Just read an article about breeding, which says the number of puppies only depneds from the Dam. Is this 100% true? Will change of food and life style effect the number of pupies that a bicth going to have?

Basically yes as there are millions of sperm but only so many eggs and then some will not go on to become pups as they need to establish in the uterus at a good spacing and establish a good placenta etc, so the bitches health etc are paramount.

A dog that starts to produce singleton pups or missing bitches can of course be found to be loosing his fertility, but generally numbers is down to the ladies.

so is it the male that determine,s the sex?

Yep all down to which of his sperm get to the eggs though of course with millions the odds should be 50/50.

is there any truth that to early a mating the less pups?

Maximum litter size wil be from mating the right dog to the right bitch at the right time. The right time will vary from season to season.

a too early mating wont produce any pups! once the bitch is willing to be mated she will have or be about to ovulate and dont forget sperm can live for 3 days

The bitch I have, she has been bred 3times, mated with different male but she has had one puppy each time (told by the breeder who sold her to me). Is that mean there is no chance she will produce more than one puppy in her life?  Anything can be done to improve this!!!

Perhaps this bitch should not be bred from again 3 litters (even with singleton pups) is probably enough for her.

If she was mated at the optimum time and allowed to mate throughout the time she was willing to mate then she is just likely to be a sub fertile bitch and probably not the best foundation bitch as this trait could pass on to her offspring.

The chances are that she is either producing few ova, or they are not implanting, or the would be pups are dying before maturation.  If it has happened three times then it is likely a problem with her hormonal system or the environment in the uterus.

Unless you have a full history surrounding her precious breeding, e.g. what days she was mated was any ovulation testing done how many matings etc you can only guess.

> The bitch I have, she has been bred 3times, mated with different male but she has had one puppy each time (told by the breeder who sold her to me). Is that mean there is no chance she will produce more than one puppy in her life ? Anything can be done to improve this!!!

Why do you want to breed from her again ? many Chihuahuas only have singleton puppies or only two per litter. She had her litters close together didn't she, so at her age & after three back to back litters have her spayed & let her enjoy her"retirement.

You do seem very keen to breed first your very small Yorkshire Terrier & now your Chihuahua There must be a reason for this desire to breed dogs-so what is it ? from your questions you don't seem to know very much about your "breeds" & keep them as indoor dogs

Moonmaiden,
both my yorkie and Chi have very good bloodline, and Im sure lots of people want to breed their dogs not for money but to keep their babes as additional family members. there are many tiny yorkies (1.5-1.2kg) has been bred in France, one of my friend in France got his yorkie pup few weeks ago and the mum only 1.2kg.  If I don't care about them, I wouldn't ask much question here, and just do what I like to do.  I know that the chi has been bred 3times before, but maybe 1 or 2 years later she ready for her last litter to join the family.
Breeding is just a thought for me, Im learning more about dogs. By the way, Im living in an apartment. If I don't keep my dogs indoor, wherelse they can go?

Maia check your "messages". Top of page 3rd from right.

So the bitch is now five & when she is 6 or 7 you are going to breed from her for your experience ?  <sigh>por little scrap, bred three seasons in a row & again with you. Are you aware that most bitches fertility wanes as they get older, so you may put your Chihuahua through another breeding for nothing

Just because they beed from undersized bitches in France(& even smaller ones in the US)it doesn't make it right. A friend of mine was a Yorkshire Terrier breeder(& hers won CC's etc)the last litter she bred from her lovely full sized bitch, resulted in dead puppies & an almost dead bitch, she had her spayed along with her other bitch who was a show winner but too small to be bred from. She perfers to have her girls alive & well than risk them having problems during pregnancy.

The tiny toy breeds are not easy to breed & the care of the mother & puppies has to be spot on

Yes you will do whatever you want with your bitches & in that case why bother to ask for information  ?  I presume because you expected to receive the blessing of the forum members here & when you didn't you opt for the "They are my dogs I will do as I like"method. The only thing is the innocent bitches are going to be used for your "experience"& requirements

I used to live in a flat & had 4 dogs 2 GSDs, a Beardie & a BC, I didn't give them litter trays indoors I did something very strange-I took them for walks & runs outside

"I didn't give them litter trays indoors I did something very strange-I took them for walks & runs outside"

As someone who uses a tray, I very much resent that comment!

As someone who uses a tray, I very much resent that comment

From the Kennel Club code of ethics:
"The registered owners of all Kennel Club registered dogs accept the jurisdiction of the Kennel Club and undertake to abide by this General Code of Ethics"

"Owners will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care"

Hi,
Original question - I have been told the amount of puppies is determined by the bitch.

I have also been told that it can depend on the amount to mating, ie several mating would produce more puppies than one mating? Don't know if this an old wives tale? Would love opnions from long time breeders.

I think and have said before, breeding back to back is unexceptable, but to do it once for a valid reason is one thing, to do it deliberatly twice is wrong, unethical and cruel :-(

I'm hoping this has not been done and I am miss reading!!!!!!!!!!!
:-(

More matings jsut make it more likely that you get the optimum day.  I have ahd 9 puppies from one amting and none from a bitch mated over the course of a week.

"Owners will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care"

I resent the fact you believe having a tray means that exercise does not take place! How very ignorant!

Well, I apologise if I have misunderstood, but you were the one that said you had a litter tray for your dogs instead of taking them outside.

How is that different to someone taking a dog outside to a garden? She still gets walks.

Good!

Where do you get off being so narrow minded & condescending???

Rather than this bickering, surely we would be better off trying to dissuade the OP from breeding an undersize Yorkie and a Chi which the original breeder "retired" from breeding after litters on consecutive seasons?
Maia - do you really belive that the reasons you give for breeding are the right ones? Do you realise that by wanting to breed from these bitches just to keep a puppy may result in no puppies and losing the bitches? You truly are putting the lives of the dogs you already have at risk, so if you love them you would not be considering this. Think of them.

Agree absolutely with everything Fillis has said.

Sorry if I've come across as 'narrow-minded and condescending'. It wasn't meant as such - just never come across anyone who trains their dogs to use a litter tray before.

I have a freind in the US who is an interior designer and has to goes between two houses. One an apartment in New York and one a villa with a Garden in Maine.  Her 2 dogs are trained to toliet in a shower tray in her New York apartment. They are walked constantly but late at night as she is on her own it isn't safe for her to take the dogs out in the dark.  She had been doing this method very successfully for 20 years. Always had 2 dogs and this is her 2nd generation family.

Some times we have to look at the bigger picture.   I haven't even read the whole this but have noticed this and another thread seems to have went a bit personal :-)

sorry I have had to have a little laugh at this one, I can't imagine my dogs using a litter tray, I think it would be a messy business seeing as blade likes to cover his doings using his nose lol ....

Having small dogs, and harsh winter weather, I do use trays.  We have snow, higher than the hieght of my dogs sometimes, and have weather that dips well below 0 C (the other day, it was -25C plus windchill)

But, if you are going to use this method, I would suggest having some sort of exercise plan.  Myself, personally, I do a lot of indoor games with my dogs, for a warm up, like fetch with a toy down the hall.  Then I work the dogs on a treadmill. 

Trays are harder to take care of, then letting your dog in the garden.  You need to keep them extra clean, not only to not have your house smelling of dog, but of course for the hygenic reasons as well.