I have a female German Spitz who is 29cm at the withers, and she is about to go into her third season. (I was told the second one would have been fine, but I didn't want to take any risks, even though plenty of Spitz owners breed them on their second). The vet has said she's mature enough to have one litter before she gets spayed.
Anyway, about a four-hour drive from me, there is a cream Pomeranian who is 20cm at the withers, and the owner said we could give it a go. I've seen a Pom and a Medium Spitz mate before, even if they had a few struggles... does anyone have any tips to help ensure a successful mating?
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We also have a caramel-coloured Pomeranian and we're thinking about looking for a mate for him. What colour is your girl? Whereabouts are you based? We’re over in the Aude region.
Actually, for all the enthusiasts on this forum, your initial question—whether they’ll manage despite the size difference—shows just how naive you are about the journey you're embarking on... that is definitely not the first thing you should be asking! As far as your girl is concerned, it would actually be dangerous for her to have a larger male, so it’s a good thing he’s 9cm (about 3.5 inches) shorter. There might be other reasons why it won't work out though.... You mentioned an hour and a half; I assume you mean the drive. If you're hoping to just turn up with your ***** on the day and wait an hour for it to happen, you’re likely to be disappointed... often, she won't accept the stud if she doesn't know him or if she doesn't feel comfortable where she is. Regarding the tests @Kikaah mentioned, those are the first questions to ask yourself, long before even finding a male! Her third season... she’s still very young (too young, in my view); without health screening, you can't know if she might pass on genetic issues. The fact that her parents were Kennel Club registered but she isn't also rings alarm bells... why wouldn't they register the litter with the KC??? I’m sorry, but the most obvious reason is that her parents shouldn't have been bred together in the eyes of the Kennel Club—either because they were related or had genetic defects. That’s why it’s so important to check how things stand for your little one.
We generally prefer to wait until a ***** has had two or three seasons before mating her, which usually means waiting until she's 12–18 months old for a small breed, or 2–2.5 years old for a large breed.
Honestly, to all the enthusiasts on this forum, your starting question—whether they’ll manage despite the size difference—shows just how naive you’re being about the journey you’re starting... that really isn't the first thing you should be worrying about!
As far as your girl is concerned, it would actually be dangerous for her to mate with a larger male, so it’s a good thing he’s about three and a half inches shorter.
There might be other reasons why it won't work... You mentioned an hour and a half—a drive, I assume? If you’re hoping to turn up with your dog exactly on the day and wait an hour for it to happen, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Very often, a ***** won’t accept the male if she doesn’t know him or if she doesn’t feel comfortable in her surroundings.
Regarding the tests @Kikaah mentioned, those are the first things you need to look into, long before you’ve even found a stud! Her third season? Your dog is still very young (too young, for my liking); without tests, you can’t know if she might pass on genetic issues.
The fact that her parents were Kennel Club registered, but she isn't, also sets off alarm bells for me... why wouldn't they register the litter with the KC? I’m sorry, but the most likely reason is that her parents shouldn't have been bred together in the eyes of the Kennel Club—meaning they were too closely related or had genetic defects. That’s why it’s so important to find out what the situation is for your little one.
Alexis00, I said that you don't really know what you're talking about and, logically (without being aggressive), I suggested you do as much research as possible because, looking at your posts, that's clearly not the case.
In fact, I could almost flip the question back to you: when did I ever say I didn't like private owners having litters?
Let's face it, there are already plenty of puppies everywhere. If a private owner wants to have a litter for their own enjoyment, the least they can do is do it properly, right? I personally feel that you aren't quite ready yet (in terms of knowledge) to be breeding your dog.
Up until now, you haven’t mentioned these tests at all... neither "yes, it’s planned" nor "it’s already been done"... And you said, and I quote: "And there are plenty of breeders who start out without knowing anything and learn as they go..." [...] "And I know loads who do that..." Given the way the conversation was going, it wasn’t exactly obvious that you were planning to do any better than some breeders.
What about health screenings and tests? I’m sure your family will be "delighted" if the puppies from this litter end up with hip dysplasia or other illnesses...
Obviously I’m going to get the tests done???
And @cassyduvet, at what point did I say I wasn’t doing my research? You really need to give it a rest, especially as I’ve already sent private messages asking about all of that. I’ve got five months to learn, so I don’t see what your problem is, other than the fact that you clearly have an issue with hobby breeders.
Alexis00, I get the feeling you’re only hearing what you want to hear. The fact of the matter is, you don’t really know much about this and you’re pretty much ignoring Kikaah’s questions.
Granted, that wasn't what you were asking, but should we really just pretend these gaps in your knowledge don't exist and risk contributing to a mating that could potentially end in disaster? Prevention is better than cure.
I’d strongly advise you to properly research dog breeding before you do anything else.
What about health screenings and tests? Are we not talking about those? Your family will be 'thrilled' if the puppies from this litter end up with dysplasia or are ill...
Generally speaking, even if you aren't manually assisting the dogs, it's recommended to keep a close eye on them. A ***** who isn't ready or isn't keen on the male might react aggressively, and some males don't position themselves properly – basically, anything can happen... Even if the size difference isn't huge, you'll need to help the male out and make sure the ***** doesn't get too restless to avoid any pain. It's also a good idea to hold the dogs while they are "tied". The most important thing is that both partners accept one another; if the ***** clearly isn't showing any interest in the male, there's no point forcing or restraining her. Holding her steady during the mating is fine, but pinning her down so she can't get away if she's not into it is a definite no.
Luckily he isn't too far away, only about an hour and a half, so at least she won't be too tired, and if she rejects him I'll obviously respect her wishes! Thanks for the extra info.
