he was 10 1/2 years old. The other female, I really got taken as her father, Tom z Pohraninci straze, was 11 1/2 years old when he produced her. Luckily, both dogs are very good females....whew!!!close call!


----------



## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

We had one of the last Fanto Hirschel sons...his name was Sallo vom Felsenwehr....he produced a litter for us at an older age...about 9?.....therefore...our Inca is one of a very few Fanto granddaughters alive today...she is nearly 8 yrs old.
She has only produced 2 litters....1 in Germany, and 1 for us in the USA. We have just attempted a breeding with her....she is in very good health (mentally & physically)...so fingers crossed.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Hope that works out for you ok.


----------



## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

All kidding aside, there are many good reasons to get a dog from an older sire. One it gives you track record of what dog produces, two, it demonstrates that an advanced age the dog has the vitality and drive to still procreate. Also, it demonstrates longevity in the dog and possibly the line. 
Also, it is the opposite of what I won't breed to; that is a dog that is a weak breeder and has to be pampered and coaxed and can't have female look cross at him or he'll lose interest. I would never breed to this type of dog, in mother nature's plan this dog wouldn't procreate, and dogs that can bredd at 9,10, 11 years old certainly don't bring that weakness to the table.JMO


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Someone is breeding a 9 month old male


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> Someone is breeding a 9 month old male


Dang! I don't understand some people.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Lilie said:


> Dang! I don't understand some people.


I know, I'm totally disgusted. From May-July this person will have had 6-7 litters.


----------



## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

I totally agree with Cliff on this one. Also it's nice to have the OFA's, etc, done on the male which is Not possible at all when the male is 9 months old or younger than 2 years old. Now I have seen some people breed on prelims, but that is not for me.


----------

