I swore I wouldn't breed a dog more than twice as I don't like to think I'm putting on to the bitch .
However I've been having thoughts that I'd like one more litter from a bitch I have , as her last litter didn't produce the bitch pup I was hoping to keep and show. It's the only time I've never kept a pup from a litter.
The bitch in question is 5 years old and a small utility breed , in great health. But I find myself doubting myself as I always said I'd not breed a bitch more than twice.
If I could have your thoughts on breeding more than twice it would be appreciated :)

I have always thought myself as a responsible breeder / owner and don't want this to change

You will get all sorts of replies Im sure but I am strongly of the opinion that it entirely depends on the bitch.

One is too many for some!

I usually have three litters from my girls, spaced out between 2 years and 7 years. 

This gives on average an 18 months between litters and my breed are more than capable of rearing the average 6 puppies (range 3 to 9 pups), in between enjoying in most cases successful show careers.

Assuming as you say she's in great health, and giving her a good rest before the last litter, and that she didn't have enormous exhausting litters, and assuming she didn't have any trouble with the last 2 litters, I don't see why you shouldn't try one last time. I intend to try not to breed more than twice from a bitch, but I wouldn't totally rule out a third litter forever if there were good reasons for it. :-)

I have always felt exactly the same, so know where you're coming from.  Indeed, some of my girls only had one litter before being spayed, for various reasons.

However, I do have an extremely good bitch that is probably the best that I have ever had.  She had 2 litters, two pups in each, and I kept the first litter for myself.  Her next litter was 2 boys, and I already had the male pup from her first litter, so I didn't keep a pup.  The one boy went to a show home, so I would always have him in mind as a back up if needed. 

However, when she had her last season, I realised that this was her last chance for breeding.  I took her to have a check over, and my vet reckoned that, as she had such small litters, breeding had hardly affected her.  She has very easy whelpings, and is a super mum.  So I went for a 3rd litter for the very first time.  She had 2 pups - which I kept!  :-)

She is now spayed, but I have no regrets knowing that her last whelping was just as straightforward as her first two.

Definitely depends on the bitch, plus of course the quality of the pups. If they're all rubbish not everything can be blamed on the stud dog. ;) I've had 3 litters from a Malinois (one was accidental, before there was Alizin, so two were planned), one of my Papillons has had two and all being well will have TWO more -but here of course you are talking very small litters so much harder to get what you want.  Her previous litter actually was as big as 4 pups -but 3 were dogs and they turned out better than the bitch pup -and two bitch pups were wanted for showing.

Guess what I am saying is, I am more likely to have over two litters from a Papillon (that has 2-3 pups usually) than a Malinois (10 or so in most litters) as in a Mali litter you usually get what you want first time around, and if not, a second chance is enough. I'd have no problem with a third if there was something specific I wanted and the bitch had reared the previous two litters fine and was in excellent condition etc.

As comparison, in cats, most of my queens will have 5 or 6 litters. There are no restrictions there as far as registrations go (either numbers or age, but I always have last litter before 8), and unless you spay, a queen will call until she gets ill so needs a litter pretty much every year, you can't easily put it off. And this is no problem at all if they are good mothers and looked after well, so I don't see why 3 or 4 litters should be a problem for a bitch kept well, who also is a good mother and has easy births. So much is up to how WE look after the mother. A BYB or puppy farmer can turn a bitch into a wreck after just one or two litters simply by not feeding her well enough.

I have always thought 2 was plenty for any bitch but as others have said if they bitch is in optimum health, has had no birthing problems etc in the past and has produced exceptional puppies from previous litters then I could understand taking a 3rd litter.

I love reading the replies here as this is a predicament I'm going through too, my bitch is about to have her second litter, she's a self-whelper and an excellent dam. We're emigrating to Australia in 2013 and taking her with us, and because of the small gene pool out there I would like to have a litter from her to keep a boy to show from when we're out there, but that would make it her third litter. I think it does depend on the bitch and how much strain you're putting on her individually.

Best of luck. x

I agree with others, there are lots to be taken into concideration not just should you let them have a 3rd litter. In my breed which tends to have small litters 3 or 4 pups then 3 or 4 litters would be acceptable but if a bitch was having 6 or more each time then I would probably call it a day after 2 litters unless I hadn't got the bitch pups I was after but the quality was there over all.

Do you plan on using a different stud so not to repeat the genes of previous litters?

If she is in good condition and has an easy time of it then go for it and hopefully you get a great quality bitch pup to keep back.

Beth I would wait till she has had the litter you are planning and decide then as to future litters.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Her first litter was 4 , and second was 6 which is large for her breed. The pups all bar one are brilliant dogs , some are shown and doing really well in the ring . There are a couple in pet homes which should be shown as they are fabulous.
My sister has a dog from the first litter , he does well in the ring. My mother took the bitch from the second litter but she has a whorl on the back of her neck and this is not ideal in our breed and she has been spayed .

I will consider what I should do as I have a while yet as she isn't due in season for a couple of month.
My other option would be to buy another bitch from equally good lines and in the future if all goes well use the dog from her first litter as stud , as he has all the qualities of his mother .

Also like to add she whelped easily both times , although her breed are sometimes known to need c sections , I have never had to have a section with these lines although I know things can go wrong during any whelping and any breed. She is a fab mother too .

I have one that I was hoping to have a fourth litter from.  Sadly she hasn't took from her mating a few weeks ago but hope to try again next season as long as she isn't too old.  She is a breed who average around 6/7 in a litter.  She's had 2 litters of 2 and one litter of 3.  Her first litter her daughterwho I kept got BIS in the breeds first ever show at 16 months.  Her last litter her daughter has won BPIS, RBPIS, has been placed in the gundog puppy group and also in the adult group.  The breed average lifespan is around 13, her great grandma lived to 15 as did her gr. gr. grandad.

I have the same breed as you and I would say that 2 litters are enough. Just my opinion.

If they are in good condition and previous litters were not unusually large for the breed I'd go for a third.

Depends entirely on the bitch and the breed. Over the years I've had girls who could produce four large litters and others who were only capable of one small litter in a lifetime. One of my girls was out in the field dashing around whilst in early labour , popped out 10 puppies and within hours was jumping fences to join the other dogs in the paddock. She is still in peak condition 3 litters later. My breed is very popular and I've never had a problem finding excellent homes for the puppies . I always have a waiting list. My problem now is that I'm still receiving enquiries from super potential owners but have no puppies available.

In those circumstances I'd be pretty tempted by a 3rd litter. Like you say you could buy in a bitch, but is it easy in your breed to buy a good quality bitch with good lines, because it certainly isn't in mine!

No it is hard to buy a good bitch , I waited 5 years to get her . I know that the top breeders usually keep the best for themselves so it would be hard .
I'm going to have a good old think what I should do and consider every ones opinions properly as I value all your thoughts.

I would only tentatively think of 3 litters if the bitch and her previous litters were exceptional and I personally wouldn't even dream of a 4th as every time you do it you are putting your bitch at risk.

I know , that's why I'm thinking long and hard , her litters were outstanding .To be honest I'll probably not as I'm now over thinking it.

Did she have the 2 naturally? i also have your breed but have not bred a litter yet. I think 3 is the max id do from my dogues, but as it has happened ive only ever had 2 from the same bitch, emergency c section and spay. kept a daughter from this she had a first litter 2011 but several still born and she missed last time, mated her today hurrah didnt think it was going to happen she had a bug and was quite poorly. If this time she misses that might be it but if not and she has a good litter then maybe a third. If not textbook then she will be spayed. Also if i get what i want from this litter i dont have the need for a third either so shall see. What are your reasons for wanting to, do they outweigh the risks?

Something to think as well is have the pups from other litters gone to continue the line? or are they likely to?
To me 3 litters are not too many, if bitch has had time to recover and did not have any issues with the previous litters

Yes she had the two naturally and easy , she recovered really quickly and was a fab mum. It's been a year since her last litter and she hasn't had a season yet , she usually has 12 month + seasons , so if I were to have a litter it would have to be on the next season. There are no signs of it yet either , one of my dogues is in and I thought may bring her in too .
Will not  be breeding from my dogues due to so many health problems in their lines , I used to show them but they are now retired and just live a comfy life now .
Still not too sure about the third litter , my mind is in a right mess .

ETA I have breeding restrictions on the pups , up to now I haven't had a request to lift any , and I have an owner who I thought would want to use her boy at stud as he is doing really well and has done for the last two year now.