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Old 07-22-2008, 02:11 PM
Furkin Furkin is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MA
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Well to breed you need to make sure both dogs are to standard, are you going to show them? We really do not need more low quality (obviously they have great personalities but so do the 4 million dogs PTS in shelters) dogs in this world. You will have to wait until mama is at least two so you can screen her for luxating Patella and other Chihuahua specific health problems that can be passed onto the pups, dad need those too. It would be awful for you to not think about what you may pass on to these innocent pups and their owners when a simple X ray can tell you if you are tempting fate. Both dogs should also be temperament tested in some way so you know that no aggression or excessive fearfulness is being passed on. Try getting both dogs their CGC or getting them therapy pet certified.

If improving the breed is not you thing and you really only want to raise pups then please don't breed and spay your girl, the world is too overpopulated to be breeding dogs that are no better than a purebred in a shelter. I would instead recommend that you foster a pregnant dog or a litter of pups, check out the shelters in your area and see if they need fosters and get pregnant dogs or puppies often, now that it is summer they probably do, and sign up to foster. Then you can still raise the pups and give them good homes but will not add to the over-population or risk your own dog's life, instead you save a life.

As far as the safety of breeding, Chihuahuas often have small litters which can make large pups and difficult birthing (so you might need a C-section) with any breeder of any breed if you cannot afford a C-section do not breed. The male must be smaller than the female at adult hood or chances are a C-section will be needed.
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Also, I am going to be responsible and only breed her twice. When she is 2 and again when she is 4. (I read somewhere that you should only breed them twice then spay them)
A responsible breeder does everything I said in the first paragraph because they care that their breed is overcrowding shelters and know they have to be providing something that saving a shelter dog will not, so they make dogs that are to standard, of correct temperament and of great health (do not carry genetic illnesses like luxating patella). If you feel for some reason you must breed your dogs for some strange reason I would breed at age 2 and 3, waiting is not great. Do not breed more than once a year but I would not wait years without doing anything because with each heat you risk letting the dog get Pyometra (puss in the uterus, requires emergency spay which is more dangerous than a regular spay, if the dog is not spayed the uterus will rupture and the dog will die.)


I do not mean to sound harsh, I'm really a nice person but breeding sometimes makes my blood boil because the world is already over run with dogs. Now I don't think breeding altogether should stop but I believe that a breeder needs to offer what a shelter/rescue cannot or they are simply adding to the over population problem, there is no reason to get a dog from a breeder who produces regular dogs when you can get one in the shelter and save his life. breeders are for people who want a dog with a certain temperament or look (ad they have chosen the breed that fits that) and unless you show the dog and temperament test who knows if the pups will be anything like the breed. People go to breeders when they want to avoid the health problems you can get from a shelter so unless the breeder tests the dog for these genetic illnesses there is no way to know the dog's chances of getting those problems. Without these things the 2-4 pups you bring in the world are the exact quality of the Chihuahua who is going to be put down in the shelter around the corner and there is no reason that your pups should be taken into homes instead of that hopeless Chi in the shelter. Chihuahuas should also not be sold until 12 weeks of age.

This is a good breeder: The Rafina Chihuahuas Nursery

This is a bad breeder (IMO): Teacup Chihuahua Puppies For Sale Chihuahua Breeder Puppies For Sale Louisiana Chihuahua Puppies

See the difference? If you really want to get to work and starts showing so that you can responsibly breed, I can give you some advice. You'll need to make sure the female you get is from good stock )like from that first breeder) and is what they consider show quality. The breeder will be a good mentor for you.

I am really sorry if i rained on your parade, but there is no reason you cannot get another Chi or foster a litter Breeding is just something that I feel strongly about you see, i hope I did not offend you at all
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