Ties?

Question
I have two Shih Tzus. A female 3 y/o and male 1 y/o. They have bred before, having 6 pups, 5 survivors. I fear that they may have tied too many times this go around, I don't want any pups to whelp prematurely. So should I be worried? They have tied several times over a four day period, that we have witnessed anyway. Should I have separated them? What would be effective for the future, in the event I don't spay her. Also, my partner wants to add another bitch to the family. Will having a second bitch around "wear-out" my stud?

Answer
Hi. Some breeders let their dogs free breed. I personally only like to breed them twice, it's just a personal preference. I breed every other day. It gives the male a chance to rest, he needs at least 24 hours inbetween breedings to build his sperm level back up. Next time, I would breed her only once a day, if you don't want to skip a day inbetween. If you add another female to the bunch, it can change things. your other female and the new one may fight, so introduce them carefully. It shouldn't wear your male out, as long as he's not being bred a couple times every day. Two female should only go into heat twice a year maybe, some have shorter cycles. Just make sure to give him a rest inbetween breedings, try for at least 24 hours. Good luck!