# Question about litters?



## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Is it common for a reputable breeder to have a dam produce more than one litter in a year? I thought it was fairly uncommon, that good breeders usually limit their girls to one litter every year. I just noticed on a breeder's website that one of their girls is having her second litter in less than 8 months. Can't help but make me feel uncomfortable....


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

It isn't common, but I don't think there is wrong with it if the bitch is healthy and has a pass from her repro vet (not just a regular veterinarian). It would also depend on the size of the last litter and how well she fared during the raising of them.

I don't know enough about this to know if I am explaining it correctly, but my reproductive vet gets a little nervous about keeping a bitch in tact and letting her have a cycle without breeding because pyo can set in. She is big on recommending having any bitches spayed that are not having litters, _unless _you plan to breed them later and her last litter was difficult somehow.


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

I am a breeder that would choose to skip a heat rather than breed back-to-back.... but I also have done back to back breedings.
Like Kimberly said, it really depends on how the momma did with her last litter etc. There is no true 'right or wrong'-


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## Kathy (Nov 9, 2006)

I agree with what Kimberly said. I also want to add that it depends on how often a bitch comes into season. I personally don't believe it is healthy for a bitch to have back-to-back-to-back breedings. Meaning a litter every 6 months in 18 months. Back to back is ok, again, like Kimberly said, depends on a lot. I have a bitch that has large litters and since she is such a great mom, it does take a lot out of her, so even though she comes into heat every 6 months, I won't breed her back to back. I had another bitch that came into heat every 10 months and had no more then 4 puppies in a litter, so doing a back to back was ok with her.


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, ladies. I was a little concerned. I guess it may be different with big dogs, since I grew up with dobes and our bitch was never bred more than once a year, but like Kathy mentioned, she only came into heat about every 10 months.


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