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How old can a male breed

25K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  Brunothegsd 
#1 ·
I have a 3 year old female that came into heat a few days a go and keeper her with my 8-9 month old gsd male. I am wanting to breed them. Is the male old enought?
 
#2 ·
NO. NO, the male is not old enough. While he may physically be able to breed, he is no mature and he can't have any any proper medical testing done in order to rule out any genetic diseases such as HD nor can you be sure what his temperament is going to be as an adult. So my answer, is NO, he's not old enough.
 
#3 ·
No. The general consensus is two years at a bare minimum for a plethora of reasons. Health testing (including hips) is the biggest... as well as not really knowing the whole package physically and temperamentally until the dog is mature. Most people wait even longer because of the time it takes to work the dog in some sort of venue to see if they're breed-worthy, etc.

At 8 months, he's a baby still.
 
#5 ·
I have to agree with the above posts - physically, yes, he may be able to breed. But I think the question is WHY would you want to breed a dog that young? I can't even imagine a scenario that would make me want to breed a dog that is not even close to reaching his fully developed state (Temperament, Body etc)

At 24 months OFA can be done, I suggest Hips, Elbows, Heart and Thyroid at a minimum - that's right, a minumum. There is no excuse for not health testing the WHOLE dog, not just one section. The tests are affordable and can be done by an experienced vet.

Both parents need them, even better if you have generations of dogs behind them that are tested too!

Then get out there and get a third party evaluation(s) of your dog by someone that does NOT have a vested interest in the dog.

The only reason to breed is to improve on the last generation - when I breed, I want the next generation to come out better than the one I started with. ALL AROUND, balanced, stable working dogs who are versatile enough to work in multiple venues (Herding, sport work, service etc). If you do not have a goal set forth, that is where I would start. Ask yourself "What am I trying to accomplish with this breeding?".

Be honest about your dogs strengths and weaknesses. Will this breeding improve upon them?

Just my opinion, but hope it helps!
 
#6 ·
Oh gosh, at 8-9 months your male is not mature physically or mentally! He will continue to fill and muscle out, probably get taller, and he will continue to evolve in temperament and drive. He is really still a puppy and probably won't be fully mature until 2 yrs. old. That's when all his health certs. and OFAs can be done, but I'm guessing your not too worried about those things - but you should be!

A dog can change so much from 8-9 months until 2-3 yrs. old, it's unreal. You don't even know your male's full potential yet. Let him grow up please! And in the meantime, do a lot of reading and educate yourself about proper German Shepherd breeding, please.

At 8-9 months your dog may be capable, but a young teenage boy is capable too, doesn't mean he should be a father.
 
#7 ·
NO NO NO NO NO NO....I can keep going. Your dog is not mature in any way shape or form....please read as much as you can about breeding ethically and ask a breeder who you think breeds ethically how to properly do it. I personally think that very few dogs should be bred and meet those requirements....health, temperament, training/titles, etc... This male should be trained/titled or showed and have a rock solid temperament in my opinion. Same withe the female you have....don't just breed to make a buck....go to your local shelter and you will see plenty of poor animals that are victims of unethical breeding....please don't breed until you 100% fully understand the liabilities and work involved in breeding the RIGHT way.
 
#9 ·
There's no background information on the female as well - Has the female been tested for hips, elbows, heart, everything that goes along with it - if you want to breed the female breed the female with a well-established male - your young dog could end up getting hurt the two get locked together backwards and things get a little crazy in that situation and your young dog may end up hurting himself but if the older female has not been certified..... I think you're making a huge mistake. >>> !!!
 
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