stud age

Question
Hello, I have a 6 m/o male boston terrier. I had planned to alter him but, I'm toying with the idea of breeding him once. At his age can he impregnate a female? Even its another breed?

Answer
Hi Debra:

On average, male puppies/dogs become sexually mature around 6-7 months of age. However, it's not advisable to allow breeding at such a young age. First, there may be one or more unknown health issues that could be passed on to any offspring. For example, if he has allergies, usually this doesn't become apparent until a dog is more than 2 years of age. Also, although he's able to breed at 6 months of age, it's likely that his sperm isn't yet mature enough to produce quality puppies.

If you decide to breed, I would advise waiting until he's a minimum of 2 years of age & then have him undergo a thorough health screening by a qualified reproductive veterinarian. If he's pronounced sound, you may find someone with a female of an appropriate age & quality. Just remember, there are many, many dogs & puppies euthanized every day in shelters as a result of over-breeding so if you plan to breed, keep this in mind to ensure you're doing everything in your power to produce only puppies of the highest quality. One final thought - by having him neutered you'll not only be protecting him from a range of reproductive organ cancers but will also help him to be a more content pet as he'll no longer have the insatiable instinct to breed. Good luck with whatever your decision is in the end!