Is my dog too old to haved puppies?

Question

she will be 7 in november. she has never had puppies before. just curious. if it is going to risk her health i wont do it. but just curious before i take her to the vet to ask

Answer 1

Most reputable breeders retire their dogs around the age of 7.  This would be a very dangerous age to breed her, much less to have a first litter.

The only time a breeder breeds a dog this old is if the dog has had NO complications in previous litters.  The dog has been fully examined by a vet and assured she is in excellent health..  and this is an excellent dog, who has produced excellent litters.  Even then.. a breeder would still prefer to work with one of her offspring, or grand-offspring instead of putting her at this risk.

You have no idea if she is capable of producing a litter with little to no complications.  A dangerous risk for an older dog, even if she is otherwise healthy.  If she does have complications, it will be harder for her to recover than if she was a younger dog.

Answer 2

You can tell is she in good physical heath?

Answer 3

Yes..people generally stop at 4 yrs..

Its hard on the dog to have pups every 9 months and at &yrs old she is 49 in people yrs!  

Answer 4

yea your dog is to old, a responsible breeder would never breed a dog thats 6 yrs or older.theres no sense in breeding, theres plenty of pups in the shelters needing homes already no need to add more

Answer 5

Hi there.  Most reputable breeders will not breed a dog much past 4 or 5.  7 is really getting up there.  Just like people, dogs can have more complications giving birth as they age.

A few other things to consider: Is she a purebred dog?  If yes, is she an *excellent* example of her breed?  Does she have any titles, like Champion, obedience, agility, or working titles?  Have you chosen a sire that makes up for her weaknesses?  And MOST importantly, have you had her hips x-rayed and sent in to the OFA, eyes CERF'd, and tested for whatever other specific problems your breed may have?

Also, are you prepared to spend a lot of money on the birthing?  What if something goes wrong?  Have you raised litters before?  Are you prepared to keep every puppy until you find a good home?

So many people want to breed their dogs because they want one just like her, or she's just perfect, or they want the experience of raising a litter.  It's because of people like that that so many dogs are put to sleep every day because they cannot find homes.  You may have answers to my questions that are great, and I pray you do.  However, if you don't know what OFA is and don't know how much an emergency c-section costs, then PLEASE don't breed your dog.

If you have any other questions, let me know and I'll be happy to answer them for you.  Best of luck with your decision.  

Answer 6

Dogs should not be bred over the age of 6, I prefer not over the age of 5..and then only breed once a year, it makes for healthier pups and does not wear the mom out either.

a reputable breeder wont breed past the age of 5-6

is it up to you, if you just have to have her have pups,then you need to take her to your vet for a complete checkup first.

can I ask why, if she has never had pups, why do  you want to breed her now, not being mean or rude, just curious...at her age, you may need to let her have a C-Section, but any whelping can be dangerous for any age dog.....and yes it can risk her health.......

good luck

Answer 7

i dont think she is to old my grandparents dog lived for 16 years and we had to put her down because she had cancer but it is normal for a dog not to have puppies

Answer 8

yes. most reputable breeders have their breeding b*****s retire from breeding at the age of 5. she is too old almost considered a senior dog. it would be risky, you would be putting her life and the life of the pups in danger. what breed by the way?

Answer 9

Yes she is too old to be having her first litter.  There would likely be significant complications.

Think about it this way - if 1 dog year = 7 human years - she would be 49.  Do you think 49 year old women should have babies?  

Answer 10

i think my dog was about that old when she had her puppies.

it tired her out a little but shes still fine and living at 12 yrs old

Answer 11

Yes, she is too old, her body functions slow down no matter what physical condition she is in. It could kill her.

Answer 12

Yeah I think so because my dog had her litter when she was a little older then your dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 13

My dog was 8 when she had her last litter, but that was because she was feral. By the time I got her from the spca, her pups had already been adopted out. I started crying when they sent pics of her with her puppies soon after they found her. She was too old to have to deal with the physical stress of creating and nursing those pups. She survived obviously, but I think seven is too old to risk your dogs health. If you want a puppy, go to your local shelter. I know its not the same, but it WILL save a life.

Answer 14

Yes,she is too old! Just do her a favor and have her spayed.At her age,she is more likely to develop pyometra,which is an often fatal infection of the uterus ( it fills with pus,and the preferred treatment is emergency spay surgery and antibiotics.) The more times a dog comes into heat,the more likely they are to develop this.It occurs about 4 -6 weeks after a heat. Spaying will also prevent uterine cancer and help prevent mammary cancer.

Answer 15

If a dog is to have puppies, she has to have the first litter before 6 years, or any later they WILL require a scheduled C-section.

The pelvic bones lose their elasticity at the age of 6, so they can no longer stretch to deliver the pups, unless they have been stretched from a previous litter.

Answer 16

Yes, no older then 6 years of age.