I'm curious how other dog owners/breeders feel about this?

I have been waiting for a very special puppy for a long time (doesn't it always feel like forever?) and Mum duly produced two gorgeous dog pups.  Fine - but I wanted a bitch (as does the breeder.)

She has now decided to mate her again on her next season to enable her to continue the line.

I have been 'in dogs' for many many years but have never done this although I have known other breeders to do so.  Again, this appears to not be "The Done Thing" in today's world of dogs and I know many people do not agree with this practice.  I'm sure none of us here would condone "puppy farming" in its true sense but this is a reputable breeder who has high standards of care (and aftercare) for her dogs.

I'm not asking for judgement on aforementioned breeder (whom I obviously hold in high regard or I would not consider purchasing a pup from her!) but purely practical advice on how the bitch might be affected preferably from other breeder's experiences. 

The breed in question would normally produce on average 7 puppies in a litter so my instinct is that feeding only two pups would have been a "breeze" and not TOO physically taxing on her.

Another thing I'm unclear of... would it be expected for her to come into season again six months(ish) after her previous season or six months after pups were born?

Opinions please?

i dont personaly agree with it, her body will of gone through a lot of stress 2 pups or 10 pups , other people might say different?   are they kc reg ? i was always under the assuption that only 1 litter per year can be registered per dam??   as regards her next season i would excpect it would  be 6 months after the last season, if thats normal for her, but that would meen she is being mated only 2 months after the last pups had gone, cant the breeder wait a year?  xx

I'm not an experienced breeder but I have been in the dog game for over thirty years, and so gained alot of general experience.  In my opinion, under the circumstances you describe, and only as a one off, a litter at her next season should be OK. I could not however, condone the practise as a regular occurence. The Kennel Club will register the second litter, litters on consecutive seasons is not among the restrictions the KC impose.

Dawn R.

Like sarstaff I was also under the impression that the KC will not register a litter if the dam had produced a litter less than a year before.  Does anyone know if this is correct, I cannot find the answer on the KC website?

The KC will register a litter from a bitch whom has already had a litter registered in the previous 12 months.

Hi Brody, there are only 3 reasons given why the KC would not register a litter from a registered bitch. They are 1) if the bitch has already had six litters registered, 2) if she is over 8 years old, and 3) if she is under 12 months at the date of mating. This information can be found on the KC website under KC forms, then look at form 1.

Dawn R. :)

My own bitches usually7 have delayed season after a litter, they normally go about 17-29 weeks,a dn I find the delay is about 3 to 5 weeks.  My bitch didn't come into season after her litter for the second time until the first were 14 months old, so if she had managed to get in whelp this time there would have been 16 months between litters with a season i between.

In a breed/bitch with long inter seasonal intervals in the case of one or two pups in a bitch who had not been overtaxed with previous breeding would consider mating her on the next season, but not if it meant the pups were to be born 6 months after the present litter.

Meant to say my bitches normal cycles are 27 to 29 weeks :D

I've not done it myself but I would have no problem with a back-to-back breeding as long as:

- the previous litter was small, as we know it was
- the bitch had no problems with pregnancy
- she whelped easily and normally
- she was a good mum and seemed to enjoy her puppies
- she made a full & quick recovery of condition after the pups were away from her
- she is relatively young
- this really is a 'one off' breeding.

I've not done it, but I wouldn't have a problem with it under these circumstances. Just one of those situations which proves how impossible it is to have hard & fast rules which cover ever eventuality. As long as the bitch is fit & healthy, no problem - she may even have an easier time whelping.