age

[Tomm156]

hi.

I have a 2yo lab bitch. hips elbows eyes and DNA are all great. I was going to put her in pup in her next season. hopefully keep two for my picking up team. would you consider two as too young? have a fully health tested dog I wanted to use. opinions wanted please. the bitch was bread by a friend of mine to my dog so really keen to keep pups out of him.

thanks

[CockerCanuck]

If you are just talking physically I think two is the perfect age for a first litter. Even 18 months is good. Just like people they do best the first time when young and fit. It might be too young for a bitch to prove if she is worthy of breeding but it sounds like you are committed to that anyway.

[Tomm156]

40 odd days picking up this season with her amongst others. quiet steady and good game finder.will put more handling into her over the summer but verry promising so far.

[Nickheref]

I am in almost exactly the same boat, I intend to breed from a 2 year old bitch this summer (she will be nearer 3 than 2 really), in a perfect world I would have possibly preferred to give her another year to mature but she has shown me everything I need to see in her work and the dog I intend to use will be 11 later this year so I am going ahead. I was forced into going a bit earlier than possibly ideal as the bitch I originally acquired to breed from simply didn't have what I wanted in her and I gave her time to prove herself (or disprove?) before I accepted what I already knew in my heart but had wasted 3 years. Then I got another bitch who does have what I want.
Thanks Dawnrazor!!

[CockerCanuck]

Many years ago I was given a Springer bitch of really high class breeding by a fellow who was Canada's Top Trialer. The condition was I would breed her once to his best male, I could keep one pup but he got the rest of the litter. Anxious to get the obligation behind me I bred her at 18 months. She had an easy delivery, was a wonderful mum and went on to have a great working career. She had two more litters and was still hunting for me at 13. So as far as her physical well being I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Dawnrazor]

Then I got another bitch who does have what I want.
Thanks Dawnrazor!!