My bitch is 19 months old and could be due her third season any time, although she's not showing any signs yet. She's all health tested (hips, elbows, CNM, EIC, HNPK, prcd-PRA, SD2, *eye test booked early next month). Sire is picked out and ready (health tested, suitable temperament etc). Which season would you all choose to breed from her if she was yours, 3rd or 4th?
I usually wait until 3 years of age when they are physically and mentally mature enough and she has proven herself in the field. At 19 months, I would still see her as a puppy and would think it may be best to wait. Out of interest, would you not normally do her eye testing before hips and elbows?
We are thinking of breeding our little one (tests and situations dependant) but not until she is at least 2.5/3 and fully developed.
There's reason to believe that they recover better from litters if first bred before 3, initially I was also thinking wait until 3yo but then I looked into this. Also lots of people advise breed at 3rd season, mine just had her first and second seasons quite early. I am going to wait until she's at least 2 now though, as you say she isn't emotionally mature enough yet. When you get their eye clear certificate it's supposed to be within a year of them being bred, isn't it? I realise I did it differently (out of inexperience), but if I'd had her eye test done in 2018 then bred her in 2020 the clear result would no longer be valid. That was my thinking anyway, I didn't want to get her eye test done twice for one litter.
You need to test their eyes every year. The reason for having their eyes done first is that is one of the cheapest tests and possibly one of the most likely to fail. If you test eyes first you have only "wasted" £40 or so, rather than spending £100's on hips/elbows DNA etc first, to then find that their eyes fail. You are right that she would need her eyes testing again before breeding, and every year thereafter.
Yes, if I were to do it over I'd do her eyes first. Although I don't regret doing her hips/elbows because I was always worried about the amount of work she does, so knowing she had good hips and perfect elbows is one less thing to worry about. But fingers crossed for a clear eye exam next month!
