First heat

Question
I have a female maltese cross chihuahua and she is 8 months old. I think she might be getting her first heat but i am unsure of how to know for sure. I am planning on breeding her with my male maltese and just wanted to ask a few questions. Should i wait until she has had a few heats before looking at breeding with her? And if i dont is there a risk of complications. I have read a few articles saying that with a chihuahua there are more likely to be problems. Would the chances of this be reduced as she is a cross? Also i was wondering how many puppies they would usually have on there first litter. And if there is any advise you could give if i look into breeding. Thankyou.

Answer

Hi Kate,

Thank you for your question.

No dog, of any breed should be bred before her second heat cycle.

You are correct, Chihuahua pregnancy and delivery can be difficult. Because of the potential problems, it is often recommended only experienced breeders breed their dogs. If you are not an experienced breeder, then it is a good idea to have your vet present while your Chihuahua is giving birth.  Chihuahua's are famous fro requiring c-sections. All sorts of complications can happen and your dog or her pups can die if things do not go as planned. Having a vet on call is definitely a good thing to ensure a smooth running delivery.

The chances of problems with the pregnancy or delivery might increase if she's bred with another breed. Even though a Maltese is a toy breed of dog, it can larger than some Chihuahua's. So it's possible that the puppies can be larger than the birth canal can handle.
A typical Chihuahua litter is between 1-4 puppies.

You can read more here:

http://www.helium.com/items/1297766-breeding-puppies

http://articles.directorym.com/Breeding_Your_Dog-a944444.html

As wonderful and loving as your two dogs are, I would not recommend breeding them. If we were talking about my dogs, risking the life of my female's dog on a potentially dangerous pregnancy just isn't worth it.  I'd opt for having my dogs spayed and neutered. Female dogs that have had a litter of puppies are much more likely to develop ovarian and breast cancers than spayed females that have not had a litter. Spayed female dogs are healthier and live longer lives than unspayed females. Now, before the onset of her first heat cycle is the optimum time for spaying.

Best of luck,
Patti