How Many Puppies Do Chihuahuas Have The First Time?
Chihuahuas generally have small litters, but the first time a Chihuahua gives birth the litter will be even smaller. Don’t expect to see more than three puppies the first time, and it’s far more likely that your Chi will give birth to just one puppy in the first litter.
Guessing the number of puppies a Chihuahua will have the first time isn’t an exact science. But, anything more than three puppies the first time is highly unusual and very unlikely.
The age of your Chihuahua is one of the factors that affect the size of the first litter. Generally, the younger the Chi the more likely it is that they will give birth to just one puppy the first time around.
Like other toy breeds, Chihuahuas reach puberty very young, usually between four and seven months of age. As soon as a female Chi enters puberty, which will be her first heat cycle, she can become pregnant.
If by chance your Chihuahua gets mounted by a male dog during the estrus phase of the heat cycle, she can become pregnant.
This means that you can have a five-month-old Chihuahua, which is still technically a puppy, pregnant and ready to deliver her first litter in the next nine weeks.
As mentioned earlier, Chihuahuas are at risk of developing complications during pregnancy and delivery, and many must give birth via cesarean section.
This is mainly because Chihuahuas have narrow hips and their puppies have large heads, which puts them at risk of being stuck in the birthing canal.
This risk becomes even higher if a Chihuahua gets pregnant by mating with a larger dog. In this case, the pregnancy can become even more difficult since the puppies can become too large for Chi’s womb and put the mom’s health at great risk.
That’s why you can’t let your Chihuahua out of your sight while she is in heat, and avoid male dogs at all costs!
Also, don’t assume that having a fenced yard will serve as any kind of foolproof protection and deter dogs from mounting your Chi.
When hormones are running wild, males will stake out your house and grab any opportunity to mount a female in heat.
Since Chihuahuas may experience serious birthing complications, breeders are advised to wait until the second heat cycle to breed two Chis.
This means that the female Chihuahua will be fully grown and technically an adult, and more prepared to give birth to a healthy litter without experiencing any complications.
If you have a female Chihuahua that you want to breed at some point, please wait until she is old enough, and don’t plan to breed her during the first heat cycle.
You can also minimize the risk of complications by carefully choosing a mate and following all the stages of her pregnancy with a dog pregnancy calendar.
Ideally, look for smaller male Chihuahuas to pair with your dog and check to see if their parents were smaller or larger in size.
All puppies inherit genes from both their parent,s and your pups may be larger if there is a history of larger Chis in the male’s lineage.
How Many Times A Year Can A Chihuahua Have Puppies?
Pregnancy can take its toll on a dog’s body, especially on such a small dog as a Chihuahua. Any reputable breeder won’t allow their Chihuahuas to have more than four litters during their lifetime.
Breeding Chihuahuas is a serious endeavor, even more so because most Chis must give birth via cesarean section. Being pregnant, delivering puppies, and later nursing them puts a lot of strain on the mother’s body and she needs time to completely heal and recover.
Therefore, most reputable breeders only breed female Chihuahuas every other year, allowing the dam plenty of time to regain its full strength and be ready for another pregnancy. Otherwise, there is a risk of complications and a huge chance that the puppies will be born with serious health problems.
If you plan to purchase a Chihuahua puppy, you should ask the breeder how many litters the mother has already had.
Anything over three or four is a huge red flag and a sign that the breeder is in it for the money. In this case, walk away and look for a reputable breeder who won’t jeopardize the health of the Chi mom and the litter by breeding in excess for the sake of profit.
If by any chance you want to breed your female Chihuahua, you should consult your vet first, to see if she is completely healthy and ready to get pregnant. Also, keep in mind that breeding Chihuahuas can be a very expensive hobby.
Your vet will have to be involved from conception and be there for all Chihuahua pregnancy stages and monitor your dog closely. Make sure that your Chihuahua is fully vaccinated before you attempt to breed her; otherwise, both the mom and the puppies can be at risk of infectious diseases like parvo.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy in Chihuahuas can be quite expensive, so be prepared for the costs of blood tests, ultrasound, x-ray, and cesarean section.
Ultimately, the size and number of puppies your pooch is going to deliver will determine whether your dog will need a cesarean or if natural delivery is a better option.
Can a 8 year old dog have puppies?
Can an 8-year-old dog have puppies? It is possible for an 8-year-old dog to have puppies. However, it can be breed specific, as some larger dogs have shorter lifespans than smaller ones.
What is the oldest age a dog can have puppies?
A new record for the world’s oldest dog living has been confirmed in Greenacres, Florida, USA.
Chihuahua TobyKeith (USA, b. 9 January 2001) had his record verified at the grand old age of 21 years 66 days on 16 March 2022.
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TobyKeith’s owner, Gisela Shore, has been with him for the vast majority of his life, after adopting him from an animal shelter when he was just a few months old.
“I was a volunteer at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue and one of the employees told me about an elderly couple trying to surrender a puppy because they could not take care of him any longer,” said Gisela.
“I met with the elderly couple and I was introduced to a tiny tan Chihuahua. They had named him Peanut Butter. I later changed his name to TobyKeith.”
And that’s where TobyKeith and Gisela’s story began, one that has gone on to span over two decades.
Gisela started to consider that TobyKeith could be the oldest dog living when he turned 20.
“When he turned 20 years everyone’s reaction was WOW! My friends and family thought he was the oldest dog they knew about.” – Gisela Shore
It wasn’t just the humans celebrating either. TobyKeith got a bath, his nails trimmed and went for a car ride as a special treat when the news was confirmed.
“Tobykeith is my little bodyguard. Follows me everywhere. Lays on me while we watch TV. I adore him!”
TobyKieth shares Gisela’s affection with two other dogs; Luna (a seven-year-old American Bulldog) and Lala (a three-year-old Chinese Crested).
In addition, Gisela has two parrots, Coco (a 28-year-old Umbrella Cockatoo) and Coqui (a 32-year-old African Grey).
TobyKieth loves to play with Luna and Lala, but shares a special bond with Coco and often walks around with her in tow.
An average day for this old gentleman sees him wake up at 6:30 am for his first trip outside before getting his first snack of the day (his favourite treat is a slice of turkey).
The rest of his day consists of more short walks and, when Gisela is working from home, lying next to her work station.
In fact, now 21 years 3 months 5 days old at the time of writing, TobyKeith has far exceeded the usual life expectancy of an average Chihuahua, which can range from 12 to 18 years.
She believes TobyKeith’s continued health is helped by regular exercise and a healthy diet, consisting of vegetables, rice and chicken and no sugary treats.
Gisela thinks the key to his grand old age is healthy genetics, a healthy diet and, most importantly, a loving home.
Over the past 20 years, Gisela has also fostered over 150 dogs and puppies from Peggy Adams Animal Rescue, where she met TobyKeith all those years ago.
“The thought that my little guy has reached such a milestone is fantastic! I am thrilled.”
The oldest dog ever recorded was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey, owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia.
Bluey was obtained as a puppy in 1910 and worked among cattle and sheep for nearly 20 years before being put to sleep on 14 November 1939 aged 29 years 5 months.
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