Female Pitbull Breeding Tips

Breeding a pitbull bitch, as with any other breed, begins with the decision of whether or not she is suited for having puppies. The bitch should be in good health -- having had frequent veterinary visits throughout her life. For the pitbull in particular, the bitch should not be overweight and with good muscle tone. As temperament is especially important in this breed, the bitch should be neither unconfident, aggressive or emotionally unstable. Owners should never breed bitches under the age of two-years-old as they are not physically mature enough to handle pregnancy.

  1. Medical Tests

    • While the bitch may seem ideal for breeding, it is important to ensure she is completely healthy through a series of medical tests, both for her safety and that of her puppies. A veterinarian can administer prebreeding tests and screen for genetic issues. These will include hip and elbow X-rays, and eye tests to look for progressive rRetinal atrophy and cataracts. At one month prior to the date of breeding, the bitch should have a full medical examination, including testing for parasites and brucellosis.

    Preparation

    • At the beginning of the gestation period, the pitbull will not show many physical or emotional changes. When the owner is certain of the pregnancy, he should begin the process of registering the puppies as pedigrees and taking reservations from potential buyers. As a large breed, the pitbull has on average five to 10 puppies in a litter.

    Gestation

    • After the fourth week of pregnancy, owners should not allow the bitch to take part in any form of arduous exercise. At this time, it is beneficial to add either a boiled egg or cottage cheese to the pitbull's food every other day, to provide her with extra protein, increasing this to every day after six weeks. The owner should increase the bitch's food intake in general, either by adding slightly more to each meal or adding another meal a day, and should begin to feed her puppy food after six weeks.

    Birth

    • Owners should take the bitch's temperature three times daily after she has been nine weeks pregnant. A sudden drop in temperature suggests she will soon give birth, as are signs of restlessness, discomfort and licking or looking at the vulva. Owners should call their veterinarian when the bitch displays these signals, so that he is on standby in case of an emergency. Owners should allow the pitbull to walk around if she produces no puppies after one hour of labor, but seek veterinary advice if she stays in labor for more than three hours.

    After Birth Care

    • Taking the puppies and bitch to a veterinarian five to six hours after the birth will ensure neither are suffering any health issues. For example, puppies born with cleft palates are unlikely to survive and the veterinarian will often recommend euthanizing them. The owner should watch the puppies to ensure all of them begin feeding within the first 24 hours. The bitch will have discharge that should be red or brown, or even green on the first day. Owners should seek veterinary help at the sign of any abnormalities.