lab breeding

Question
How old should a male lab be before breeding?  I'm sure he's capable now, but i figured there was a recommended or common practice on how old they typically are...

Any advice is appreciated.

Answer
Hello, Well my Jack russell terrier was 7 months old...barely when my labrador retereiver came into her second heat and he was mating with her non stop and wouldnt leave her alone...the reason this happened is because I thought the dog couldnt be spayed During a cylce but i was wrong called the vet and had her spayed a few days later. So 7 months for him. Male dogs are able to breed at 6/9 months and they are fertile then so I see no reason that male dogs couldnt be bred at that time...even if they were shorten the the bitch as evidence by the odd mating quoted above(22 inches at the shoulder and 11 inches at the shoulder!) they can still breed to them easily. Females on the otherhand should be on there second or third cycle which would make them 1 1/2 to 2 years of age.