How many litters should one bitch have?

[cdpops]

 I am curious to know how many litters is thought to be the right amount for each bitch to have and what is the ususal gap between litters?

[fifer]

Quote from the Kennel Club site

The Kennel Club:

Before thinking about breeding from your bitch, you should acquaint yourself with the Kennel Club Rules and Regulations on registering litters and the registration system in general. You will need to remember that the Kennel Club will not accept an application to register a litter when:

a) The bitch has already whelped six litters, or

b) The bitch was under a year old at the date of mating, or

c) The bitch has already reached the age of eight years at the date of whelping.

So I guess the answer is the maximum is 6 litters whelped between 14/15 months (earliest) and 8 years (latest), that is if you want them to have KC registration. 

TBF (and this is just a personal opinion) I would have thought that any caring breeder would wait till at least 18 months and leave at least one season minimum between each whelping and mating again.

[KatieJean]

Brackens breeder only allows her bitches to have 2 litters.
Not sure what Willows breeder does.

[Jan/Billy]

I am curious to know how many litters is thought to be the right amount for each bitch to have and what is the ususal gap between litters?

oohhh eerrrr  Looking at litters are we? 

[cdpops]

I am curious to know how many litters is thought to be the right amount for each bitch to have and what is the ususal gap between litters?

oohhh eerrrr  Looking at litters are we? 

Definitely not looking, just somebody I know of whose girlie seems to always be pregnant. 

Thanks Fifer for copying all that info for me, it is really helpful. I am surprised though 6 litters seems an awful lot to me.

[Ninasmum]

Thanks Fifer for copying all that info for me, it is really helpful. I am surprised though 6 litters seems an awful lot to me.

 

Even if the rules of the KC registration state maximum of 6 litters, personally i would be horrified if anyone actually bred that amount of litters from one bitch.  (obviously i realise that 'puppy farmers' do this but it doesn't make it right or acceptable ).  I would have thought, all depending on how a particular bitch copes with having puppies, and her health and wellbeing is given priority, then a maximum of 3 litters would be more acceptable.  Some bitches may not like having puppies and could possibly not even want to look after the pups, so in this scenario, it wouldn't be possible to breed anymore litters.

[sportsmonki]

It is actually possible to register one litter from a bitch over 8 years, but only in very special cases.

[Jane S]

Thanks Fifer for copying all that info for me, it is really helpful. I am surprised though 6 litters seems an awful lot to me.

It is a lot - most good breeders would consider those KC rules to be over-generous and would never come close to that maximum figure. I can't see any reason for anyone to have 5 or more litters from the same bitch though I know it happens (you can see it all too often in KC Breed Supplements ). We usually have 2 litters from our girls but have had 3 very, very occasionally. If you haven't got what you wanted after 2 or 3 litters, then you probably never will....

[Gilly]

I think 2 or 3 is fine although it depends on the bitch and how easy she whelps and whether she's a good Mum or not. Buttons had 2 litters 6 & 8, that is plenty of puppies for one bitch to produce and to be honest she was exhausted after her last litter and not very well so for me enough was enough.
I think the KC need to have a look at their own rules and regulations before they start clamping down on breeders because I think 6 litters is ridiculous. I think the maximum should be changed to 4 and the maximum age dropped to 6 or 7 and in all honesty that's still too old in my opinion.

[cdpops]

Thanks for all your information. I am pleased to say this little girlie won't be having any more litters  after these last pups, which are all sooo cute, but my type (not spaniels  )

[JohnW]

I for one think it should be no more than 3 litters. Hopefully the kennel club will reduce the quoter for each bitch in time. May also cut down on the puppy farming in the country

[sueneil]

3 maximum for my girls in the past and then only if litters 1 and 2 were trouble free and the bitch enjoyed being a mum

[Tasha]

I'm with Jane the KC allowance is far too many and not fair on the bitch I don't know about the restriction on cockers but my other breed has a max of three litters in a lifetime, you cannot have more than one litter in any year and they have to be above 2 and below 7 years at time of mating.  People who have breached these rules without special permission (which is hardly ever granted) are booted out of the parent club.  Jane is absolutely right if you don't get what you want from a litter your unlikely to get it.  I don't believe in this nonsense that every bitch should have a litter its rot neither should a breeder breed from every dog that they have.

Personally I only have one litter from a bitch if she's worth breeding from otherwise I'd rather find a well bred litter and buy from them, my last litter was Weimaraners and they are lovely now a year old (or will be on 23rd) my older bitch will be spayed later on this year and I bred to replace my own not for any other purpose.

What I do find shocking is I could have bred from Ayla several times over with the number of people that I have had approach me for a puppy despite being very clear that I am not breeding cockers, I won't have responsibility for more dogs than I can rehome personally so won't consider a litter from her for at least another year if at all.  Some people though think I am mad because of the money i could make off them, if only they knew that if you do the job properly you don't earn any money you make a loss.