[sulldognasty]

Because multiple families have deferred to the summer-time litters, I have now found myself as the first pick of the female yellow lab puppies for an upcoming litter later this month. Very excited when I got the email. My question is this: expecting a small litter of around 6/7 with this being the mother pup's first litter ever, what are the odds that I get lucky and there are a couple of females born? I know there is no way of predicting, but just hoping it happens because if no females are born I go back down on the waitlist behind the family's that deferred. I also feel like I've more commonly seen all-male litters than all-female litters too. Think I will get lucky? Fingers crossed!

 

[LeoRose]

No telling. I've seen a litter of ten be eight or nine males and one or two females. I've seen it the other way, as well. Other times, it is more evenly split. If the litter is going to be all yellow, then the odds are more in your favor. If the litter is expected to be a mix of yellow, black, and /or chocolate, then your odds go down.

Also, a maiden bitch is no guarantee of a small litter, nor is the bitch having a large litter previously a guarantee of a large litter this time. A lot of it has to do with the timing of the breeding, the age of the bitch and the stud, the quality of the stud's semen, whether it's a live cover or an AI, and even the type of AI used.

 

[Quinsation]

I agree with LeoRose. When a friend bred her yellow Lab for the first time, she had 8 puppies, I THINK it was 5/3 mix. This dogs 1/2 sister had a litter of 4. My friend hadn't planned on keeping a puppy and had quite the list of people wanting a puppy. She hadn't planned on breeding her again,but the puppies were so nice, she decided to breed one more time, so she can keep a puppy. (no results on that litter yet, and she is due to be bred any day now) She was bred AI.

Another friend with a Collie had 9 for her first litter, and someone else had a first litter of 8 Staffordshire Bull Terriers (I'm waiting for this breeding to take place again)

*all of the dogs mentioned are well bred, titled dogs with health testing done.

 

[Cane Corso mama]

No way to tell, but I'll cross my fingers for you! Growing up, our Great Dane breeder had litters that were evenly split, as well as others that were predominately male or female.

My Cane Corso breeder's first litter, which was 8 pups (large for a corso!) was 5 males and 3 females. The next litter of another 8 (we couldn't believe it!) ended up being 6 females and 2 males.

Let us know how it turns out! Best of luck!

P. S. I've only ever had one male dog, a black lab, and he was the most AMAZING dog I've ever had the pleasure of having in my life. And I've grown up with dogs, well over a dozen over the years, and to this day Major was STILL the most amazing dog I've ever known. So unless you're planning on becoming a breeder and specifically want a female, maybe keep an open mind until you see the personalities of all of the pups and go from there. Just my two cents!