Breeding Before 24 Months

[Carnals]

If a males hips have cleared in another country but is not yet old enough to be xrayed and sent to OFA here, is he still eligible to be bred????

[spidey]

"Eligible" in what sense?

[Carnals]

Maybe eligible is not the right word to use.

We preach that our animals should have all of their health clearances, hips free of displaysia, prefer that heart, eyes and thyroid are also free from defects.

If a dog is not yet two years old, but has passed hip clearances in another country should he be bred?

Do we just set the standard for 2 years old because of OFA or is it really best practice not to breed before that age for other reasons???

[Judi W]

In the US, accepted practices dictate that one waits for over the age of 2. This is not just because certification is not considered until that age, but also allows for the dogs to be close to adulthood before putting parenthood on them. Although this is mandatory for code club members, it is considered minimum ethics for any breeder. I can think of no reason why any dog cannot wait until after two years of age to be bred. I do not know of anyone who would select such a young dog as a breeding partner.

[spidey]

I agree with Judi, as usual. There is also a very wide variance in what constitutes "clear" hips from country to country (if you do a search, there was a recent discussion here, with good links in it - what doesn't pass under some systems passes under others, that sort of thing - it's not enough to have a pass, you have to know which system was used). Many heart problems don't show up in the first couple of years, so IMO (and only in my opinion), a heart clearance before the age of two isn't very meaningful. Eyes have to be recertified regularly (for CERF anyway). I think it's ethical breeding practice to wait until a dog is (mostly) an adult before deciding whether or not to breed it - aside from the health clearances, many dogs don't live up to the promise they had as puppies.

I also see no reason to breed a dog before 2 anyway - that gives you time to put titles on the dog to further confirm that it's a good choice for breeding. There's no rush.

[Judi W]

And of course, now I have to say

"Why did you ask?"

[Samantha_2816]

I was always told not to breed a dog tell they are 2 years old but if i was you i would wait tell i got all the paper work in my hands first and Oh yeah welcome to the site.

[BostonRott]

Froli cleared her hips and elbows in Germany at 17mos (HD- ED-), had her BH and AD at 20mos. Wasn't bred til she was 4.

[TrishB]

There is more than just waiting for the OFA age when choosing to wait for breeding.

A potential breeding dog must also:

- have conformation titles (AKC, CKC, Seiger titles, etc.)
- have working titles (obedience, agility, schutzhund, etc.)
- have temperament titles (TT, CGC, etc.)
- have the health clearances (hips, eyes, heart, elbows, etc.)

You'll have to trust me when I say that all of the above is incredibly difficult before the age of 2. If you haven't achieved all of the above, the dog shouldn't be bred anyway. If you have achieved all of the above, you're probably only a month or two away from 2 years of age anyway - in which case, you might as well wait. ;)

I'm sure that there's at least ONE thing on the above list that you're still lacking.... ;)

Please note: Some choose not to have conformation titles, however, extensive working titles take their place. And visa-versa. As always, the most well rounded, best achievers, are the best examples of the breed to breed. :D

[Carnals]

I thank all of you for your information. I am not considering breeding my male at this time.

I was asking just to get more info before dealing with a breeder who is breeding a male that is not yet 2 years old but has health clearances in another country.

Unfortunately, in this cruel world that we live in dogs are bred for the hunger of money and ignorance of what it takes to better the breed.

I am aware that there are "ethical" breeders out there that are doing everything that they can to better the breed.

I use the term ethical loosely. People attach themselves to the term and mislead others who are not knowledgable to make a buck by convincing someone that they are "ethical".

In the last year and a half, I have learned so much from this board. I truly appreciate the honesty and information that is provided by this group of people that truly wants what is best for our breed.

Thanks again.