I have a 7 year old medium sized gundog breed and I'm contemplating whether to breed her. She has already had a litter when she was 2 yrs and I stupidly decided not to keep a puppy. Now I truly regret it because she is the best hunting dog I've owned, and I would love to have a puppy from her. She is in good shape and perfect health. So selfishly I want to breed her, but I want to hear some opinions.

when's her birthday? Ie, is she barely 7 or nearly 8? I'm pretty sure I'm correct in saying that you cannot register puppies from a bitch bred over 8 years old. (and for a good reason IMO)
Were any of her first litter bred from? A grand-puppy would be a far better option I would think.

The Kennel club will not normally register a litter from a bitch that has reached her 8th birthday at whelping.

Special permission can be sought, but must be in advance and rarely given.

The oldest one of my long lived, medium size, active until death and regularly shown to 12 years of age has had a litter was 7 years one month.

I normally like to have a last litter before the age of 7, around 6 1/2.

Personally I think it is far too long since her last whelping.  JMHO

All my bitches were retired by around 6.   All I can say really other than rather than thinking about putting her in whelp now, can you go back to the breeder of your bitch if you'd like another of her bloodline?

I don't breed and know very little ebut am learning. If a dog os considered old at & , thinking in particular rescues surely breeding at 7 + isnt good no  matter what the kennel club allow. Personally I wouldn't be happy having a pup from a bitch of this age I just feel its unfair on the bitch.
I don't mean to offend and by am glad you are asking people

>If a dog os considered old at & , thinking in particular rescues surely breeding at 7 + isnt good no  matter what the kennel club allow.

Rescue dogs should not be being bred from and are not usually homed with papers.

So we are talking here of health tested (I hope) fit and worthy breeding stock.

Now it really can vary by individuals but especially by breed.

Norwegian Elkhounds for example are not fully mature until; 4 years old and in heir prime until 10 years of age, and in Scandinavia would still be actively working to this age in the hunting season out al day all weathers.

So the Kennel clubs cut off age is perfectly reasonable even though I prefer not to breed much past 7.   I know that b itches of up to 10 years are bred from in my breed in other countries, just would not be for me.

This would of course not be for a FIRST litter where the advice is to breed before Five years of age.

Is she is fit and well and has previously had a litter I don't see why not - assuming she has had all health tests done and current eye certificate etc.  Do you hear from any owners from her previous litter and there are no problems there?

The advantage if you have kept in touch with owners of her last litter is you can see how they have matured.

I too have medium gundog breed, had bitch have litter at 3yrs than second litter whelped just before her 8th birthday ( missed with two AI in between ) no problems at all. Kept  a bitch and her first litter was whelped just before her 6th birthday - first litter. Again text book pregnancy and delivery, strong healthy pups.

If your bitch is fit and from a line that whelps easily personally wouldn't think twice about it.

In my breed the best policy is to breed later rather than earlier due to the late onset conditions prevalent in the breed.
Consequently Ive just had a litter (1 puppy!) from a nearly 7 yo Ch. bitch and my previous litter ( 2 pups) was a 5yo Ch.bitch to a 7 yo dog, none were maidens.
We are finding smaller litters and more whelping difficulties from mating toy dogs so late in their fertility.

I tend to stop at 6 normally but never say never as long as it is not a first litter. In my main breed you would not consider them old until at least 12 -a 9 year old is still young, and I know a fair few people who have got KC permission to breed from bitches aged just over 8, and have gone on to have very successful litters, and have then gone back in the show ring and continued winning afterwards.

Thank u brainless good info. I was generalising probably toi much frim what ypu have explained. As I said I am inexperienced but happly to learn

With my own breed I am sure they could happily go up to the KC's cut off limit, and should I desperately felt the need for four litters I might push the envelope to that.

I personally have never had more than three litters from any bitch and with generally starting at 2 1/2 - 3years and a decent gap between I can't fit more than three litters in before they are 7, at which point I like to have them back in the ring, spayed, to enjoy veteran competition, and it always means I have a showable dog if others likely to be in season.

Not replying to anyone in particular.  Just my opinion but having 2 in my home that are at the age (7yrs), I wouldn't breed either of them.  These are worked bitches and very fit/active still as they still work but over the last few months, I've noticed physically differences in them.  They are both a bit slower in the field and not as agile as before for example, things they could previous leap, i now have to help them through or over and their lungs are lowering in capacity even though they have the same routine.  Just little things but IMO they are not at peak fitness.
And, I couldn't imagine my girls having the patience for puppies!!lol  They are too set in their ways and like their rest, I just couldn't do it to them.  That would be like me having another kid now mine are all at school and getting independent! Jeeeezzzz!!! No thanks!lol

I would go down the lines and see if you can get a relation.  you never know, you might get something better.

Tara's (Aussie) mother was seven when she was born. For the breed that was probably fine, as Tara didn't mature until about that age :) :) She's still very fit at 12 1/2 - she can leap onto the windowsill with ease ! And at seven she was probably still at peak fitness (although never intended to be bred from) :) In some breeds, dogs seem to me to look quite elderly at that age.

Seven is fine as long as she's had a previous litter.

I'd rather have a puppy from a fit 7 year old than a bitch who'd had a litter at 2.5 and was dead by 4 with cancer (For example).   I'm all for longevity in lines.