Are you considering breeding your female Pomeranian? Then you probably wonder how many times your Pom can give birth, among other things. Well, that’s why I’m here to help you.
So, how many times can a Pomeranian give birth? Most breeders recommend that you start breeding your Pomeranian when she’s about 2 years old and retire her between the age of 5 and 7. On average, that means 4 litters per female Pomeranian.
So, what should you know before you breed your Pomeranian? Fortunately, I’ve gathered all the information you need regarding Pomeranian breeding.
When Is It Safe for a Pomeranian to Give Birth?
Before you start asking yourself how many times your Pom can give birth, you should ensure that your Pomeranian is ready for breeding. Otherwise, you risk the health of the mother and the litter.
Here are the three conditions that will help you figure out how many times you can breed your Pomeranian.
1. Age
Usually, female Pomeranians have their heat cycle between six and nine months. However, some Poms go into heat as early as four months. That’s far too young, and pregnancy at that age could be fatal for the mother and the litter.
By the American Kennel Club (AKC) standards, a Pom shouldn’t be younger than eight months to be considered eligible for breeding. So, most breeders don’t mate their Poms on the first heat cycle but wait until the female is at least two-years-old.
That’s logical because an 8-month old Pomeranian might not be mentally prepared to be a mother. A 2-year-old dog is still young enough to be a mother and is already matured physically and mentally.
2. Weight
Have you seen those cute pictures of teacup Pomeranians? While these puppies are cute beyond belief, respectable breeds frown upon the practice of breeding “toy Pomeranians.” What’s more, the AKC doesn’t recognize them as a separate breed.
Tiny “teacup” Poms are not likely to produce a healthy litter if they even manage to give birth successfully. What you’ll get are weak puppies with a myriad of health problems and a low life expectancy.
By breeding standards, Pomeranians are between 3-7 lbs in weight. As a rule of thumb, the male Pom should not weigh more than 3 lbs over the female. But it’s okay if the female Pom is heavier than the male.
3. Health
While Pomeranians are a healthy breed, they still have some hereditary and genetic problems. I’m talking about hip dysplasia, Legg-Perth disease, patellar luxation, a collapsed trachea, Black Skin Disease, heart murmurs, and more.
A female or a male Pom who has any health issues should not be bred because the puppies are going to inherit these conditions.
In addition to this, your Pom should have a vet check before each breeding to make sure that she’s healthy. In case your Pomeranian is sick or recovering from an illness, it’s better to miss a heat cycle than to risk pregnancy complications.
How Often Should You Breed Your Pom?
When it comes to discussing how many times a Pomeranian can give birth, the answer always comes to how often you breed your Pom.
I’m not going to lie when I say that this is a sensitive topic and you’re going to hear a lot of different opinions. Let me help you by stating what your options are:
- Breeding every heat cycle, meaning 2-3 litters every year.
- Breeding two consecutive heat cycles and then resting for one.
- Breeding every other heat cycle.
Some breeders argue that it’s more natural to let your Pom get pregnant every cycle. However, too many pregnancies in a row are bound to be exhausting on your Pom’s body and might increase the risks of complications.
That’s why most breeders choose to breed either two consecutive cycles or every other. In this way, your Pom has the chance to recover her strength and get ready to raise another litter.
But whatever you choose, you should keep in mind that the AKC doesn’t accept litters from the same mother if they are less than a year apart. Even if you don’t care about the AKC’s regulations, you should determine the frequency of breeding based on your dog’s overall health.
For example, a Pom who had to have a caesarian section might need to rest for more than one cycle before she’s fully recovered and ready to carry another litter. The same goes if your Pom has had an infection, a difficult pregnancy, or problems raising the puppies.
When Is a Pomeranian Too Old to Give Birth?
Female Pomeranians don’t have menopause, which means that they can continue to give birth for the larger part of their lifetime. However, a pregnancy at a senior age is highly dangerous for the female and the litter, and usually, it doesn’t end well for both.
As such, most specialists recommend that you don’t breed your Pom when she’s older than 7 years old. Most guidelines suggest retiring between the ages of 5 and 7, but this is an average.
Since every pregnancy progresses differently, you might have to retire your Pom earlier than anticipated. For example, a Pomeranian who had a difficult whelping might be spayed by necessity. Or your Pom might not be able to give birth to another litter due to birth complications.
Your vet will be the one to give you the best advice based on your Pom’s health check. Once your Pom is deemed too old or unfit to give birth, you should consider spaying her.
In this way, you ensure that your Pom won’t get a uterus infection called pyometra. Pyometra is a common occurrence for dogs with numerous heat cycles without a pregnancy.
Are You Ready to Breed Your Pomeranian?
As you can see, a Pom can give birth once or twice a year, depending on how frequently you breed her. But besides making sure that your Pom is ready to conceive, you must think if you’re prepared for this responsibility.
What I mean is that you should be ready to cover veterinary bills in case your Pom has a difficult whelping or complications during the pregnancy. In addition to these expenses, you’ll have to cover vaccines, dewormers, vet checks, prenatal vitamins, and get high-quality food for the mother and the puppies.
Moreover, you’ll have to keep an eye on your Pom for post-birth complications and make sure that the little ones are thriving. These things take time, and you’ll have to devote even more of it if it’s necessary to bottle feed the puppies.
In addition to this, you should be emotionally ready that something could go wrong. You can take all the necessary precautions and do everything by the book, and you might still lose a puppy or the mother. That’s one of the hardest blows for any breeder.
Furthermore, you should be ready to keep tabs on the puppies once you sell them and make sure that they have a safe and secure home. As a responsible breeder, you will also have to care for any unwanted puppies or runts of the litter who don’t meet the AKC’s criteria.
If you ask me, giving the puppies away is also not an easy job, and it’s a real struggle for people who bond closely with their pets.
Closing Thoughts
Since a Pomeranian can get pregnant for most of her life, it’s hard to say exactly how many times a Pomeranian can give birth. The AKC has a registration limit of four litters per female, but your Pom might have more than that if she’s healthy and strong.
