Is an 18 lb male dog too large to breed with a 14 lb female?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Yes, I would say this is too big. You want the male the same size or smaller than the female. In addition, given that Ellie is only 8 pounds, having a male almost double her size will lead to an increase in puppy size and a much bigger risk of dystocia (difficulty giving birth). I do not recommend mating her with this male. I hope this helps!

Hello Christian! Mila Mumu is adorable! It is never recommend to breed a female to a larger male due to the increased size of puppies and the subsequent increased risk of dystocia (difficulty giving birth) leading to a c section. I would choose a male who is her weight or small than her to avoid any danger, so pick a breed of male that smaller than she is when she is fully grown. Please know that it is never recommend to breed a dog on her first heat. That's because she will not be fully mature either physically and emotionally, and that leads to an increased risk of dystocia as well as possible poor mothering. You should wait to breed her until at least her second or third heat (around 18 months of age). I hope this helps!

It is likely they will be fine. As long as the parents are close in weight (within 10-15 lbs or so, the puppies should be fine. However just make sure to get radiographs when Pixie is beyond 45 days gestation to ensure the feti are not too big to go through the birth canal. I hope everything works out well for your pet Pixie. Best wishes and take care.

No this isn’t entirely correct. She does however have a greater chance of needing a C-section if the puppies end up being bigger than her birth canal. Which is why it’s best to have her examined by your vet and radiographs taken to look at the size of the fetuses. If they are too big to pass, then a simple C-section can be scheduled for the Mama dog. I hope this helps. Best wishes and take care.

I would be concerned that this weight difference might result in puppies that are too large for Bella and that she could end up needing a c-section. She could also end up having fewer, larger puppies. I think you’re better off searching for a smaller male.

Hello, I’m not sure if there was supposed to be a photograph of the male dog attached to this post or not. If you have a large male who breeds with a small female, there is always a concern that she will not be able to have the puppies and will need a C-section. Any small female dog who is having puppies should have radiographs done after day 45 to see how many babies are expected. If you do not want her to have a litter, I recommend calling the veterinarian and discussing getting her spayed ASAP. Some dogs can have a shot to stop the pregnancy but there can be some serious side effects to that. Getting her spayed will eliminate an accidental pregnancy in the future. Getting her spayed also has other health benefits and is recommended for any dog not intended for breeding. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions!

It would be an issue if the female was smaller than the male breed, b/c you may have puppies that are too big to pass. But considering the male dog is smaller than the female, you shouldn't have any issues like that occuring. Anything else would be unforseen. Historically mixed breeds often are healthier than pure bred dogs. : ) I hope that your Great Dane does well even if she is currently pregnant. Best of luck and take care.