How to Breed Female Chihuahuas

The Chihuahua is the smallest recognized breed by the American Kennel Club. They are thought to have descended from the Fennec Fox and are one of only a few breeds to have been created strictly for companionship. Breeding female Chihuahuas is a somewhat tricky endeavor because of their small size and the size of the puppies' heads in comparison to the smaller size of the mother's pelvis. Extra care must be taken in finding a suitably sized male to prevent unnecessary complications during pregnancy.

Things You'll Need

  • Clean breeding pen
  • Appropriately sized male Chihuahua
  • Well-balanced diet
  • Veterinarian
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose your breeding pair. The most important aspect for breeding female Chihuahuas is the size of the male. In general, the male should be several pounds smaller than the female in order to prevent the puppies' heads from becoming too large to pass through the birth canal. Females should be at least five-to-six pounds for breeding purposes as it is tough to find males small enough to breed with females smaller than this.

    • 2

      Take the female to a veterinarian. A veterinarian will be able to determine the overall health of the female dog during this visit and administer any necessary vaccinations and dewormings.During this examination, the veterinarian may elect to draw blood and take X-rays to check that all of the Chihuahua's internal organ systems are working properly and there are no physical reasons why the female shouldn't be bred.

    • 3

      Wait for the female to enter estrus. The female Chihuahua will only be willing to accept the male while she is in estrus, or heat. Most Chihuahuas will enter into their first estrus cycle somewhere between six and nine months of age, though some have entered into estrus earlier. Female Chihuahuas should not be bred until they have reached full maturity, around one and one-half to two years of age. This will ensure that she has the best chance of carrying her litter to term. The female will generally be ready to breed after three days of entering estrus.

    • 4

      Introduce the male when the female begins to show signs of entering into heat. This is usually signaled by the female leaking a small amount of clear fluid from her vulva. When that happens, you can introduce the male into her pen. The female will allow the male to breed with her when she is ready, generally two to three days into her estrus cycle. Usually two to three sessions with the male will be enough to ensure that the female will conceive, though there is no harm in allowing additional mating.

    • 5

      Remove the male from the female's pen after you are sure that the pair has bred. This will prevent any unnecessary confrontations. There is no harm in allowing the male and female to cohabitate during this time if they are accustomed to each other, but if the female appears to be stressed by his presence, remove him.

    • 6

      Take the female to the veterinarian after a couple of weeks after the mating to confirm she has conceived. The veterinarian will take an X-ray to determine whether any fetuses are present in the uterus and whether or not they appear too large for a normal birth. It is important to keep track of the puppies' growth through her pregnancy so that a Cesarean section can be scheduled if the puppies appear to be too large for a natural birth.

    • 7

      Keep the female happy and healthy. According to Richard K. Davis, veterinarian and owner of Knoxville Animal Clinic, providing a well-balanced diet, plenty of exercise and clean living quarters goes a long way to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Females will gestate for approximately 63 days before giving birth. Chihuahuas tend to have problems with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and need to have access to food at all times during their pregnancy to prevent this potentially life-threatening condition.