having babies

Question
I have a 6 1/2 yr old female chihuahua she has never had puppies, is it safe to have puppies now at her age? Our male she grew up with past. And I want to breed her at least once in case something happenes to her but is it safe? Thanks

Answer
Hi Debbie...

No, in my opinion and in the opinion of responsible breeders that I have spoken to, breeding a dog at this age is not safe.  Breeding is such a SERIOUS matter and there are so many things to consider for the safety of your dog and any potential pups (health testing, pelvic breadth, genetics in your dog's lines, cost for a c-section, the size of your dog, etc).  You say, "I want to breed her at least once in case something happens to her" and in reality, by breeding her, you're taking a BIG chance that something WILL happen to her.  Being that I'm not a breeder or an expert on this subject, I am giving you a link to information that is the best, most concise information that I've found on this subject:

http://www.marlischis.com/to_breed_or_not_to_breed.htm

I applaud you and think that you're a good example to other Chihuahua owners because you have asked this question and obviously want the best possible outcome for your female Chihuahua.

Jo Ann