With the passing weeks the young puppy naturally grows into a young adult. As a generalization, one year of a dog's life is taken to be equivalent to seven human years, although a six-month-old pup of medium size is probably nearer the physical age of a ten to twelve-year-old child, and in a state of early puberty; in some cases a bitch may soon come on heat. The larger the breed, the later the onset of physical and sexual maturity. Bones grow in length from areas known as growth plates; while growth is still taking place the plates are said to be open, and as the period of growth comes to an end, the plates are said to close. This closure takes place as early as seven months in a dog the size of a Miniature Dachshund, but does not happen until fourteen or fifteen months in an Irish Wolfhound . A bitch puppy in the smaller breeds may come on heat at six months, while man y of the giants will be eighteen months old before it occurs.
A bitch can be mated and become pregnant at her first heat, and precautions taken against unwanted pregnancies. Most breeders advocate against in-z from a bitch as early as this on the grounds that it may stunt growth. At the other end of her life, the bitch does not cease producing eggs from the ovaries , she will continue to come on heat and be capable of mating and bearing puppies into what would be considered late middle and even old age in the human. Occurrences of twelve-year-old bitches whelping naturally, though with small litters, are not rare.
The male dog is often ready and willing to mate at six months, and it would he unwise to rely on his inexperience and youth if he gains access to a suitable bitch; even his own mother is not safe from amorous attentions. At the other end of the scale, dogs have sired litters well into their teens, which possibly accounts for the phrase that 'there's life in the old dog yet'. Generally, if pups are not wanted, they must be prevented; no benefit, but sometimes harm, is derived from letting a young bitch have a litter, or allowing a sexually overeager male to mate in order to cool him down. Dog breeding is time-consuming, costly, and fraught with complications, and best left to professional breeders (see also Reproduction and Mating,
A bitch can be prevented from mating through neutering or contraceptive pills and injections. She can also be confined while she is on heat, and the best place is often a reliable boarding kennel. If, in spite of such precautions, a female and male dog are caught in 'incriminating circumstances', pregnancy can be prevented with a hormone injection within the first day or so after mating. This must be regarded strictly as an emergency measure; an y upset of the hormone balance may lead to problems in the uterus.
A bitch can be mated and become pregnant at her first heat, and precautions taken against unwanted pregnancies. Most breeders advocate against in-z from a bitch as early as this on the grounds that it may stunt growth. At the other end of her life, the bitch does not cease producing eggs from the ovaries , she will continue to come on heat and be capable of mating and bearing puppies into what would be considered late middle and even old age in the human. Occurrences of twelve-year-old bitches whelping naturally, though with small litters, are not rare.
The male dog is often ready and willing to mate at six months, and it would he unwise to rely on his inexperience and youth if he gains access to a suitable bitch; even his own mother is not safe from amorous attentions. At the other end of the scale, dogs have sired litters well into their teens, which possibly accounts for the phrase that 'there's life in the old dog yet'. Generally, if pups are not wanted, they must be prevented; no benefit, but sometimes harm, is derived from letting a young bitch have a litter, or allowing a sexually overeager male to mate in order to cool him down. Dog breeding is time-consuming, costly, and fraught with complications, and best left to professional breeders (see also Reproduction and Mating,
A bitch can be prevented from mating through neutering or contraceptive pills and injections. She can also be confined while she is on heat, and the best place is often a reliable boarding kennel. If, in spite of such precautions, a female and male dog are caught in 'incriminating circumstances', pregnancy can be prevented with a hormone injection within the first day or so after mating. This must be regarded strictly as an emergency measure; an y upset of the hormone balance may lead to problems in the uterus.
