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Planning on letting my chihuahua have a litter of puppies

2K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  lullabydream 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, my chihuahua coo is turning three in June , I’m planning on letting her have one litter of puppies after she turns three, she’s very healthy and such a great dog she’s an amazing example of her breed and everyday she makes me so happy to be her mummy, we would like to expand our family and let her have a litter in order to keep two (if she has two chihuahuas her size normally have 1-3) and if there’s more find suitable homes after they have had all vet treatments necessary. She is a fawn colour Apple head, I have tried to look at genetics but it’s very complicated I’ll be the first to admit, I would really like to have some choice of what colour the puppies will be so I’m looking for someone that could advise me about what stud would produce what with her being fawn.

We love the chocolate , blue and lilac colours but not sure if she could even produce these colours , we also love her colour and the whole range of chi colours so if it wasn’t possible that would be fine I just wanted to find out, if it’s not possible has anyone had experience breeding a fawn chi and which colours are your favourite? I’m really just here to learn and plan please let me know if you have any thoughts thank you
 
#2 ·
To be honest colour is the least important concern. Are you aware of the Health testing needed prior to mating of dog and bitch ?
Has she been successfully shown ?
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-breeders/dna-testing-simple-inherited-disorders/
Also breeding at this time of pandemic wouldn't be wise,we have no idea how long the travel and social restrictions would last .
Would you consider rehoming a rescue chi in the future as it's a breed quite often surrendered ?
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
At 3, it's quite late for a toy breed to be breeding too.

I would definitely listen to the advise @SusieRainbow has given.

Chihuahuas are amazing dogs, but so many end up in rescues because they are also misunderstood as dogs. People feel they should be easy dogs especially as puppies but if anything they are so easy to pick up instead of train and this is where signs of being uncomfortable are missed and her lies the truth behind the idea they are snappy dogs. They only become snappy partly due to not being treated by as dogs, and too many people breeding dogs and not thinking about temperament. I mean we all know we 'own' the best chi, and others can love them too..
 
#4 ·
At 3, it's quite late for a toy breed to be breeding too.

I would definitely listen to the advise @SusieRainbow has given.
I'm breeding to keep.

Chihuahuas are amazing dogs, but so many end up in rescues because they are also misunderstood as dogs. People feel they should be easy dogs especially as puppies but if anything they are so easy to pick up instead of train and this is where signs of being uncomfortable are missed and her lies the truth behind the idea they are snappy dogs. They only become snappy partly due to not being treated by as dogs, and too many people breeding dogs and not thinking about temperament. I mean we all know we 'own' the best chi, and others can love them too..

To find a good well bred chihuahua in the UK is like finding feathers on a frog to be blunt.
 
#5 ·
@Chimummy ,even though you're breeding to keep you still need to make sure health testing is done as there are some serious genetic faults prevalent in Chihuahuas. Did you look at the link I Ieft ?
You also need to research the lines of both parents and make sure they are not closely related as that can increase the risk of genetic problems .
But as we've said ,this current pandemic isn't really a good time to consider it due the difficulties in getting veterinary care, and your girl is a bit past the ideal age for having a first litter which would put her at risk of whelping difficulties.
 
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#6 ·
We have a retired show boy who came to us just before his 2nd birthday. He obtained his stud book number but was deemed unsuitable for breeding.

Chihuahuas, as you know can have a myriad of health problems

Conformation issues
The small, delicate build of the Chihuahua causes some potential problems and vulnerabilities across the breed that all owners should be aware of. These include:

  • The potential for hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) due to the shape and size of the head.
  • Fragile bones, due to the dog's petite build.
  • A heightened propensity to deafness in merle-coloured Chihuahuas, to the extent that The Kennel Club refuses to register puppies that have a merle parent.
Health testing for Chihuahuas
Various health tests can be performed on the Chihuahua to identify the presence of or predisposition to certain hereditary health problems. These include:

  • Testing for Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, which causes fluid pockets to develop along the spinal cord, causing ongoing and severe pain.
  • DNA testing for the merle gene, which can cause deafness, is also possible.
  • DNA testing can also identify a deficiency of a key enzyme necessary for healthy red blood cells, known as pyruvate kinase deficiency.
Other health issues across the breed
The Chihuahua breed as a whole has been identified to have an elevated predisposition to a relatively wide range of other potential problems too, but for which no pre-breeding test is currently available. These include:

  • Urinary stones, or urolithiasis.
  • Problems delivering live young normally, which may require veterinary intervention.
  • Narcolepsy, or sudden collapse into sleep with no warning.
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the femur bone and leads to problems moving normally, as well as pain.
  • Blood clotting disorders such as haemophilia, particularly within male dogs of the breed.
  • Problems with the kneecaps, such as patellar luxation.
  • Mitral valve degeneration, or myxomatous, plus narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart, both of which are serious cardiac conditions.
  • Allergenic atopy, which is a hypersensitivity to certain types of protein particles, including pollen. This can lead to severe skin allergies, which cause intense itching, and may cause scarring and infections of the skin.
  • Tracheal weakness, when the cartilage of the trachea does not form properly, leading to tracheal collapse and problems breathing.
  • Skin melanomas, a type of cancer.
  • Problems with the teeth and jaws, including an overcrowded mouth and the failure to lose baby teeth in the normal manner.
  • Water on the brain, or hydrocephalus.
  • Cervical spine instability, leading to problems with the spine and neck, which are often painful.
  • Eye diseases, including corneal dystrophy.
  • An autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis, which is a neuromuscular condition leading to progressive weakness.
  • Various other autoimmune conditions, including necrotising leucoencephalitis, causing inflammation of the brain and premature death.

If you're still set on breeding, I would suggest really doing your research as you want a boy who will compliment your girl and one who is smaller than her if possible.
Most breeders I know will only let their boy go to girls of fellow breeders or exhibitors as the friendship has been built over years and we all know each others dogs.
You also want a boy with a good temperament who is bomb proof and not overly nervy. A dog is a dog is a dog and needs to be treated as such. They're not built for handbags.
Be aware of hydro. It's rife and be aware of her needing a section. It usually happens at night and is expensive. Many insurers won't cover for it.

I'm biased, I like chihuahuas. Our lad has claimed our girls as his own and now can't abide boys of any breed... he's been castrated too :rolleyes:

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http://pinterest.com/pin/create/but...y+within+the+Chihuahua+dog+breed+|+Pets4Homes
 
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#7 ·
We have a retired show boy who came to us just before his 2nd birthday. He obtained his stud book number but was deemed unsuitable for breeding.

Chihuahuas, as you know can have a myriad of health problems

Conformation issues
The small, delicate build of the Chihuahua causes some potential problems and vulnerabilities across the breed that all owners should be aware of. These include:

  • The potential for hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) due to the shape and size of the head.
  • Fragile bones, due to the dog's petite build.
  • A heightened propensity to deafness in merle-coloured Chihuahuas, to the extent that The Kennel Club refuses to register puppies that have a merle parent.
Health testing for Chihuahuas
Various health tests can be performed on the Chihuahua to identify the presence of or predisposition to certain hereditary health problems. These include:

  • Testing for Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, which causes fluid pockets to develop along the spinal cord, causing ongoing and severe pain.
  • DNA testing for the merle gene, which can cause deafness, is also possible.
  • DNA testing can also identify a deficiency of a key enzyme necessary for healthy red blood cells, known as pyruvate kinase deficiency.
Other health issues across the breed
The Chihuahua breed as a whole has been identified to have an elevated predisposition to a relatively wide range of other potential problems too, but for which no pre-breeding test is currently available. These include:

  • Urinary stones, or urolithiasis.
  • Problems delivering live young normally, which may require veterinary intervention.
  • Narcolepsy, or sudden collapse into sleep with no warning.
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the femur bone and leads to problems moving normally, as well as pain.
  • Blood clotting disorders such as haemophilia, particularly within male dogs of the breed.
  • Problems with the kneecaps, such as patellar luxation.
  • Mitral valve degeneration, or myxomatous, plus narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart, both of which are serious cardiac conditions.
  • Allergenic atopy, which is a hypersensitivity to certain types of protein particles, including pollen. This can lead to severe skin allergies, which cause intense itching, and may cause scarring and infections of the skin.
  • Tracheal weakness, when the cartilage of the trachea does not form properly, leading to tracheal collapse and problems breathing.
  • Skin melanomas, a type of cancer.
  • Problems with the teeth and jaws, including an overcrowded mouth and the failure to lose baby teeth in the normal manner.
  • Water on the brain, or hydrocephalus.
  • Cervical spine instability, leading to problems with the spine and neck, which are often painful.
  • Eye diseases, including corneal dystrophy.
  • An autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis, which is a neuromuscular condition leading to progressive weakness.
  • Various other autoimmune conditions, including necrotising leucoencephalitis, causing inflammation of the brain and premature death.

If you're still set on breeding, I would suggest really doing your research as you want a boy who will compliment your girl and one who is smaller than her if possible.
Most breeders I know will only let their boy go to girls of fellow breeders or exhibitors as the friendship has been built over years and we all know each others dogs.
You also want a boy with a good temperament who is bomb proof and not overly nervy. A dog is a dog is a dog and needs to be treated as such. They're not built for handbags.
Be aware of hydro. It's rife and be aware of her needing a section. It usually happens at night and is expensive. Many insurers won't cover for it.

I'm biased, I like chihuahuas. Our lad has claimed our girls as his own and now can't abide boys of any breed... he's been castrated too :rolleyes:

Photos

View attachment 436804 View attachment 436805 View attachment 436806 View attachment 436807 View attachment 436808 View attachment 436809
It's a bit confusing reading the information for chihuahuas, as some of it isn't as accurate as it seems. Some really apply to all toy dogs, and some is a basis on health rather than pre breeding. It's great to be forearmed, but I really have to put it out there.
 
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