The Breeding Dog’s Life

Registries and governments set very different rules on how young, how old and how often a bitch may be bred. Here is what the main registries and several laws say, and why the limits are a floor, not a target.

A stud dog’s fertility is easy to take for granted until it drops. Here is what a yearly check covers, how often to test for Brucella, what the evidence says about workload, and the warning signs to act on.

Many breeders spay a bitch when she retires. Here is what the evidence supports, where it is weaker than often claimed, how to time surgery, and what to weigh for stud dogs and older dogs.

The dogs who built your kennel deserve a good old age. Here is what senior means by size, which checks to schedule, the problems to watch for, and how to think about quality of life and the end.

Retirement is a decision you make for the dog, not just a date on the registry’s calendar. Here are the signs to watch, the rules that set outer limits, and a simple checklist for deciding.

Retiring a breeding dog raises a hard question: is she happiest staying with you, or in a home where she is the only dog on the sofa? Here is how to decide, and how to make the move go well.