Yorkie in heat

Question
Hi Melinda,
I've found a lot of your answers very useful. My yorkie is 15 months old. She has just had her first heat. I have a few questions for you. She weighs 6 lbs. Is that too small to breed? I don't want to breed her just yet, possibly in another year, but I want to be sure she'll be able to do it. She's so small and skinny. My other question: She's been in heat for about 2 weeks now, and though her bleeding is getting a lot lighter, just small little spots for the past 3 days. She is still really swollen. How long does the swelling last, and when should I become worried and take her to a vet?

Answer
Krystal,

Six pounds is the optimum weight for breeding a Yorkie.  It is not to big as to have large puppies which are hard to sell (most want teacups) and it is not to small as to have complications.  You will need to breed her with a male that is 2.5 to 3 pounds if you want to have small puppies and also for her to be safe.  Breeding with anything larger could possibly cause the puppies to be too large for her to deliver and then you have emergency c-sections and not so fun stuff.  If you breed her you can expect from 1 to 5 puppies depending on the males history.  You will need to check him out carefully ie, how large are the litters he has produced in the past etc.  It is not to early to start looking for a male that fits the criteria because you will want to have him lined up ahead of time.  Also, I suggest you find a "backup" male so that if the one you have chosen decides he will not breed with your female you will not miss your chance at having puppies.

The heat for a female usually lasts for 3 weeks.  The first week is the heaviest and the blood is usually bright red.  The second week it starts to slow down and turns a pinkish color.  The third week it will come to a complete stop.  Remember all dogs are different and this is just an estimate.  As far as the swelling, that should go down in about two weeks but unless it swells more than it is now it can take up to a month.  It sounds to me like she is doing just fine and you have nothing to worry about.  Do keep an eye on her though because from day 7 till day 13 is when she can get pregnant and you don't want her being mated by a dog that is not the size I mentioned above.

I hope this has helped.  If you would like the word document I have that goes into detail about the breeding and birthing process send me your email and I will send it to you.

Sincerely,

Melinda