breeding my shitzu

Question
How old should my male shitzu be before i try to breed him with another shitzu?

Answer
The age at which dogs reach sexual maturity depends to a large extent on their breed. Small breeds tend to mature faster than large breeds. On average, however, males become fertile after six months of age and reach full sexual maturity by 12 to 15 months. Healthy stud dogs may remain sexually active and fertile to old age. Adult males are able to mate at any time.  This according to AKC standards.  You want to make sure your dog is in good physical and mental soundness and has had all testing done prior to allowing him to stud.  I would personally wait until he is at least 1.5 to 2 years of age and reached full maturity (this would be the age at which a dog would complete conformation show and be eligible to have completed all function testing.  Please speak with a vet about Hip, Kidney, and Ocular testing also Brucellocis prior to stud as well.  Good luck and hope this helps.