I have 2 dogs both aged 2 years of age. The female is in heat and the male is showing interest but not actually doing the job. The female is flirting and the male sniffs her then walks away. Any advice i am new to breeding.

KR

MissJ

> Any advice i am new to breeding.

Put the male in boarding kennels till the bitch is out of season and have her neutered 3 months after :-)

Quite right.  Breeding should not be something to be done lightly without a great deal of study, good reasons for doing it (other than simply producing puppies and good mentors experienced in you breed and bloodlines and the practicalities of breeding.

Also it is rare that the dog you happen to won is the most suitable stud for your bitch, it is usual to take a bitch to a top class proven stud dog.

Assuming you have good reason to breed from these two, it sounds like she is not yet ready for him, and it also could be that he is too inexperienced to know whether she is or not.

They are very young still. Are you are aware of all the health tests this breed should have, such as

--kidney disease (familial necropathy--do these two have 'clear' parents? If you aren't sure, your dogs should have blood tests done every 6 months from age 1-4)
--heart disease (mitral dysplasia--apparently up to 40% of this breed have heart murmurs, so you want to be as sure as possible your dogs will not pass this on)
--hearing (congenital deafness doesn't just affect white dogs)
--lethal acrodermatitis (two healthy dogs can pass this on to pups and there is no cure)
--patellar luxation (your dogs should be xrayed and scored once they are old enough)

Unless you have done all the tests, and you are breeding for yourself, not to make money out of your dogs, my advice would be to leave it to the experts. You may be able to find a breeder who can mentor you , but for now I would forget about breeding your dogs--sorry if this is not the answer you want.

Interesting that the OP lists her occupation as 'breeder' ????

Please could any further replies on this thread be confined to constructive advice only. Comments about trolls and wind up merchants are not helpful - remember this thread could be read by many other visitors looking for advice, not just the OP.

Slightly off topic, but still in the gist.

What actually is a Jack Russell terrier?  I mean, do they exist?  They're not actually a KC recognised breed are they?
I've always known them as JR terriers, but in truth, shouldn't they be called a Parson?  Or is it a bit like the "irish" SBT scenario?  (Couldn't think of another example, but would rather have!! lol).

Parsons are KC recognised with a standard and definetly bred to a type. 

I know Parsons are, but I meant in regard to JRT's and the fact that they aren't kc recognised. 

So they're actually not a breed as such then.  Sorry I wasn't very clear.

> What actually is a Jack Russell terrier?  I mean, do they exist?  They're not actually a KC recognised breed are they?
> I've always known them as JR terriers, but in truth, shouldn't they be called a Parson?  Or is it a bit like the "irish" SBT scenario?  (Couldn't think of another example, but would rather have!! lol).

The registered breed was known as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier but they are now known as the Parson Russell Terrier.
Jack Russell is the common name for the non registered/short legged variety.

Not quite sure what you mean (re trolls and wind ups), unless there is a lot more to this thread than I have access to ?

> Not quite sure what you mean (re trolls and wind ups), unless there is a lot more to this thread than I have access to ?

Some comments have been removed

Re later posts about Jack Russells, I'm not sure why they are on this thread as they are nothing to do with the OP's question? Can we keep this on topic, thanks.

>> Any advice i am new to breeding.
> Put the male in boarding kennels till the bitch is out of season and have her neutered 3 months after :-)

I am afraid I agree with Tigger2.

It is not easy to breed, there is a wide range of things that can & do happen to the bitch once mated/whelped. Someone not all that long ago lost the mother during whelping & had to hand rear the remaining pups herself.

Both the bitch & dog in the OP post are too young to breed from, in my opinion. There is plenty of time for the male & the female could wait at least 6 months before breeding from her.

> Both the bitch & dog in the OP post are too young to breed from, in my opinion. There is plenty of time for the male & the female could wait at least 6 months before breeding from her.

I think this comment is unfair when we don't know the breed.  It is most certainly NOT too young in my breed.  Indeed, I retire my bitches from breeding at 4 years, and like a first litter before 2 years.

Waiting another 6 months in my breed, as you've advised, would make a bitch getting on for 3 years for a first whelping, and more or less guarantee the bitch a C-section.

>> Both the bitch & dog in the OP post are too young to breed from, in my opinion. There is plenty of time for the male & the female could wait at least 6 months before breeding from her.
> I think this comment is unfair when we don't know the breed.  It is most certainly NOT too young in my breed.  Indeed, I retire my bitches from breeding at 4 years, and like a first litter before 2 years.
>
> Waiting another 6 months in my breed, as you've advised, would make a bitch getting on for 3 years for a first whelping, and more or less guarantee the bitch a C-section.

Ok, I admit the breed is not mentioned but that is against board rules anyway.

I am entitled to my opinion & think that 2 years is the MINIMUM age a bitch should have a litter in my breed!!

>I am entitled to my opinion & think that 2 years is the MINIMUM age a bitch should have a litter in my breed!!

Likewise - it's part of my breed's code of ethics that no bitch will whelp before the age of 2 years.