# female companion for my male Chihuahua?



## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Hi,

I have a male Chihuahua who will soon be 2 years old, I have owned him since a pup and he gets on great with other dogs, big and small.

I'm thinking of getting a companion for him and would like a female.

We are worried our male Chihuahua will start raping the female when she is very young, do we have to keep them apart or will he not try it on until she is older?

Also, will the boy be following the girl around and weeing everywhere she does? We live in an apartment and walk him everyday so it's not a problem now but we are worried it could become one?


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Maybe it would be best to get him neutered first ,before you bring a female into the house


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

Mike_S said:


> Hi,
> 
> .........
> We are worried our male Chihuahua will start raping the female when she is very young, do we have to keep them apart or will he not try it on until she is older?
> ...


........

At all times, we must remember we are dealing with a dog, not a human being. Normal instinctive behavior is not subject to human moral judgments. Neutering of the male is an absolute necessity, unless you are intent on breeding the pair. Successful breeding requires considerable knowledge and dedication, and is not a task to be taken lightly. Our Simcha is a rescue dog, who was neutered at approximately 18 months. We don't know everything about his behavior before neutering, but we do know that despite his generally well behaved and housebroken manners, he will 'mark' with a bit of urine every so rarely. Neutering is best undertaken sooner rather than later. And please remember that a male dog suffers no psychological ill effects from being neutered. At the risk of being repetitious, we are dealing with a dog, and not a human being.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

I agree with Joe. Natural instincts that dogs have to mate are different than human social constructions. 

With that said, neuter your boy BEFORE you get a girl. That way you won't have puppies. 


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. 

The reason I don't want to get the boy neutered is because people have said to me that their dogs personality changed afterwards. I just spoke to my sister who has 2 labradores and said getting him neutered changed him forever and was the worst thing they ever did.

I personally would rather just get another boy so they can be friends or get the girl spayed but my girlfriend is more keen on letting them breed occasionally. Like from the family we bought him from as a pup, they owned the mum and dad who bred every year or so. They were planning on getting them de-sexed after one more.

She could work from home to concentrate on this, we have the pedigree papers, champions in the recent bloodline and could get kc registered. I would do a lot of research to find out if we should breed them and I would not take this lightly.

How we should introduce them and to protect the little one whilst she is growing up. Will he not try it on before she goes into heat and at what age would this be for her?

Will he be constantly marking everywhere?

If there's anything important I have missed then please let me know, particulary of any dangers.

Thanks


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

An intact male will mark A LOT if there is an intact female in the house. And their personality changes, for the worse. They can become destructive, aggressive, and obsessed with the female. Females in heat are not necessarily pleasant either, some become rather irritable. 

Breeding is not a casual task... It's really not great practice to breed pets "occasionally" just because. 

Chihuahuas should be tested prior to breeding for common congenital defects. The tests plus the fees to submit the results to the appropriate recording organization costs hundreds of dollars. 

Chis often require c-sections to give birth, which can range from $500 to $3000 depending on if she needs it after hours/ on the weekend etc. 

Sometimes mom will reject the pups. In that case, you'll have to hand feed them puppy formula every couple of hours 24/7 for weeks. 

It is an expensive labor intensive hobby. Doing it right, and doing the best you can for your dogs, will mean you will make no money. It will require long nights, stress and potential death or illness of the female. 

Also it does not matter whether there are champions in the pedigree. YOU should show and title your dogs before they are bred. This ensures that they are breed standard. 

I would seriously reconsider breeding because it isn't as easy as having two pets and letting them mate. It's hard work and can potentially cause the death of your beloved female pet. And it's very expensive. 

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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Go to forums ,scroll down there you will see great posts on breeding


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Cheers I have been reading them, I will read more when I have time. I need to price up in my vets the associated costs, we are in the uk so havn't got a clue on how these prices compare. Why is it not good practice to breed occasionally? How often is good practice?


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Also does this mean that all of you with male and female chihuahuas don't just let them breed occasionally? Do you never let them alone together when she is in heat? I can also speak to the family I bought my boy from and I know personally another family who have been breeding Chiahuahuas for years so I've got in touch with them as well for some advice.

Don't worry I'm not stupid enough to think that it is a business plan, I run my own company. My girlfriend is just hoping that we could breed them as a hobby, of course we would take it seriously.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

First, please know that I am just trying to help and educate. I do not mean to criticize, but to simply provide facts so that you can make an informed decision. I appreciate that you are taking the time to read my posts and ask questions, that is very important if you want to breed. 



Mike_S said:


> Cheers I have been reading them, I will read more when I have time. I need to price up in my vets the associated costs, we are in the uk so havn't got a clue on how these prices compare. Why is it not good practice to breed occasionally? How often is good practice?
> 
> What does it mean by showing and titling the dogs before they are bred?


Most reputable breeders breed 1-3 litters per year. I didn't mean so much the time period between litters as the work that goes in to each breeding. It isn't as simple as letting two dogs you own mate. There should be thought behind the breeding. And a goal to better the breed, not just make pets that may or may not be to standard. 

Most people will say, and I tend to agree, that showing your dog in conformation allows a non-biased opinion regarding whether it is breed worthy. We all look at our dogs and think they are perfect in every way. And they are all beautiful. But that does not mean they are all breed worthy or bred to the standard. For instance, my Toby is beautiful and has a nice domed head and decent conformation. However, his muzzle is longer than than the standard requires and his bite is slightly off. He wouldn't win at a show and is not breed worthy, so he is a neutered family pet. 

Is you boy registered with the Kennel Club? 

Also, here is a link to the Kennel Club and the tests that they recommend before breeding: The Kennel Club



Mike_S said:


> Also does this mean that all of you with male and female chihuahuas don't just let them breed occasionally? Do you never let them alone together when she is in heat? I can also speak to the family I bought my boy from and I know personally another family who have been breeding Chiahuahuas for years so I've got in touch with them as well for some advice.
> 
> Don't worry I'm not stupid enough to think that it is a business plan, I run my own company. My girlfriend is just hoping that we could breed them as a hobby, of course we would take it seriously.


Many, many people on here have male/female combos. The overwhelming majority have one or both neutered or spayed. 

If you have both an intact male and an intact female, and do not want puppies, the ONLY way to guarantee that they will not tie (mate) is if they are NEVER, EVER unsupervised together when she is in heat. EVER. I've heard of dogs chewing through doors, mating through crates, digging under fences, all kinds of crazy things. Keeping a female from getting pregnant when you DON'T have an unaltered male in the home is hard, when you do have one in the home, it becomes a full time job. Sometimes, either the male or female has to stay with a family member, friend or board to prevent mating. It is possible to prevent, don't get me wrong, breeders do it regularly, but the dogs should never be in the same room together when she is in heat, even if they are both crated. 

And like I mentioned before, intact males can get aggressive, obsessive, and downright nasty when there is a female in heat around. It is very hard on the dog. Any unspayed females have a greater risk for pyometra and cancer. Unneutered males have a higher risk for testicular cancer. Not to mention the risks I mentioned in my last post regarding breeding itself.


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Thanks for your helpful post. 

I have been reading through the breeding forum but I am struggling to find advice on how to manage them living together as all of the sticky's are about breeding to the standard.

I would certainly join the Kennel Club if I bred them. What exactly makes it not as simple as letting 2 dogs mate? This is something I need to know. Would I have to keep them separate until she is a certain age?

Will he behave much different and mark less if she is spayed? If we are definitely not ready for breeding yet then we may just get another boy for now, or get a female spayed.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Mike_S said:


> Thanks for your helpful post.
> 
> I have been reading through the breeding forum but I am struggling to find advice on how to manage them living together as all of the sticky's are about breeding to the standard.
> 
> ...


You're so welcome! 

It is vital to know how to manage if you have an unaltered female and an unaltered male and you want them to live together without breeding - since a dog should not be bred every heat cycle and not before she is two years old, and all of the Kennel Club recommended testing has been completed. They cannot ever be alone together. Not for a second. Not while you go to the bathroom. Not while you get the mail. Never. And it will be hard, because their natural instincts are to mate. 

Also, you cannot "join" the Kennel Club unless your dogs' parent were registered. So your current dogs parents must have been KC registered and your new dogs parents must have been KC registered. Otherwise, you cannot register your dog OR any potential puppies. Also, in the USA most puppies are sold with limited registration, which means that any pups they produce cannot be registered at all. I do not know if that is the case in the UK as well. 

When I say it's not as easy as just letting the two dogs mate, there are many reasons behind it. 

1. Tying can be physically harmful - your dog could hurt the female; they may not be able to do it; the female could get mad and go after the male; sometimes artificial insemination is required 

2. Most breeders do not breed their own males to their females - reputable breeders usually have females and then, based on the pedigree of the female and what they know about genetics, look to mate with a male whose pedigree and genetics will complement their girls. Sometimes this requires you to travel all over or use AI to get the best stud dogs. Most reputable breeders do not own many male dogs 

4. Dogs should be shown and proved to be to standard prior to breeding. This allows qualified judges to determine if the dog is to standard. You should NOT breed a dog that is not to standard 

5. All health testing should be done and submitted prior to breeding 

6. The personality issues with unaltered animals can be difficult to deal with. Males and females both mark. Females can get irritable. Males can get aggressive. 

7. The prospective dam and sire MUST be KC registered (therefore, their dams and sires must also be registered) 

There are a bunch of other issues too, but these are some basic considerations.


Also, just so you know, two unneutered males are likely to clash and you may end up with two dogs that HATE each other and do not get along at all. The best combos are spayed female/neutered male OR two neutered males.


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## Tessa'smom (Mar 25, 2013)

I am always I impressed with the knowledge and information on this site! I have learned so much!


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Would an un-neutered male and a spayed female likely to be good company for each other?

We just do not want to have him neutered at the moment as we do not want to change him. At least not whilst he is living on his own, it would be a last resort.

Why exactly should they be prevented from breeding every cycle? How often are the cycles and how often is recommended that they are bred?

I appreciate that everyone wants to preserve the current standard but I don't see what is morally wrong with breeding a dog that is not to the standard if it has no health issues? He looks very typical to me, I will post a picture tomorrow.

Also as I can't get him KC registered then this will prevent him from entering the main shows. This does not make it immoral to breed him? 

I'm sorry to find that there seems to be so much snobbery going on from the likes of the kennel club. They are not helping otherwise would be good breeders and high standard dogs which is surely not good for anybody and will lead to more ill-informed breeders. I'm glad I found this forum for the wealth of advice here.

I'm not offended at all, don't worry and I hope I don't offend either.

Also don't be confused by my posts, I am not hell bent on breeding, or I would have posted this in the breeders forum. We are open minded to breeding and perhaps would like to that is why I am asking all these questions. First and foremost I want another Chihuahua to be friends with my boy.


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## anikalabreee (Apr 6, 2013)

I would definitely neuter your male before introducing a female. Female pups can go into heat at like 10 months, not even a year old. By then, you'd have an in heat female and a very aggressive male trying to mate with her. I saw this at my friends house. She had three males all not neutered and her 11 mo pup went into heat and it was a disaster. She had to gate them and seperate them and they would just whine an whine all day just drooling to get to her.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Mike_S said:


> Would an un-neutered male and a spayed female likely to be good company for each other?
> 
> We just do not want to have him neutered at the moment as we do not want to change him. At least not whilst he is living on his own, it would be a last resort.
> 
> ...


I feel bad that I am the only one responding. That's what happens when it is Saturday night and I am at home studying for exams 

Neutering a male will not necessarily change him. It truly depends on the dog. 

They should not be bred every cycle because pregnancy is very difficult on the female. Just like a human pregnancy, her body changes and her hormones change. And she must nurse for weeks. It is exhausting and physically draining. It takes them time to recover. A female usually goes into heat every 6-8 months, but it can be more often or less often, it depends on the dog. Just like some will bleed all over everything and others will barely leave a spot. Breeders usually breed at the MOST every other heat cycle, many do it much less often. And they usually retire and spay the dog by 5-6 years of age. (I personally HATE unaltered females) 

It is considered wrong to breed a dog that is not to standard because it causes lack of "type" among the breed. If every breeder bred healthy dogs that did not LOOK like chis, soon chis would cease to exist as a breed. The point of breeding is to better the breed, not just to have puppies. People try to make puppies as close to standard as possible that are healthy and look like chis. 

Again, not meant to offend, but I would NOT breed a dog that is not KC registered. First of all, the only way to know for 100% sure that a dog is a pure breed chi is to look at his pedigree. Also, congenital issues can only be tracked if you know what issues previous generations had. Phenotype and genotype (what they look like and their genes) are often determined by previous generations. Additionally, most people do not want a non-registered dog. They want a dog that they know is a pure bred chi. 

The KC does not regulate the standard of breeders out there. All it is is a registration organization. All it does is keep track of pure bred dogs. Being a responsible breeder requires much more than simply breeding registered dogs. However, it is a good first step. The KC is designed to show and track pure bred dogs. It isn't trying to exclude dogs. However, if the dog does not have papers, then there is no guarantee that the dog is purebred and does not have any other breeds back in its pedigree. Therefore, the KC excludes it. People breed un-registered dogs all the time. The KC cannot stop it. However, this is irresponsible. 

Without papers, the dog cannot be shown or proven. It's genetics are unknown to the buyer. Buyers who want a pure bred dog want a dog that they can PROVE is pure bred. Without papers, it is impossible to do so because you do not know if another breed was mixed in generations back.

I totally get the reasoning for your posts. I think it is very reasonable to be educated BEFORE you make the decision. In my non-professional but well researched opinion, I would recommend a spayed female. I think that would be most compatible. As long as one is altered, they should be fine.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

anikalabreee said:


> I would definitely neuter your male before introducing a female. Female pups can go into heat at like 10 months, not even a year old. By then, you'd have an in heat female and a very aggressive male trying to mate with her. I saw this at my friends house. She had three males all not neutered and her 11 mo pup went into heat and it was a disaster. She had to gate them and seperate them and they would just whine an whine all day just drooling to get to her.


Unfortunately, this is what happens. Then fights break out. Or a dog gets loose and ties with the female. Either way, BAD idea.


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Fair enough, I am now understanding and appreciating more of the importance of breeding registered dogs. However it does not mean that mine is not a pure breed Chiahuahua, I understand that there is a chance of mixes a long time ago but before these organizations the breed still existing and would continue to do so if they ceased. Albeit likely not to preserve as well without the likes of KC. If I would've known this before then I would not have bought an unregistered puppy but I was not aware of this advice back then. I even researched through the KC website to decide that it was a Chihuahua that I wanted but somehow still missed all of this advice.

Of course I appreciate that these organizations are great for pet owners and the pets. I can not say that it has totally deterred us from breeding as I do not think there is anything morally wrong with breeding a healthy un-registered dog. This practice goes on all the time by breeders who are just as responsible.

I am concerned about people not wanting them due to them being not KC registered, though the owners we bought ours from still found a home for all of their litters for many years.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

It is a personal choice. My advice would be to make sure you are educated, know the behavioral and health risks to your dogs, and are prepared to keep puppies. I'm glad I could (hopefully) help clarify some things. Let me know if you have any questions. There are also many UK members that can help with specific questions regarding UK customs/ testing/ requirements.


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Cheers. Are the Kennel Club not open to assessing the dogs to consider registration? Or having them assessed by a local breed club prior to approval? Surely this must be an on-going debate? As otherwise they are not helping breeders of dogs that were not KC from birth. I would be surprised if another organization hasn't been set up seeing as they have a monopoly? I'm off to bed now anyway, it's 2:41am here. I can sleep better now after learning more, helping me to decide. I am leaning towards getting a female and having a family member look after it to keep it separate until it is old enough to be spayed. Or find an older one that needs a new home.


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## maj (Apr 9, 2013)

Hi mike I am from the uk and it looks like you have fallen into the trap that so many do when purchasing what they think is a pedigree dog . There are so many adverts online that are confusing and make people think they are buying a pedigree dog .I suspect your dog is really a pedigree as his parents were probably both registered with the kennel club BUT WHAT THE BREEDERS DO IS NOT REGISTER THE LITTER 
This is because over here in uk the kennel club has reduced the amount of litters you can breed from a dog from 6 to 4 in its lifetime 
That I think is more than adequate but it leads to people breeding for as they call it "pets" because they can only give you a 5 generation pedigree which is WORTHLESS but some buyers think that is their pedigree for the dog - when what you always must get is the registration slip with its number and name for the pup that you purchase


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## first_time_chi_owner (Oct 12, 2012)

On the subject of neutering, it is the best thing we ever did for our boy. He stopped marking and humping everything in sight! We were concerned about it changing his behaviour but it didn't in the slightest. We had him neutered at about 11months old 


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Thanks Maj, sounds about right what you are saying as I think it is likely that his parents had more than 5 or 6 litters previously due to their age, they wern't old but hardly young. He was cheap too, £350. This must be why. I did not realise the importance of being KC registered and the value of it. I do have a 5 generation pedigree form which is signed but the kennel club numbers are blank, even on their parents section. 

I seen both of the parents who were so friendly and stunning looking which made me want the puppy more. There were also a couple of big dogs living in the house and a few small children which has made my boy great with big dogs and kids, he gets excited and runs up to any kid or pram in the street.

I can't regret it as we love him and he has a brilliant temperment, better than a friends KC registered Chihuahua I know who is aggressive towards mine. 

I do feel conned though and we have decided not to breed him now as we may struggle to home the pups due to not being KC registered.

I was a little annoyed at first with all the talk of breeding only registered dogs that look to the standard but I understand it more now and feel better about it.

I still just need to decide if we want to buy a spayed female to be his friend or another boy.

We are now more inclined to get another boy but is it really not likely that they will get on if both un-neutered? I have never seen 2 dogs that don't get on living together eventually. I'm sure some more of you have experience with this?


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## maj (Apr 9, 2013)

I am so sorry for you Mike - im sure you have a beautiful little dog that you will treasure and its good to know that he has gone to such a super home with responsible owners - I think you have come to the right decision not to breed from him .
On the subject of getting another dog - I have heard it said that 2 entire dogs will fight but im not 100 per cent sure on that so maybe others on here can enlighten us 
I feel you were conned although 350 is very cheap but even so the breeders should have fully explained it to you - they clearly knew what they were doing 
If you decide on a pedigree dog next time be sure to get that registration slip - !!


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Of all the male dogs i have ever had neutered it hasn't changed their personalities one bit,or the females.I'm so glad you got some good info from everybody on here


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## Julie1962 (Apr 28, 2013)

Only time it has changed any of our dogs personalities was because we stupidly (it seems a lot of people know this but we didn't) had him neutered when he was a very nervous dog, this change in hormones tipped him over the edge into nervous aggresion. As long as the dog is not nervous there is no change really.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

I was reading a lot of these comments and I feel it is important to make this statement. Just because you have a papered or registered dog DOES NOT prove that they are pure bred there are many ways breeders get around the whole registering thing eg; they will register a litter saying different dogs are the parents ones that are registered. Sometimes one or both parents if you meet the parents and the colors are right you will not know the difference. I know for a fact this is done as I know a person that did it. It is a shame but papers doesn't prove any thing. Hopefully if your lucky the breeder you use will be a honest one on the up and up. Sorry but I figured you should know this. 


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

The only change that our Jaxx had was he became even more loving. He was always a cuddly loving dog but seemed to love to cuddle more after he was neutered.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Toby's personality didn't change after his neuter. My moms chi Rocky's personality changed for the better (less aggressive, more affectionate). 

Absolutely right about papers not guaranteeing a good breeder. Papers are only one small piece of a big puzzle to make a good breeder. 

I tried to be as objective as possible when telling you the facts. I sincerely hope I didn't offend in any way. I just wanted you to know the facts before making whatever decision you wanted. I really wanted to help you. 

I am sorry, Mike, that the breeder that you got your chi from did not do everything the right way. But you got your beautiful boy out of it. And now you know so in the future they won't be able to trick you. My first chi was from a pet store - it makes me so sad to think about. I didn't know any of this stuff until I started doing research and lurking here before getting Toby. 

PS - please post pics of your sweet boy. We loveeeee pictures. 


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

Sorry I don't know how to make them smaller! I hope you think he looks like a proper Chihuahua!

Don't worry I wasn't driving like that, my girlfriend holds him in the car.

I have just been to see some KC registered pups and had a good chat with the breeder, they had a gorgeous fluffy white girl, I really want her and could keep them apart during her first season if she isn't spayed by then.


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## maj (Apr 9, 2013)

Fortheloveofthechi said:


> eg; I know a persothey will register a litter saying different dogs are the parents ones that are registered. Sometimes one or both parents if you meet the parents and the colors are right you will not know the difference. I know for a fact this is done as n that did it. It is a shame but papers doesn't prove any thing. Hopefully if your lucky the breeder you use will be a honest one on the up and up. Sorry but I figured you should know this.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 That is absolutely disgraceful - im sure occasionally it does happen but registration slip papers for the majority normally are accurate - these instances are very few and far between 
Im not sure at all how this works to the advantage of a breeder - so you register a litter of say 4 pups that aren't from the bitch and dog but that bitch still cant have more than 4 litters in her lifetime so where is the sense in that 
please explain - I don't understand that at all


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Mike_S said:


> Sorry I don't know how to make them smaller! I hope you think he looks like a proper Chihuahua!
> 
> Don't worry I wasn't driving like that, my girlfriend holds him in the car.
> 
> I have just been to see some KC registered pups and had a good chat with the breeder, they had a gorgeous fluffy white girl, I really want her and could keep them apart during her first season if she isn't spayed by then.


He's precious! If you search around the forum, you'll find lots of info about what to ask a breeder of your potential puppy. I know you'll find the right pup! 

A female can get spayed as young as 6 months, depending on the situation. That would be most likely before her first season. Or you can wait. That's definitely personal preference!


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

This is my favourite photo and sums him up perfectly, here was young here and is furier now.


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

maj said:


> That is absolutely disgraceful - im sure occasionally it does happen but registration slip papers for the majority normally are accurate - these instances are very few and far between
> Im not sure at all how this works to the advantage of a breeder - so you register a litter of say 4 pups that aren't from the bitch and dog but that bitch still cant have more than 4 litters in her lifetime so where is the sense in that
> please explain - I don't understand that at all


I am speaking about the USA akc kennel club and that rule of only four litters is not a rule here and believe this it is alot more common then you think why do you think akc will show up to breeders houses unannounced and require DNA tests on every dog in the place and you can not say no if you say no you maybe suspended indefinitely from akc. There ya go hope you understand it better now. Don't take my word go to akc website and read the laws. 


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## Mike_S (May 10, 2013)

We have decided to buy a girl we visited today! I brought my Floyd around and I think they will get on great, can't wait to put up the pictures when we take her home next week. We are calling her Corona! Thanks so much for the replies, wouldn't have done it without finding the answers to my questions on here!


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