Breeding your Boston Terrier takes time. You need to make sure your dog is in its best shape and in its full maturity before breeding. By doing so, you will reduce the risk of potential health problems brought by breeding at a young age.
Just because your dog shows he is ready to mate doesn’t mean he can.
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At What Age Can a Male Boston Terrier Start Breeding?
When a Boston Terrier reaches seven months old, it can start breeding. However, it’s best to wait until your dog reaches the age of two years old before mating. Waiting for two years allows your dog to be sexually developed and ready for breeding.
Male Boston Terrier Sexual Maturity
The male Boston Terrier’s sexual maturity starts between 12 months to 15 months. During this stage, they produce testosterone levels higher than adults produce. You can also start noticing that your male Boston Terrier will act more aggressively towards other male dogs during this stage.
Your male dog is going to be sexually active throughout the year. Since its male hormones are at their peak during this stage, expect your dog to do a lot of marking his territories. You would also notice your dog roam around more frequently. This stage will develop undesirable traits in your dogs.
However, be patient because this stage is going to end as your dog keeps on growing. The best thing you can do is to keep on giving your dog physical and mental exercise. Keep training your dog the things you do while it is still a puppy.
These things will help you prevent or lessen the undesirable behavior you don’t want your Boston Terrier to develop.
Signs of a Sexually Active Male Boston Terrier
Sexually mature male Boston Terrier will exhibit signs that will help you know he is fully ready to breed.
- Your male dog will stop growing physically – this stage ends your dog’s physical growth.
- Your dog will start to develop the personality of an adult dog. Adult personality includes slowly losing their overly playful nature. Don’t worry because they still enjoy physical activities.
- Aggression towards other male dogs due to the increasing level of the testosterone hormone.
- Spraying his urine to mark his territories
- Mounting and humping behaviors
- Irritability – same with the female Boston Terriers
- Constant attempt to run away outside
When a male dog sexually matures, sexual hormones drive most of his behaviors.
Neutering
A lot of vets recommend neutering your Boston Terrier before they start mating. Before your dog matures sexually, you need to make that crucial decision. That’s if you don’t plan on breeding your dog.
Take note that timing is very crucial at this stage. A research conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association shows that neutering your Boston Terrier as early as 24 weeks may risk him to infectious diseases.
Other potential problems such as cancer, ligament ruptures, and hip dysplasia (deformation of the hip) may occur if your timing to neuter your dog is too early.
Neutering is a decision that needs to be taken seriously both by the dog owner and the vet who will perform the process. Some evidence proves neutering can both have a positive and negative effect on a dog’s health. It also shows how much understanding we have on this matter.
Health Concerns in Breeding Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier breed is more prone to genetic disorders than the average breed. Its physical structure, such as its large head, flat face, and large eyes, cause this health concern to happen.
One common problem with this breed of dog is what we call dystocia. Dystocia occurs when there’s difficulty with the fetus to pass through the pelvic canal. Since the female Boston Terrier has a narrow birth canal, puppies with broad shoulders and wide chests are having a hard time passing through.
In this case, the dog needs a cesarean section. A fetal pelvic disproportion caused by dystocia might cause death to both puppies and the mother Boston Terrier. So after birth, the female dog gets spayed. Spaying after birth is necessary in this case to protect the dog and the future puppies.
Boston Terrier’s Future of Breeding
The American Kennel Club has a color standard of black and white, seal and white, or brindle and white. Anything outside these standard colors cannot appear in the show ring — according to the AKC.
The Blue Boston Terrier and red fawn were once a part of a movement in the past 20 years. Right now, these colors are becoming more common. Meanwhile, the original black and white are slowly fading.
One distinct feature of a Boston Terrier is their large eyes. It is expected they stay large. Regarding the color, we are expecting to have more colorful breeds of Boston Terriers in the future. The original black and white color are also expected to come back or not.
Related Questions
How Early Can a Male Dog Get a Female Pregnant?
According to the American Kennel Club, a male dog can impregnate a female dog as early as five months. Once they are more mature physically, they are most fertile at the age of 12 to 15 months. Their testosterone level is higher than adult male dogs.
Is It Hard to Breed Boston Terriers?
Breeding a Boston Terrier is harder to breed than other average dogs. The copulation stage and pregnancy stage are smooth. However, the birthing stage is subjected to cesarean sections because of the dog’s breed size.
Can Boston Terriers Have Puppies Naturally?
Usually, Boston Terriers have a natural birth. Sometimes, they need a vet’s help, especially when the dog needs to undergo a cesarean section. When the male Boston Terrier is smaller than the female, that is mostly the time when the labor is smooth.
Conclusion
To sum it up, a male Boston Terrier can start breeding when he is physically and emotionally mature. Your dog can start mating by the age of seven months, but two years old is the ideal breeding age for him. It won’t be hard to tell because he will exhibit signs and behavior indicating he is fully ready.
