Back to Back Breeding What is it and why is it the subject of such controversy? What is Science telling us today about Back-to-back breeding?
What is Back to Back Breeding?
Is skipping a cycle Resting the bitch?
Is Back to Back Breeding Cruel?
Read what leading Veterinarian Canine Reproduction Specialist says about Back to Back breeding.
Is skipping a cycle Resting the bitch?
Is Back to Back Breeding Cruel?
Read what leading Veterinarian Canine Reproduction Specialist says about Back to Back breeding.
WHAT IS BACK TO BACK BREEDING?
Entire (non desexed) female dogs generally come into season two times each year. Breeding a female dog back-to-back simply means breeding a female dog two seasons in a row. She has two consecutive litters with no break in between. Back to back breeding is a practice that is the subject of hot controversy amongst breeders, breed clubs and the general public due to the belief that a dog's body requires some time to recover from a pregnancy. And sometimes it does! But what about the other times?
Entire (non desexed) female dogs generally come into season two times each year. Breeding a female dog back-to-back simply means breeding a female dog two seasons in a row. She has two consecutive litters with no break in between. Back to back breeding is a practice that is the subject of hot controversy amongst breeders, breed clubs and the general public due to the belief that a dog's body requires some time to recover from a pregnancy. And sometimes it does! But what about the other times?
IS SKIPPING A CYCLE (SEASON) RESTING THE BITCH?
Read on to find out what Science tells us today!
Read on to find out what Science tells us today!
IS BACK TO BACK BREEDING CRUEL?
Let me say this, I think that it certainly could be! My personal answer to whether back to back breeding of a bitch is cruel or not, is that it depends! There have to be several observations made before I can decide whether or not a bitch should be bred back to back or not. But first, let's hear from leading Canine Reproduction Specialist Dr Robert Hutchison.
Let me say this, I think that it certainly could be! My personal answer to whether back to back breeding of a bitch is cruel or not, is that it depends! There have to be several observations made before I can decide whether or not a bitch should be bred back to back or not. But first, let's hear from leading Canine Reproduction Specialist Dr Robert Hutchison.
First we need to understand that a female dog's body is uniquely made and unlike any other species. Really? Really!
The key to understanding reproductive health in dogs is knowing that, as far as a bitch’s body knows, there is no difference between being pregnant and not being pregnant, after a heat cycle. Those of us who cycle on a regular basis prepare our uterus to accept a fertilized egg or eggs every few weeks or so. For a couple of weeks after ovulation we have a higher-than-normal progesterone level, which makes the uterus, which has grown a bunch of soft blood vessels and tissue, keep those vessels and tissue thick and strong so a fertilized egg can land on a lovely spot where there’s lots of blood to suck up and start growing its own little blood vessels. Anyway, for humans and other repeated cyclers, when there is no fertilized egg, the body gets the signal very quickly and the ovaries stop producing progesterone and the lining of the uterus breaks down and goes back to normal, at least for another few weeks until ovulation occurs again.
Dogs have a completely different system. It starts out roughly the same, with the uterus preparing for the eggs by growing a good plush lining, and the eggs ripen on the ovaries and there’s some luteinizing hormone, and the eggs are released. It gets a little different from there too, because unlike humans who have fertilizable eggs within a few hours of ovulation dogs’ eggs take two or three days. Around each egg is a black coating that repels sperm and even kills it on contact. It takes 2 or 3 days for the coating to dissipate. Another difference, is that where a human's eggs implant and begin to grow into the blood vessels about a week after ovulation, dogs take about three weeks to do the same thing. Where dogs are unique is that there is never any signal given to the body that there are in fact no fertilized eggs to nourish, Instead, a dog’s progesterone level stays high for the entire 63 days that she would have been pregnant. And the presence of excess progesterone is inflammatory and sets the scene for possible pyometras, tumors and other cancers.
Dogs have a completely different system. It starts out roughly the same, with the uterus preparing for the eggs by growing a good plush lining, and the eggs ripen on the ovaries and there’s some luteinizing hormone, and the eggs are released. It gets a little different from there too, because unlike humans who have fertilizable eggs within a few hours of ovulation dogs’ eggs take two or three days. Around each egg is a black coating that repels sperm and even kills it on contact. It takes 2 or 3 days for the coating to dissipate. Another difference, is that where a human's eggs implant and begin to grow into the blood vessels about a week after ovulation, dogs take about three weeks to do the same thing. Where dogs are unique is that there is never any signal given to the body that there are in fact no fertilized eggs to nourish, Instead, a dog’s progesterone level stays high for the entire 63 days that she would have been pregnant. And the presence of excess progesterone is inflammatory and sets the scene for possible pyometras, tumors and other cancers.
So what is Science telling us today about Back-to-back breeding?
Traditionally, we've always thought that bitches need a 'break' between litters for their optimum health. But that’s no longer considered best practice, for several reasons. Well known canine reproductive specialist Dr. Robert Hutchison is an outspoken proponent of Back to Back breeding in healthy bitches.
Traditionally, we've always thought that bitches need a 'break' between litters for their optimum health. But that’s no longer considered best practice, for several reasons. Well known canine reproductive specialist Dr. Robert Hutchison is an outspoken proponent of Back to Back breeding in healthy bitches.
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BIO. Dr. Robert Van Hutchison is a renowned canine reproduction specialist and an adjunct professor in veterinary clinical sciences at Purdue University. He is also the Director of the International Canine Semen Bank of Ohio. De Hutchison has lectured around the world on the topic of canine reproduction and is recognized internationally for his work with canine frozen semen and canine reproduction. These are These are some of the reasons why Dr Hutchison recommends back to back breeding. |
The effect of progesterone on the canine uterus.
In his seminars, Dr. Hutchison explains that the progesterone level in a bitch remains elevated for two months after ovulation whether or not she has a pregnancy. This is critical, because progesterone is often inflammatory to the lining of the uterus.
When a bitch cycles and there’s no pregnancy, the uterine lining thickens from the inflammatory effects of progesterone and that can increase the risk of infection (pyometra) and endometriosis as well as mammary and other tumors..
Dr. Hutchison says the often-fatal Pyometra though it has been long thought to be a bacterial disease, is actually an inflammatory disease, with the bacterial infection being a secondary factor. In Dr. Hutchison’s own words, the progesterone “hammers the uterine lining for 60-plus days."
An additional excerpt from the same seminar:
"It's suggested not to skip a season, because we have been preserving the uterus from the effects of progesterone. What would be the benefit then of exposing her uterus to two months of progesterone? Progesterone's effect on the uterine lining is the reason why bitches six and over have a 33.3 percent less chance of conceiving than bitches under 6 years of age.
(Dr. Hutchison also says that bitches should be spayed as soon as they no longer will be bred to help avoid future pyometra and other problems. Research shows that spaying also helps prevent mammary cancer, particularly when done by 4 years of age.)
Human females shed the lining of their uteruses every cycle. Female dogs only shed their uterine lining when whelping! As these linings stack up, they lose flexibility and elasticity, which can also contribute to fertility problems as that can affect the ability of eggs to attach.
So Dr Hutchison's advice is to breed your bitches young and breed back-to-back and not to skip cycles unless you have a medical reason to do so. To add to this, skipping a pregnancy puts your bitch at risk for a phantom, or pseudo pregnancy—a false pregnancy."
False Pregnancies
False pregnancies are common in dogs because they provided an evolutionary advantage to dog packs in the wild—wolves, and wild dogs. If a bitch in a pack has a false pregnancy, that means she will lactate and can help nurse the puppies of other females. But it may shorten her own reproductive life or damage her own body.
False pregnancies are common in dogs because they provided an evolutionary advantage to dog packs in the wild—wolves, and wild dogs. If a bitch in a pack has a false pregnancy, that means she will lactate and can help nurse the puppies of other females. But it may shorten her own reproductive life or damage her own body.
SUMMARY
Back to back breeding depends on the individual case and the breeder's expertise, knowledge, and experience.· Back to Back breeding will always be on a case by individual case basis that also depends on the breeder’s expertise, knowledge, and experience.
Back to back breeding depends on the individual case and the breeder's expertise, knowledge, and experience.· Back to Back breeding will always be on a case by individual case basis that also depends on the breeder’s expertise, knowledge, and experience.
My personal observational criteria when deciding whether to breed back to back.
- Is her physical condition good?
- Did she lose condition last time?
- Did her udders spring back into place quickly after she weaned her puppies?
- Does she enjoy being a mother?
- Was her last whelping effortless and without complications?
My Recommendation
The opinion of a good repro vet should be your number one consideration for whether to breed back-to-back or skip a cycle, and you should have your bitch evaluated by your repro vet before every breeding.
The opinion of a good repro vet should be your number one consideration for whether to breed back-to-back or skip a cycle, and you should have your bitch evaluated by your repro vet before every breeding.
Dog breeders will have varying experiences depending on what breed of dog they are breeding. But when I developed the Australian Cobberdog, and before I unleashed its genetics for others to experiment with, I set very harsh criteria that my breeding dogs had to meet if they were to stay in my breeding programs. I'm very glad that I did, because now the breed is known for easy mating and whelping, quick recovery and strong mothering instincts. These traits like all others, can be genetically programmed by selective breeding and I hope that other breeders will value what they've been handed, and selectively breed for these traits.
Disclaimer. As with everything else on this website it’s important to seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian, preferably one who is certified in canine reproductive science for reproductive matters. This website is not designed nor intended to replace the need for a qualified veterinarian, but instead to help educate people to work optimally with their veterinarians. All recommendations should be reviewed with qualified professionals, prior to implementation in a breeding program. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian. Readers assume all risks associated with use of material on this website.