How Many Times Can A Doberman Give Birth? Myth Busted

If you do it safely, Breeding your dogs can be a great way to make some money. However, to successfully breed your dog without causing any health problems, you need to understand things like how often your Doberman can give birth throughout their lifespan.

While a Doberman can continue to have litters as long as she is fertile (which does decrease with age), it is generally recommended that you only breed your female dogs three to four times. This means your Doberman should only be giving birth three to four times throughout her optimal breeding years.

In the rest of this article, we are going to take a closer look at how often you should really be breeding your male and female Dobermans.

Additionally, we are going to go over some of the other important information that you will need to know if you are considering breeding your Dobermans. You will find information on things like your dog’s heat, how many puppies you can expect in each litter, and how long pregnancies typically last.

Table of Contents

How Old Does A Doberman Have To Be To Breed?

Generally speaking, you want to wait until your dog is at least two years old before you start breeding them. You want to make sure that your dog is fully matured so that you can better predict any potential problems with breeding. Some of the more reputable breeders will wait even longer before they begin to breed their Dobermans, perhaps up to four years.

At What Age Can I Breed My Female Doberman?

When a female dog first goes into heat, she is technically old enough to breed. Generally, this first heat happens somewhere between six months and one year old. However, just because she can give birth does not mean that you should be breeding her.

You want to wait at least until your dog has gone through at least two complete heats before you start breeding her. At this point, you can be confident that your dog has reached full sexual maturity and is old enough to cope with a pregnancy.

As long as a vet has cleared your dog, the third heat is when your female dogs tend to be most fertile, making it a good time to start breeding.

At What Age Can I Breed My Male Doberman?

Similar to females, most male dogs first become fertile around six months old. However, it is usually considered unethical to breed a dog before at least 15 months, and most breeders will not start breeding their studs until they are 18-24 months old. Waiting this long for male dogs allows him to develop any serious health problems to become apparent fully.

How Long Are Dobermans Pregnant?

A Dobermans pregnancy usually lasts around nine weeks or between 58 to 68 days. The average is 63 days, but it does tend to vary a good bit. Additionally, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact day your dog became pregnant as sperm can live for several days inside the female before actually conception occurs.

How Many Times Can A Doberman Give Birth In A Year?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to breeding your Doberman. The first, less popular way of breeding is done back-to-back breeding over consecutive heats and then retires her earlier. If a breeder goes this route, their female dogs could potentially give birth twice a year.

However, the more popular belief is that you should allow your female dogs to rest for a year and a half between each pregnancy. If you decide to follow this school of thought, your Doberman should not be giving birth more than once a year.

How Many Puppies Do Dobermans Have In A Litter?

On average, a Doberman typically has a litter with between six and eight puppies. This size of litter tends to be very healthy and energetic. Additionally, it is small enough that it does not overwhelm the mother.

However, litter sizes can vary a lot. Some females may only have a few puppies in a litter, while others may have a significantly larger litter. It is important to keep in mind that larger litters can be at higher risk for complications.

How Many Times Should Dogs Tie When Breeding?

How many times dogs tie during one breeding cycle varies a lot based on the breeders. However, most breeders will allow the dogs to tie 2-3 days apart a couple of times. Many breeders even find that one tie is enough and therefore separate their dogs after the first tie.

Can A Dog Tie Too Many Times?

The short answer is no; your dog cannot tie too many times. If you leave your dogs together after they tie a couple of times, the males will likely continue to tie. This could tire out both the male and the female dog, but it likely will not cause any health problems.

Indeed, your male dogs should only tie your female dogs when the female is in her fertile season, but she will not allow any males to tie when she is not, so you do not have to worry about that occurring even if you do not separate them.

Does A Dog Get Pregnant Every Time They Tie?

No, dogs do not get pregnant every single time they tie. While many breeders find that most female dogs get pregnant after just one tie, it is not guaranteed. This is why a lot of breeders allow their dogs to tie several times before separating them.

However, the chance is high enough that you should keep any females you are not breeding completely separate from the males, especially when in heat.

How Many Times Do Dogs Have To Tie?

Male dogs never technically have to tie. It will do not hurt male dogs not to do so, and pregnancy can even occur without a tie. However, male dogs can tie every single day of the year if you let them. Male dogs will even try to tie after their sperm has depleted because their libido continues for much longer.

How Long Does It Take For A Doberman To Have Puppies?

If you have a Doberman puppy that you are planning to breed, it will take approximately 21-27 months to have your first litter of puppies from her.

The first 18 to 24 months are spent allowing your dog to reach sexual maturity and go through a couple of heats before reaching her third. During this time, you should also be getting your dog checked out by the vet to make sure you have the all-clear to breed.

After your dog reaches her third heat and you mate her, you then wait about another nine weeks for the gestation period.

How Many Puppies Do Dobermans Have In Their First Litter?

The average for all Doberman litters, including the first litters, tend to be between 6 and 8 puppies. However, they can vary a lot from dog to dog and even from litter to litter. Your Doberman’s first litter will likely be on the smaller size, so it could likely be less than six puppies.

Is The First Litter Of Puppies The Largest?

No, the first litter of puppies is not usually the largest. Your dog’s first two litters tend to be the smallest litters that your dog will have. But, on the other hand, many studies have found that litters 3 and 4 tend to be the largest.

Can Dobermans Have 13 Puppies?

Yes, there have been reports of Dobermans having 13 puppies in one litter. While a litter this big is exceedingly rare, it is possible, even in large dog breeds like Dobermans. However, you do not necessarily want to hope for a litter this big (even though it would mean more puppies for you to sell.)

When litters get this big, there is a much greater chance for health problems and complications, which can be expensive or result in you losing the puppies or the mom.

Do Dobermans Have Periods?

Rather than a period once a month like humans, Dobermans have what is called heat, which is, in some ways, very similar to a period. Your dog will typically bleed and may experience some discomfort. She will also have her most fertile window during her heat.

How Do You Know When A Doberman Is In Heat?

A few days before your dog goes into heat, you will notice her behind start to get a bit puffier. At this point, you can start blotting the area with a tissue every morning.

Within a few days, you will likely notice a light pink or salmon color on the tissue; this is considered the first day of your dogs heat.

Other signs could be your dog urinating more than usual or acting more nervous. If you are not expecting your dog to go into heat, you might not notice until a couple of days in when the discharge gets worse.

How Often Do Dobermans Go Into Heat?

How often a Doberman goes into heat can vary slightly, especially in the beginning before they reach sexual maturity. However, once your Doberman is 18 months to 2 years old, you can expect that she will go into heat about every six months.

At What Age Should You Stop Breeding A Doberman?

You should never breed a dog older than eight or nine years old because that can lead to complications for both the litter and the mother. However, the time you should stop breeding your dog depends more on the number of litters than age.

After your dog has had 3-4 litters, you generally recommend that you stop breeding her. As soon as you decide you are done breeding a female, you need to get her spayed.