# should i let my puppy have a litter



## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

I wonder if you can help ive been told that its best to let a dog have 1 litter of puppies before i get her neutered is this true.

She is a miniture jack russell 
I dont want her to loose her temperment but would love it if she would calm down a bit as my friend has the same puppy around the same age as mine and he isnt have as hyper as mine


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> *I wonder if you can help ive been told that its best to let a dog have 1 litter of puppies before i get her neutered is this true.*
> 
> She is a miniture jack russell
> I dont want her to loose her temperment but would love it if she would calm down a bit as my friend has the same puppy around the same age as mine and he isnt have as hyper as mine


no thats a myth 

in what way is she hyper? whats she's doing?

neutering can sometimes help calm them down, i certainly don't recommend having a litter just because they should before there spayed.

If you can explain more with how she's actin someone can possibly help advise on how to calm her down


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## hope (May 25, 2011)

lol if that was the case everybody would have a litter before getting there dog done .its a load of balls there are far to many pups dogs that are in need of homes as it is i would advise you to just get her done without having pups

and not to sure if her temp will change but im sure someone can help you on here


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## Jonesey (Dec 30, 2010)

Not true at all. You wouldn't be _letting_ her have a litter, you'd be_ making_ her have one. You wouldn't just turn her loose when she's in heat right?


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

RockRomantic said:


> no thats a myth
> 
> in what way is she hyper? whats she's doing?


she chases my youngest cat i take for onto the field near mine so she can run around then when i come in she still runs around and she is like that most of the day


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## Leah84 (Jun 22, 2009)

no please don`t let her have a litter, the risks far outweigh the benefits for your dog due to all the complications that could arise not to mention the amount of unwanted pups as it is and the high costs of breeding. i don`t see how having a litter for health reasons can be beneficial at all and could probably change her temperament for the worse. i would have her spayed and just enjoy her for the pet that she is 

as for chasing the cat? well both my dogs do that too but having a litter is never gonna stop something like that. having her spayed can calm them down but not all the time. the best way to stop her from chasing is to keep a constant close eye on her and right in that split second when she looks like she`s locked onto something and about to bolt, distract her and make what you have more interesting and eventually the chasing should stop. oh and maybe a kong stuffed with meat paste and frozen would keep her occupied for a bit in the house to give you some peace from the running around?


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

No, it's not true, and  there's no such thing as a miniature jack russell, if you've been sold her as that, then someone's pulled your leg, she's basically a runt, or smaller than she should be.

Personally, I'd like to see a bitch mature before spaying, which, depending on breed and individual dog, can take up to three years and all the seasons up until then, but as an 'at least' preference, then one season, and book to have her spayed three months from the start of the season


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

It is complete and utter rubbish, having a litter will have no benefit to your dog except potential health problems such as infections and birth complications - can you afford to pay for a c-section if the birth doesn't go well? The actual costs of breeding a litter are also sky high, plus the cost of feeding, worming & jabbing the pups. Then there's damage to your furniture/house after the puppies pee, poo and chew everything in sight. Can you afford to keep all these pups if you don't find homes for them? Can you afford to potentially have 10+ jack russells? Do you have time to train them? Do you have the time and inclination to take back a puppy 1 week, 3 months or 5 years down the line if the new owners can't keep the dog any longer?

Add all that to the fact that there are thousands of jack russells in rescue across the country (including litters of pups) all waiting for a home and being destroyed on a daily basis, do you still think it's right to breed from your bitch?

Please get her spayed and forget the silly old wives tales


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2011)

As everyone else said - do NOT breed her.

As for calming down, it sounds like she's a pretty normal puppy to me. All puppies have different personalities and yours might just have more 'get-go' than your friend's. There's nothing you can do really except go with it. She'll settle down a little as she gets older but JRs are terriers and energetic ones at that, so she might always be a little mental. Embrace it!


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> No, it's not true, and  there's no such thing as a miniature jack russell, if you've been sold her as that, then someone's pulled your leg, she's basically a runt, or smaller than she should be.
> 
> Personally, I'd like to see a bitch mature before spaying, which, depending on breed and individual dog, can take up to three years and all the seasons up until then, but as an 'at least' preference, then one season, and book to have her spayed three months from the start of the season


if you type into google miniture jack russell they come up and when the vet asked what type she is and i said miniture jack russell she didnt say anything about not being such a thing and compared to a normal jack russell her size she is a lot smaller


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2011)

Agree with everyone else, dont pay heed to an old wives tale. She is a puppy and sounds like she is acting like a puppy! Just consistent training and good routine and boundries will have 100 times more benefit


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2011)

Sorry but I agree with Sleeping Lion - there's no such thing as a miniature Jack Russell, just like there isn't a 'Teacup Yorkie'. They're names given to smaller than normal dogs to make them sell. Just because it's on the internet doesn't make it true! Did the vet really ask what sort of dog she was? Surely they can recognise a Jack Russell!!! My Westie is a little smaller than normal too, but that doesn't make her a miniature or teacup Westie!!!


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> if you type into google miniture jack russell they come up and when the vet asked what type she is and i said miniture jack russell she didnt say anything about not being such a thing and compared to a normal jack russell her size she is a lot smaller


And if you type 'loch ness monster' into google, that will also come up - doesn't mean it's real 

Same with labradoodles and cockapoos and things, just because people breed them and sell them, doesnt mean they are a proper breed. Your girl may just be small. She's plenty young enough for a growth spurt, and JRTs vary a lot size wise anyway - don't be sucked into the whole 'miniature' and 'tea cup' thing.


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## sailor (Feb 5, 2010)

What sort of stuff do you do with your little terrier throughout the day ?

She might be a cute little jack russell, but she is terrier and they come with bags of energy, so if you are not doing enough with her... well she will make up her own games and in this case it would appear her favourite game is to chase the cat !


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

As everyone else has said; do not breed from your dog for the sake of an old wives' tale.

In terms of behaviour, maybe introducing structure and routine with plenty of training and activities may help? (Apologies if you already do that - I just know that it helps me immensely).


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## Little_em00 (Jun 14, 2011)

I have a pug cross jack as I'm writing this is is tearing round the kitchen island killing his teddy after a 4 mile walk and a ball throwing play! This is totally normal especially for a high energy dog like a terrier


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## springerpete (Jun 24, 2010)

Sorry to say this but you've got yourself a typical 'Jack by the sound of it, short of putting a ball and chain on it you're unlikely to stop it wanting to chase things, it's a 'Jack. that's what they do,


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

well that means other people have been lied to as i know 2 other people with the same and vet asked when i registered her and then 4 the microchip 

dont worry am not breeding her she is getting neutered when she turns 6 month


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

she gets walked 3-4 times a day,she has loads of toys to play with which i play most of the day with her


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## LolaBoo (May 31, 2011)

My shih-tuz X Jack russell runs me ragged as the others say the terrier in her makes her want to be entertained all the time coz if she gets bored dont we know about it she will also chase the cats but is always told no, not like she always listens, yours just sounds like a normal terrier with a lot of energy


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> she gets walked 3-4 times a day,she has loads of toys to play with which i play most of the day with her


She just sounds like a typical puppy. I have a 5 year old patterdale and he is still the same as your pup  be prepared for a lot of chaotic years


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

honest, I could type silver Labrador into google, and it would come up with a load of rubbish, no such thing exists  

You get loads of people fobbed off with miniature, teacup, and the likes, it means nothing except smaller than they should be. And actually, a bitch who is smaller than the breed standard, really is the last thing you should be thinking of breeding from, the complications for a normal size bitch will be risky enough. 

Apologies to be the bearer of bad, but honest, news


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

like i said before am not going to breed her she will be getting neutered when she turns 6 month old even before she has her 1st heat


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> like i said before am not going to breed her she will be getting neutered when she turns 6 month old even before she has her 1st heat


Please have a read up on this link, personally, I'd let her mature a little, but it depends on your living circumstances:

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf


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## missnaomi (Jun 4, 2010)

kirsty1991 said:


> she chases my youngest cat i take for onto the field near mine so she can run around then when i come in she still runs around and she is like that most of the day


I think that, as a Jack Russell, chasing cats is considered quite normal - they are bred to catch and kill small animals. I have trained my terrier not to chase my cats, but it's been hard work, and he still has a go sometimes... Also, Jack Russells, of any size are an extremely energetic breed. Mine has calmed down with training, and by making him do some tricks and learn lots of commands I can tire him out better, but after a long walk...he's still ready to go again. That's why people love JRTs.

I don't think having a litter would calm her down, but I think you can have a calmer and more managable friend if you put in lots of time with careful training and exercise - including with the cat thing, but I think some of the lively behavior is to be expected from this sort of dog.

Hope this helps a little...would love to see some pictures of your little one!
Naomi xx


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

T-Bo is a chi x JRT and at five months full of beans. He loves nothing more than chasing the cat and will always try to get the birds, even stalking them for some time, flies and moths too - so funny! I know I can train the bad things out of him but for now I just enjoy his puppyness.
I love JRT's, my last dog was a bitch JRT and she was so intelligent, could catch mice in the garden effortlessly and could find things hidden in the "find it" game even at ceiling height. Super super dogs IMO and the boisterousness of puppy hood is well worth it for the adult dog you have in the end.

Enjoy your puppy, good and bad because they grow up so quickly.


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## Leah84 (Jun 22, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> like i said before am not going to breed her she will be getting neutered when she turns 6 month old even before she has her 1st heat


it`s maybe worth looking into letting her mature a little more, i had my bitch spayed at 6 months and she developed spay incontinence due to it and also separation anxiety. at the time i never knew spaying early could cause those problems, obviously it doesn`t happen all the time but it`s worht looking into


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

kirsty1991 said:


> I wonder if you can help ive been told that its best to let a dog have 1 litter of puppies before i get her neutered is this true.
> 
> She is a miniture jack russell
> I dont want her to loose her temperment but would love it if she would calm down a bit as my friend has the same puppy around the same age as mine and he isnt have as hyper as mine


It was a very very old school of thought and years out of date. Best time to spay a female is 12 weeks after a season.

Also if she is a very small bitch, you would likely be putting her at risk too. If she was mated with a larger male and the pups were too large then likely she wouldnt be able to have a natural birth, in which case you would need to have a C-section.
Also breeding isnt as easy as mosst people think it is, and if you dont know what you are doing and what to watch for, then it could result in the death of mum and pups.

There are also loads of jack russells looking for homes and unwanted, just a quick google of jack russell rescue of jack Russells for adoption would confirm that.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

kirsty1991 said:


> if you type into google miniture jack russell they come up and when the vet asked what type she is and i said miniture jack russell she didnt say anything about not being such a thing and compared to a normal jack russell her size she is a lot smaller


Just to add to this, vets don't know all dog breeds, many of them don't specialise in dogs at all, and when you think of the amount of animals they need to know about, they couldn't be expected to know the ins and outs of exactly what is and what isn't a proper breed of dog. There is a KC breed standard for parsons JRT's, but not for any other breed type, and I think if you've been sold a miniature, then you've had the wool pulled over your eyes I'm afraid


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

Out of interest what is she fed? Diet can play a part in a dog/puppies behaviour.

She sounds like a young pup though to me rather than a out of control pup. X


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## kirsty1991 (Sep 8, 2010)

sarybeagle said:


> Out of interest what is she fed? Diet can play a part in a dog/puppies behaviour.
> 
> She sounds like a young pup though to me rather than a out of control pup. X


she is fed science plan puppy biscuits


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