I think I agree with most of the posters - it all depends on experience and knowledge.

I have just bred my first litter at the grand old age of 35 lol. I have had dogs for over 15 years, and been around dogs for a lot longer. I was going to breed from my first springer, then my next dog, then my next etc etc, but I felt that I wasn't ready and I didn't have the right dog. It is only now that I felt comfortable having a litter and that was when I had a list of potential homes. I also had a mentor who was at the end of an email and phone and I felt I had the support that I needed.

Helen

Does not matter to me. If I was interested in having a puppy the age of the person who bred it would be immaterial.

That would be the owner of the bitch from whom I wished to have a pup.

They would have chosen the stud I would wish to have a pup from.

Age has nothing to do with getting relevant health tests conducted.

Most first time breeders who have carefully explored breeding have an experienced mentor at the end of the phone and it is easy to read about the best methods of rearing pups in order for them to realise their full potential, whether that be food, environment, training etc.

Anyone who has a litter is a breeder, the same way that anyone who has children is a parent. What age you start is, generally speaking, immaterial.

Everyone has to start sometime!

rune

I would rather buy a pup from someone who is up to date with all the relevant information, has worked hard to produce the litter, and has a good mentor, is working to improve his or her dogs, than a BYB, or someone who has repeated the same mistakes for 30 years!

I was 42 when I had my first litter...I had owned and showed English Setters for over 15 years at that time, had owned Irish Setters for 25 years so thought I had pretty much covered everything...it was still very daunting for me and I got through it with plenty of help from friends that had bred a few litters themselves.

I don't think any amount of experience in owning a breed necessarily helps you at whelping time, just that you have hopefully used an excellent sire on an excellent bitch and have a good idea what the resulting pups will be like with regards to health, temperament and looking like the breed should do.

I think I would be a bit put off by a teenager selling English Setters, not sure why but having read the opening post I just couldn't see myself going there

I do think most younger breeders follow in the foot steps of their parents.
I do however feel that at my age, I am not responsible enough to take on such a huge task alone. I personally am not all that interested in breeding anyways an am only interested in showing. I shall not get my own affix and the like although will always be apart of mums, an continue to handle for her. any females I have that are good enough to be bred from, I would allow mum to take a litter from while in her care and I would hopefully keep a pup back to show - thats as close as I can see myself getting to breeding for a good few more years yet..