Poofy

P.s. The problem with the 2 year mark, is it has given people a false sense of security as well. Oh, at 2 I'll do the hips and elbows, if they are fine, then we will breed...sorry...but hips and elbows can still change and other things pop up later as well. You can have a dog be normal at 2 and dysplastic by 4 9or blind or epileptic, etc.etc)...it happens all the time and a heck of a lot more often then people want to admit. Some breeders have gone to this method, because you get age and young on your side. Its harder on a bitch to whelp a first litter when she is over 5...so use bitches between the ages of 2-5 and use males as old as you can find them, that have proven themselves in their progeny. And being for spay and neuters...you bet. In fact I am an early spay/nueter advocate. Also...I am not poofed in the head thank you...I am simply being realistic.

Sorry Hon, the sun does not rise and set over OFA. Infact OFA is the ONLY hip regitry that requires dog ot be 2 years old. They are NOT the only recognized ot ligitimate registry. Some breeds do not need to be OFA'd, some breeds need other types of genetic testing that OFA cannot provide. the ONLY thing OFA does is evaluate orthopedic films. BVA, GDC (was absorbed by OFA), AWDA, all those registries recognize hips earlier then OFA. Just because OFA says so...doesn't make it fact. As I said the LONGER you wait to breed the better, as it will allow the breeder to evaluate long term health....but the age of 2 is not the "magic time".

A dog does not HAVE to be two years old to breed. There is no sudden magical transformation at this age that will reveal what your dog will produce genetically, physically or mentally, and it is not a magical age which any and all faults will suddenly be revealed. In dogs, some people choose to breed them younger, that is a personal descision. B*tches should not be bred as early because raising a litter pulls reserves they need for growth. HOWEVER, the longer you wait to breed a dog, the better. The more time you give a dog to develope an anomilie, so you don't have to look back, years later and go "darn" the better. Also, breeding *often* changes the behavior in a dog. Once this behavior is established, it is usually irreversible. Male dogs will begin urinating and deficating in your house to mark territory. This behavior can also be seen in bitches who have been left intact. Breeding makes a male more territorial, and his hormones levels will rage everytime something goes into heat, even if it is a mile away. If this dog is a PET and not a show dog, or an important stud dog in a breeding program, neuter him and enjoy him. Stud dogs RARELY make good pets.

If you really want to understand color genetics, pick up Malcolm Willis's book, Genetics of the dog. It is a well written book.

Each puppy in a litter can have a different father. If there are ten puppies, and ten different males bred the b*tch then there can be ten different fathers. It will all depend on who's sperm is fastests, heartiest, etc. The only "limit" is set by how many eggs are available.