hello i have a german shepherd bich and she is due in season on 10th of december she will be 19 month old she has an exellent pedigree and has won and got many positions in the show ring should i breed off her at 19 months?
kind regards
shaun

No she is far too young and neither does it sound as though you have had her hip scored yet?

My vet told me that as long as the bitch had finished growing anything from 18 months plus is acceptable, providing of course, all the relevant health checks have been done.

But it sounds like this will be your first litter, so I suggest you forget the December season and concentrate of learning as much as you can BEFORE breeding, get all health checks done and go back to the breeder so they can help you find a suitable stud dog!

Good luck

Sharon, I find vets say a lot of things, but it doesn't mean they are always right - does your vet have experience of breeding your particular breed?

Even if a vet is a small animal specialist it is very unlikely that they will know much about individual breeds, most will never have attended a mating nor seen a natural birth, so unless your vet breeds GDS's their opinion is very much less valuable than those who are in the breed, or even that of other experienced breeders.

Hi Shaun, your bitch is much too young at 19 months, to be having a litter. I wouldn't breed form her till she was three years old, if she were mine. I would spend the time between now and then getting her hips X rayed and then scored by the BVA. GSDs have a problem with Hip Displasia so if her score is above the breed average, then I would not be breeding from her at all, ever. A bitch having a litter at 19 months, is like a 10 year old child having a baby.

Dawn R.

I Agree 18 months is far too young. She will need her hip score maybe elbows,eyes etc not sure in this breed. she needs to be  physically and mentally mature. And as for what vets say "Well" ......Im with jackie H as they only get involved when things go wrong!! :D