# Can a 7 month old puppy breed?



## Clausgsd2 (Mar 19, 2020)

I’m not trying to breed my dogs so let me just put that out there first. I have a 1 year old female who just came into heat, it’s day 4 now and still bloody. I’ve never had an intact female and an intact male at the same time. My male that is 7 months old as of today hasn’t tried mounting my female but has occasionally sniffed and licked her. They play fine together. My female has also not showed any interest in mating with him so am I in the clear with allowing them to interact with each other without worrying about them mating? I feel like my 7 month old is too inexperienced to know what to do so I shouldn’t have any worries.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Well, you'd better worry! Yes, a 7 month old male possibly COULD impregnate your female. It's still too early in her cycle: ovulation usually happens around day 9 or 10. That's when he will start to get very interested in her.

If you don't want puppies, be prepared to keep them apart. Crate and rotate, and be aware that dogs can be VERY good at finding ways of getting to each other when the hormones are flowing!! I heard of a pittie that escaped from a wire crate and chewed his way through 2 doors to get to a female in season! I've also heard of litters conceived through chain link fences!


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

7 Months is usually when males start to reach sexual maturity. While some dogs may take some help to figure it out, that is not the norm. Trust me, its not something they need a class on.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

YES, I know of a St. Bernard who sired a litter at 6 month of age. That is the equivalent of a human teenager. And we all know what that means....


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

An awful lot of 'oops' litters happen for just this reason: 'oh, my dog's too young to have babies' or, 'I thought when she stopped bleeding after 7 or 8 days, that the heat was over!' 

Thank you for asking questions, so this won't happen to you and your dogs!


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

My neighbors thought their dogs instinctively wouldn’t breed because they were siblings... both sire & dam were just under 8 months. big litter too, 11


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## NadDog24 (May 14, 2020)

My parents had an oops litter before I was born. Nixie the female was 9 mints


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## NadDog24 (May 14, 2020)

9 months old and they chewed threw their kennels.( sorry my phone is glitching put on me)


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Fodder said:


> My neighbors thought their dogs instinctively wouldn’t breed because they were siblings... both sire & dam were just under 8 months. big litter too, 11


We really need a head:desk or head:wall emoticon!
Not the first time I've heard this, I'm afraid! If ONLY people would EDUCATE themselves when they get a dog!!


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## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

Bitches ovulate around days 12-16 of their heat cycle (ovulation can be confirmed through blood testing). Eggs have to mature for 2 days before they can be fertilized, then they are viable for another 2 days or so. Sperm has been know to live inside the bitch for up to 7 days from a natural breeding. 12-16 days is just the average, every bitch is different and each heat cycle is different for that bitch. Can you send your boy away for the next 21 days? Even if she stops bleeding, that could be her most fertile time, so dont go by that.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Be careful.
Your mindset is exactly why oops litters happen everywhere.


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