Yorkie breeding age

Question
Recently adopted a 6mth female yorkie,have 2 males,father and son,aged 4 and 2. From what age are females ready 2 breed? Dont plan on doing this till she is much older,anyway 2 prevent this without neutering the boys?

Answer
Hi Lindsey:

A female will usually have her first heat cycle around 6 to 8 months of age & then about every 6 months thereafter. All will vary somewhat in their cycles so all I can give you is the average. Since she's already 6 months old, be on the look-out for the initial signs of an impending cycle. Normally, this begins with the swelling of the vulva & a bloody vaginal discharge. Around day 9 or 10 into the cycle she'll enter into estrus, which is the fertile portion of the cycle. This is when you'll have to be extra cautious & keep her away from the males. She'll not only accept mating during this period but will actually encourage it. On average estrus lasts about 5 to 7 days but can last longer so be sure to err on the safe side by keeping them separated for about another 2 weeks to be sure. Usually when entering estrus, the vaginal discharge will lighten in flow & color, becoming more of a light pink to straw color.

It's advisable to wait until she's a minimum of 18 months to two years of age before breeding. This way you'll have time to assess her health, whether or not she meets or exceeds the breed standard & have all pre-breeding screening tests done on her & whichever male you may use. Although there's never a guarantee, this will at least increase your chances of producing healthy, quality puppies. I hope this helps!