How old is too old to breed?

[creynolds]

I used the search function but couldn’t fine anything.

Heard a lot on both sides so I figured I shoot it out to you guys. How long can a female be expected to produce quality pups?

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

Oldest I've bred was a bulldog, 10 years of age. Whelped 3 pups. I have noticed that the litters SOMETIMES seem to get smaller as they get up there in age. I always made sure that I had good body weight on them if I did plan to breed them though. Recovery can be rougher for the older bitches. For me to breed a dog that old, she had to be quite the specimen.

[creynolds]

Yea the bitch is plenty young enough now. Just trying to predict future breedings and see about getting another in line ahead of time. I've heard the litters get smaller and that's fine... Better really as I hate marketing pups. But I wasn't sure about quality of the pups born. Example small size, poor development, performance ect. 

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

Yea the bitch is plenty young enough now. Just trying to predict future breedings and see about getting another in line ahead of time. I've heard the litters get smaller and that's fine... Better really as I hate marketing pups. But I wasn't sure about quality of the pups born. Example small size, poor development, performance ect. 

Don't worry bout that. From my personal experiences, pups from older dams here have come out just as nice as ones from younger dams.

[magnuml]

Depends on how many litters she has had in her life and how frequent. Also how much the dog means to you. Older the dog the harder it is on them and the chances of milk production drops. Personally i would not breed a dog past 8 at the oldest and that would have to be one that has not had more than 3 litters and was in very good shape. JMO.