Q&A for How to Know when to Stop Breeding a Male Dog

Male dogs have an almost endless capacity to breed. But immediately after one successful tie and mating, the male will have a depleted sperm count, so bear this in mind if the dog is to sire puppies.

Any dog is considered senior when they reach 8 years old. Whilst the male may still be capable of mating after this age, the quality of their sperm starts to degrade, so there is an increased risk of infertility problems.

Yes, the rigors of pregnancy and giving birth is too much for an older female dog to cope with. As a rule, the female should have a first litter (if she is going to be bred) before around 4 years of age. She should not have further litters once she is 7 years or older.

The female dog needs to be in standing heat for a male dog to mate with her. Male dogs can potentially impregnate a female in heat when the male goes through puberty - sometimes as young as 6 months, depending on the breed.