Ideal Age

[PB632]

Hi, just a query now.
My friend wants to put her 1 year old german shepard at stud. but she received abusive messages from random people say shes dull and hes far too young and she needs to grow up and wait for your dog to get sum *bo***cks b4 you use him. Obviously and clearly its non of their buisness but fair enough if they just advised it's not a good idea for a dog that young.

That really made me angry they way people responded.

What is roughly the ideal age for breeding a dog? Any breed.

Thanks guys!

 

[tessa_s212]

*Nothing* under two years of age should be bred.

*NO* GSD that has not has its Hips checked should be bred.

 

[Gempress]

A dog should be at least two years old. Large breeds grow slowly, and aren't fully mature until at least that age.

Also, any breeding dog should be fully checked to be sure there are no genetic health problems. It would be horrible to pass something like that on to puppies. With German Shepherds, that means that their hips need to be X-rayed and certified free of hip dysplasia.

Temperament is also important. Your friend's dog should have a rock-solid, stable temperament. Bad breeding has resulted in a lot of unstable German Shepherds out there.

A good breeding dog should be a credit to the breed, and full of good genes that will pass on to the puppies. Even if he's a lovely dog, that doesn't necessarily mean he's good enough to be bred. He needs to prove it. That usually means competing in dog shows, obedience or Schutzhund trials.

 

[bubbatd]

Definately not before 2 yrs.... by then you know his adult temperment , and can start all the important tests and clearances. It's very hard for the stud owner to find a Good bitch unless he has been proven and has some titles...other wise it's a BYB.

 

[bubbatd]

Gem..we posted together.... I echoed you !

 

[PB632]

Thanks guys! yeah he has been hipscored and is as soft as a brush! But still she gota wait a year!! thanks alot! Kayla xx

 

[JennSLK]

He better be a champion. You shouldnt breed unless he's a CH

 

[Gallien Jacks]

Thanks guys! yeah he has been hipscored and is as soft as a brush! But still she gota wait a year!! thanks alot! Kayla xx

How can he of been hip scored when he is only !? who hip scored him?

 

[bubbatd]

Agree... he can be Xrayed and read, but not certified until after 2 yrs with a certification from an OFA reader. Same with the eyes. Jenn, none of my dogs were champions.... I chose not to show as they were house and woods dogs and I didn't have the heart to kennel and fluff and puff them. My mentor was a show judge and had many awards in both obedience and conformation with her Goldens. She said all my dogs were of show quality. I mainly bred for disposition as companion dogs.

 

[IliamnasQuest]

Hi PB632 -

I see you're in South Wales .. not sure what sort of certifications you have there. I think that PennHip can be done at a year of age (not sure). But here in the U.S. the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals doesn't give official hip scores until the dog is at least 2 years old.

The reason for this is that a dog like the shepherd is not fully formed at 1 year of age. To breed a dog that young would be taking more chances than a respectable breeder would take. You want to do your hip x-rays when the dog is fully an adult and the joints are completely formed.

In addition, your friend would need to be sure in her mind and her heart that she is breeding her dog because he is a superior dog - not just an average one, or a nice one. This is why it's encouraged that the dog show his worth in competition. Personally I am not big on the conformation showing, but I would at least have my dog assessed by competent judges as to conformation, and prove the intelligence and athleticism by showing in obedience or agility or schutzhund.

Purebred dogs are a dime a dozen. Purebred dogs worth breeding are rare.

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[Gallien Jacks]

Penn hip can be done from 16 weeks, but 1 year being more accurate, that said though Penn hip can be then done as many times as the owner wishes, where as the O.F.A will do the testing at 4 months but not register the results, and then will only test the animal once at 2 years, then the dog can not be re submitted for testing, personally I prefer the O.F.A as Penn hip use an anesthetic and the O.F.A does not

 

[PB632]

Feeling pretty intimidated right now, um its not my dog so dont giv me lectures bout it.

 

[JennSLK]

We're not lectuing you. We are giving you information

 

[PB632]

I understand that. But I was glad with the information sources I was given in the beginning as you can tell because I posted saying thankyou to those who first replied. But I just feel everyone decided to go into panic mode and started worrying that my friend had already bred her GSD.
Sorry for any inconsideration.