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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Is Having A Litter Good?

by Beth Towers
(France)

We have owned Aussies for years but always males. We decided to change and currently have one dog and one bitch Aussie. She has great breeding and is turning into a really great looker with a fabulous temperament. To be honest we never thought about breeding from her but someone told me it was a good thing for the bitch to have one litter. Can anyone tell me whether this is correct? Our vet keeps saying it's best to get her spayed as soon as possible to avoid the risk of breast cancer so I just am not sure what's best for her. She's going to be 2 at the end of December and if we decide to go ahead I think we should wait until she is at least 3. I'd be really grateful for any advice.

Thanks, Beth from France

Comments for Is Having A Litter Good?

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Consider the Downside
by: Mike

If you breed your dog, then for every puppy in her litter another dog ( puppy or mature ) somewhere in the world will need to be euthanized. There are simply more dogs entering the world or being abandoned by their owners than there are people stepping forward to adopt and be responsible dog owners. Please think about the well being of dogs in general and not just about you or your dog.

Breeding my dog
by: Beth

Great advice thank you, and I completely agree - I wouldn't dream of breeding from Aby unless I found exactly the right male and was prepared to keep any dogs that we could not find good homes for. Luckily breeding from pedigree Australian Shepherds is pretty regulated here in France so, for example, for the kennels where Aby came from the pups are often sold before they have been born or within the first 6 weeks of birth. But the main thing for me is to understand whether biologically it's actually a positive thing to do for our dog - by that I mean does it help her overall health and help guard against cancers?

Does breeding have positive impact?
by: Stephanie

I would actually be interested in knowing the answer to the original question as well.

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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

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