# Breeding before 2 years



## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Is there ANY good reason to breed a bitch before she is 2 years old. I need ammo for a discussion on this.

I'm thinking if you NEED to breed a bitch before she is 2 years old, then she is probably not breeding material.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

BlackPuppy said:


> I'm thinking if you NEED to breed a bitch before she is 2 years old, then she is probably not breeding material.


I agree. Although I am not a breeder, I would find it a flaw in the bitch if she absolutely had to be bred before she was even fully matured.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

In my limited knowledge...I would think "needing" to breed before the age of 2 and proper testing means you are in a hurry. Hurry implies a need either financial or fear she won't pass hips, etc......neither of which would be reasons to breed in my opinion.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Age of acceptance in Germany is 20 months.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I certainly do not see how this would correlate to any sort of fault in the bitch whatsoever. :thinking:

Timing is typically the decision of the owner. Could there be a good reason to breed before 2 years? Sure there could. Ask the owner what the reasoning is. Maybe it fits better with their schedule, or availabiliy of the chosen stud, or any number of other reasons. Want to know why? Ask! I think having an absolute cut off that is considered acceptable vs not acceptable is sort of silly. It depends on the circumstances. And I really don't think there's a whole lot of difference between a female being 23 months and 25 months, certainly not enough to make one automatically ok and the other not.

In other countries, breeding before 2 is pretty common. Test breedings before titles are common around the world. Not the norm, but not rare or universally frowned upon either.

2 seems to be the accepted minimum age here, mainly due to that being the age at which OFA certs can be done. But there are other ways to get hips and elbows certified that allow it to be done younger. 

Is a female younger than 2 "too immature"? Maybe. Maybe not. Personally *I* prefer to wait until they're older, but that certainly doesn't mean it's the only or best way to do it.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Chris Wild said:


> I certainly do not see how this would correlate to any sort of fault in the bitch whatsoever. :thinking:
> 
> Timing is typically the decision of the owner. Could there be a good reason to breed before 2 years? Sure there could. Ask the owner what the reasoning is. Maybe it fits better with their schedule, or availabiliy of the chosen stud, or any number of other reasons. Want to know why? Ask! I think having an absolute cut off that is considered acceptable vs not acceptable is sort of silly. It depends on the circumstances. And I really don't think there's a whole lot of difference between a female being 23 months and 25 months, certainly not enough to make one automatically ok and the other not.
> 
> ...


Good points. Didn't think about it that way.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I can think of a few reasons....

1. The bitch is *near* two (I don't like arbitrary ages/dates/numbers to begin with) and that's just when her heat cycle falls. Say the owner has access to a good stud, a well thought out breeding at that time. Why skip...just because?

2. I know of a bitch that was having really wacky heat cycles which started when she was young and she was first bred when she was almost two. The breeding helped regulate the heat cycles after that.

3. The breeder is the one that knows their bitch. The breeder can decide if the bitch is healthy, if the bitch is mature, if they have access to a good stud for a breeding they've been planning for a long time, if they want to produce a puppy to keep for their own.

IMO nobody ever "NEEDS" to breed a bitch for any reason at any age. I'm with Chris, there are many reasons on both sides and while two years usually makes the most sense that doesn't have to be a hard requirement just because. I wouldn't necessarily buy a puppy out of a bitch younger than two but that's because I personally like to see what a dog produces before I buy, not because I am obsessed with the age.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

BlackPuppy said:


> Is there ANY good reason to breed a bitch before she is 2 years old. I need ammo for a discussion on this.
> 
> I'm thinking if you NEED to breed a bitch before she is 2 years old, then she is probably not breeding material.


I put that I didn't "know" any good reason...although I prefaced it with admitting I had limited knowledge
After reading some more experienced peoples responses, seems to make sense. I am not sure what you need "ammo" for, but if you're looking at a breeder who is considering this, ask them the reason why.
If their answer sounds reasonable and you don't see any reason or past experience to doubt them....then go with your gut.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Thanks for all the good answers. I just need to know what possible reasons are. 

I was also reading that some bitches have their heat right before their 2nd birthday. This happened with Boaz's sister. But I would at least expect prelims on the hips.

We are drafting the "Code of Ethics" for the new Dutch Shepherd breed club and somebody was objecting to the "2 years old" breeding requirement. I didn't want to automatically reject her comments if there are reasons for breeding earlier.

(BTW, the breed club is for pedigreed DS, not working line. I know there are a lot of iffy breeders for the working line dogs.)


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

What I have an issue with is breeders that have in their contract that said contract is "null and void" if the buyer breeds the dog before 2yo. Yet that SAME breeder WILL breed a female before 2yo.

This doesn't effect me as I don't breed my dogs AT ALL. But the double standard, AKA, do as I say, not as I do, doesn't sit right with me.


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