mating ---how old??

Question
I have a pair of boxer puppies. she is  about 3 1/2 months old and he is about 2-3 weeks older then her, When will she go into heat and how old should she be before puppies can  safely happen?

Answer
Hi Kelly. The first thing you need to consider before even thinking about breeding these dogs are health tests. Most health tests are performed around 2 years of age. Boxers are known for heart problems and cancer. While you can't test for cancer quite yet, you can have heart tests done. You also need to do hip/eyes/thyroid tests. If they both pass their tests with flying colors, then I suggest waiting until she's atleast two years of age before breeding her. Boxers need a little more time to mature before they have puppies. She may go into heat before she's two. She could go in as early as 6 months, or a year, or she may wait until later to have her first heat. I really suggest that you do some research on the breed and their health problems, and then test for them. Some tests need to be done every few years. I wish you good luck and happy holidays!