Just curious how often a bitch should be bred. My bitch has had 2 litters and I'm considering breeding her again, but not sure......just want whats best for her. Both her litters have been very healthy with no problems. I have always had her checked by the vet before I breed her, and he said she couldn't be much healthier. He also said that usually you shouldn't breed every cycle, but because she's a working dog who is always very active, she could probably be bred again with no problems. I am NOT in it for the money, but do have a waiting list on my pups. Again, I WANT WHATS BEST FOR HER! Has anyone bred twice in a row? Is giving them only one cycle off enough?

I would never breed any of mine with less than one year in between litters. Usually it ends up being more.

Agree with Marianne, she should have a minimum of a year between litters.  Like you, I always ask my vet to say if I shouldn't breed again.  He is always more against breeding again if a bitch has large litters.  He says that it isn't so much the carrying of the litters, but the actual rearing of them, that takes it out of a bitch.  So I tend to base my ultimate decisions on number of pups a bitch has already had.
Jean

I'm assuming the question is how often a bitch can be bred. Whether/ how often a bitch should be bred is, for the vast majority, never! :-) I'm more putting that for anyone who sees the title on a search and thinks "should my bitch have a litter". :-)

I agree with Marianne - for the bitch's sake it is best to leave at least a year between litters, for her to recover fully and have a rest.

I have said this on here many times (normally get pulled up for it though :) )
I would never breed any bitch regardless of litter size on a consecutive season, every bitch needs time for her body to recover and IMO that should be a minimum of a year.
Just because she looks fit and healthy on the outside, internally she could well still be healing/recovering :)

My girl cycles every four months she is due in twelve days then wont be bred for two more years 

I breed from a bitch every 2 years between litters regardless of litter size & only 2or3, & no more after they are 6 years old.
I start when they are 2years old. And i do have them health tested before i breed from them

I have a bitch mated at the moment, her 1st litter was Augist 2007 when she was three years old.

What's your reason for wanting a litter from her?  Do you want a puppy?  Did you keep one from her last 2 litters?

Will they be KC reg?

if so i think you will have a problem there as i dont think they will register them.

but i agree with the others there should always be at least one season in between litters 

> if so i think you will have a problem there as i dont think they will register them.

If the OP doesn't have five or more litters a year & doesn't require an LA breeders license, why should there be a problem with the KC

> What's your reason for wanting a litter from her?  Do you want a puppy?  Did you keep one from her last 2 litters?

Well certainly those are relevant questions for anyone breeding a litter to ask themselves - sometimes in working dogs they will be bred to try and maintain the lines of a good worker without keeping back a pup assuming there are working homes eager for a pup from the line, I believe. Along with this it is necessary for a responsible dedicated breeder to confirm that the sire and dam's lines are a suitable match, the dogs have stable temperaments, and that all the relevant health testing has been done for the breed in question, which is of course of paramount importance.

But since the OP has bred before, I imagine she has already thought through those aspects. :-)

> Will they be KC reg?
>
> if so i think you will have a problem there as i dont think they will register them.
>

The Kennel Club will register a maximum of six litters per bitch - there is no restriction on time between litters unfortunately. The bitch has to be between the ages of 1-8 years (ie not under a year at time of first litter or over 8yrs at time of last litter). :-) The KCAB scheme has slightly different rules and restrictions.

Licensed breeders ( those breeding 5 or more litters per year I believe it is that have to be registered) are not allowed to breed more than one litter from a bitch per year - but that licensing is not the business of the Kennel Club, it is the local authority if I recall correctly. Hope that helps to clarify matters. :-)

> (ie not under a year at time of first litter

A bitch cannot be under a year old at time of mating

Yep, sorry, that's what I meant - mind is on other things at the moment.