Everything you need to know about breeding dogs: appropriate age, what to do if it doesn’t work out, rules and tips

Mating dogs is a completely natural process that many owners of four-legged friends encounter sooner or later. It is up to the owner to decide whether or not to breed his pet. If you are interested in improving the breed, then you need to carefully select a candidate for your dog. As for the physiological aspect, the ability to reproduce in dogs appears at 9-12 months, but the optimal age for the first mating is still considered 2 years. The fact is that the fragile body of young bitches is not yet able to withstand mating, pregnancy, subsequent births and feedings. Early matings are also unfavorable for males whose reproductive system is not yet fully formed - various diseases can result from this, so it is better to wait until 20-24 months.

What is breeding or mating of dogs?

Mating is the procedure of mating dogs of breeding value in order to obtain a high-breed litter.

According to the regulations on breeding work of the Russian (and International) Cynological Federation, mating of bitches is permissible once a year - through estrus. A one-time exception can be made for animals, breeds that are on the verge of extinction or for females of special breeding value. Provided that the bitch receives restoration in the next year. There are no restrictions for males; males can be mated at least every month.

Individuals that have breeding value, are completely healthy and have reached the age of 18 months are allowed to mate. For bitches, as a rule, this is the third estrus. The breeding value is determined by a breeding expert at the exhibition. For a male dog, admission to breeding is considered to be no lower than “very good”; for a female dog, no lower than “good”. Some breeds also require a mental health test.

Important articles on the topic:

• “Oestrus in dogs: duration, first heat, caring for your pet”;
• “Features and duration of pregnancy in dogs”;
• “False pregnancy in a dog: symptoms and causes”;
• “Giving birth to a dog: preparation, symptoms, care.”

Features of animal behavior

During sexual heat, the behavior of dogs changes to varying degrees, depending on the individual characteristics of the body.

The first estrus in bitches occurs at 5–7 months in small breeds and 6–10 months in large breeds. Behavior changes only during the period of estrus, after which it returns to normal:

• The female actively leaves marks on the street.
• May become more irritable and restless, and show aggression towards other females.
• There are interruptions in appetite.
• The dog can mount others, including females.

Males mature by about 7 months, changes in behavior are possible:

1. The dog actively begins to mark its territory.
2. It is possible to display aggression towards other males and a protective instinct.
3. Interest in females increases.
4. Attempts to mount other dogs, including males, are possible.
5. The dog refuses to follow commands and is stubborn.

Among other things, the release of testosterone at the sight of a female in heat drives a male dog crazy - the pet does not hear or see the owner at this moment, does not respond to commands, and there are frequent cases of running away after females in heat.

Puberty occurs much earlier than reproductive readiness. Animals that are too young should not be bred.

When can and should you adopt pets?

Estrus occurs twice a year once a year in some native breeds . The average duration of estrus is 21 – 28 days , depending on the breed and individual characteristics of the body. The ovulation period - a favorable time for mating - lasts from 2 to 5 days . The male is ready for insemination all year round.

Bitches living together synchronize estrus and everyone goes into heat almost simultaneously. This is due to the fact that in the wild it is easier to protect puppies in a pack.

Ovulation occurs on the 8th – 14th day of estrus; it is on these days that you need to go on a “date with your gentleman”. Until the female is ready to mate, she will not allow the male to approach her. But if the dog is far away, in order not to travel in vain, you need to determine the exact day of readiness for mating; this can be done at a veterinary clinic or you can try it yourself.

Symptoms of ovulation in a bitch:

1. When pressing on the croup, the dog stands and moves its tail to the side.
2. The loop becomes soft and increases in size.
3. Vulvar discharge becomes paler.
4. If you press on the loop, it rises up and the tail goes to the side.

But a veterinarian will provide more reliable information; clinics do tests using a vaginal smear or drawing blood from a vein.

Progesterone in dogs for mating (table)

Testing for progesterone in dogs is done through a blood test. Not all veterinary institutions perform this procedure, so you can go to a human hospital for testing. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the bitch is ready for mating.

Details in the table:

Permissible frequency of matings

While maintaining satisfactory health, males participate in breeding work until old age. They are knitted no more than once a week to maintain sperm quality.

Bitches are subject to stricter rules. They lose breeding value at 8 years of age. A one-year deferment is given only to very valuable representatives in good health.

During the entire life of a pet, no more than 6 matings are allowed. That is, bitches can be bred once a year. At least six months should pass between the birth of different litters. Otherwise, the puppies are deprived of official registration and remain without pedigrees.

Dog's first mating

Mating is carried out on the territory of the male; this is an exceptional rule. A male dog must feel like he is in charge of the situation, while females often behave aggressively towards trespassers. Small and medium-sized breeds can be kept in the apartment, having previously removed all objects that could interfere or break during the “mating games”. Large and giant dogs are bred outside, in a securely fenced area.

The “date” is scheduled for the morning; dogs must skip breakfast. Water should be left freely available, regardless of the time of year.

To facilitate the process of the first mating, experienced partners are selected - for an untied female, an experienced male and vice versa. But in any case, it is unacceptable to let the process take its course; the owners need to be constantly nearby in order to have time to help, if necessary.

Video - mating hairless dogs

Possible problems

In the process of meeting a breeding couple and direct mating, some difficulties may arise, which should not be alarmed, they can all be solved:

• Aggressive behavior of dogs . To avoid injury and bites, animals are muzzled.
• The male is shorter than the female . The hind legs of the male are placed either on a specially prepared stand, or improvised with improvised means.
• The female is not interested in the male . The male is brought from behind to the bitch, allowing him to sniff thoroughly. If this does not help, then you need to either change the male dog or conduct an ovulation test (perhaps the day is not suitable for mating).
• The dogs are tired . There are times when the process of flirting is delayed, and the animals simply get tired, in this case, you need to separate the couple for 1 - 2 hours and let them rest.
• When mounting a dog, the bitch should sit . In order not to injure the male’s penis, the owner places his knee under the female’s belly; for “ladies” who are too tall, a wide belt is thrown over the belly and held on top.

If you have very little experience in dog breeding, but you definitely need to breed a pair, you can ask for the help of a mating instructor; all canine organizations provide such services.

Possible difficulties

There are many difficulties on the path to successful fertilization. Owners may encounter:

• active resistance of the pet during insertion of the penis;
• lack of interest in mating on the part of the male or too early ejaculation;
• lack of a lock.

All these situations are solvable, but only with human intervention. This is especially true for untied animals.

How does mating happen?

1. After the “lady” meets the “gentleman”, a kind of courtship begins - the male can lick the face or ears, bite the withers, lick the vulva. If the female is completely ready for mating, she stands in a stance without outside help and exposes the noose to the male.
2. Then the boyfriend begins to mount - he puts his front paws on the lady’s rump. He grabs her by the “waist” and begins to make forward movements, trying to penetrate the penis into the vagina.
3. After the penis enters the vulva, ejaculation occurs, at which point the vaginal walls contract, keeping the male genitals inside . This process is called gluing (locking), it lasts from 2 - 3 minutes to 70 - 90 minutes. To make the procedure easier, the owners need help - the dog’s hind leg must be carefully folded over and the dogs placed back to back.

The female should not be allowed to sit; she can injure the male’s genitals. To ensure the reliability of fertilization, double mating is carried out after 12 – 48 hours.

Preparing the couple

Before mating, it is necessary to prepare both partners:

• Get tested for genetic diseases.
• Obtain permission to breed from an expert at the exhibition.
• Pass standards for working qualities (for breeds with working tests - shepherds, service dogs).
• Provide vaccines against rabies and other infectious diseases in advance.
• Get tested for genital tract infections.
• Carry out deworming (preferably twice with an interval of 10 - 14 days).

If there are incurable or genetic diseases, animals are excluded from breeding . All other health problems are resolved in advance; only completely healthy individuals are allowed to reproduce.

All manipulations are carried out in advance, as is the selection of a partner. In order not to miss an important moment and to be on time, the owners of the bitch need to keep a calendar of estrus, which will help them figure out when to expect the next one. A month before the intended mating, it is necessary to inform the owners of the male dog about your intentions to mate with their “boy”.

Technology and help for pets

To prevent force majeure, owners of both animals need to be alert to help their pets in mating. The most problematic matings are between very small and very large dogs, especially when the male is smaller than the female. In other cases, nature itself does its job.

Help from owners during insemination, if the day is chosen correctly, is minimal.:

1. If mating outside, in the cold season, you need to sprinkle the mating area with sand so that the dogs do not injure their paws.
2. Do not allow the female to sit down during cage and locking.
3. Give the gentleman a lift or put something under his hind legs if he is shorter than the lady.
4. Prevent skin injuries during aggressive attacks using a muzzle.

It may be necessary to direct the male's penis into the vulva if he cannot get there on his own.

What to do if it doesn't work out

If the owners followed all the recommendations, there should be no problems. But if suddenly, despite all efforts, fertilization does not occur, then there are several ways out of the situation:

• Use the services of a professional knitting instructor.
• Take the bitch's ovulation test again.
• Replace the male.
• Resort to artificial insemination.

Dogs, of course, are not capable of love in the human sense of the word. But it happens that a couple is chosen in such a way that the pets simply do not like each other and, having changed the gentleman, mating will happen in a few minutes.

Video - mating a wolf and a husky

Will you need human help?

Human help will be needed if there is no experience or difficulties arise. In the first case, it is enough to act according to the standard scheme, supporting and guiding both partners.

In the second case, everything is more complicated and depends on the specific problem:

1. Resistance of the female during insertion of the penis

   . Secure the pet's belly on your knee, preventing it from rolling over onto its back. After successful penetration, continue to hold the animals until mating.

2. Lack of interest in the cage

   . Help the male dog find the bitch's noose by placing his front paws on her rump. If there is no result, stop for an hour and try again.

3. Early ejaculation

   . Temporarily separate the animals to reduce the male's agitation.

4. No sticking

   . If there is no spontaneous lock, hold your pets for 15 minutes.

Make sure you correctly calculate which day of your dog's heat a successful mating will occur. Due to the mistake, the male may not be interested in his partner.

Artificial mating in dogs

Artificial insemination is required when physical contact between animals is impossible due to some circumstances. The key link to the success of such fertilization is the day of ovulation; without a test for readiness to mate, there is no point in carrying out the procedure. There are 4 types of unnatural mating:

1. Surgical. Performed only by a doctor qualified as a surgeon. Has all the consequences of abdominal operations. The veterinarian injects the sperm into the uterus through an incision in the abdomen using a catheter.
2. Endoscopic. Performed by a veterinarian using an endoscope. Has a high success rate with minimal injury. It is carried out without anesthesia, therefore, it is not suitable for aggressive and hyperactive dogs.
3. Intrauterine. Produced by a veterinarian or qualified livestock specialist. Using special catheters, sperm is injected into the cervix or cervical canal of the uterus.
4. Vaginal. A simple method available to breeders, but it has the lowest percentage of positive results. Sperm is injected with a douche or a special syringe.

Sperm is used both fresh and frozen. It is more effective to use fresh; frozen is used only if the manufacturer is located abroad.

Expectation

After mating, all symptoms of estrus may disappear in the dog. This doesn't always happen. Don't worry if they continue for another couple of days. This is normal and depends solely on the individuality of the patient’s body.

You will become the happy owner of small touching lumps no earlier than 4-4.5 weeks after mating. Signs of pregnancy:

• The dog's loop will swell and become loose in appearance.
• On days 35-45, her belly will also increase.
• The nipples will begin to swell.

4-5 weeks after mating, an ultrasound examination can be done, which will show or deny pregnancy.

If you feel that you are unable to cope with the task of mating on your own, then specialists in this field will be happy to help you. A specially trained instructor will take care of all the hassle of carrying out the delicate process without harming the physical and mental condition of the pet.

Everything worked out and your pet is waiting for the first litter to appear? Congratulations! New troubles and new challenges await you soon.

Diagnosis of the result

The first month of pregnancy in dogs is almost asymptomatic. Toxicosis in bitches is extremely rare; the abdomen grows, but is practically not visible visually without measurements (a distinct enlargement of the abdomen is noticeable in multiple pregnancies).

By the end of the first month, the first signs appear:

• The mammary glands swell.
• The nipples become harder and brighter in color, and colostrum may leak when pressed.
• The abdomen is noticeably rounded.
• The expectant mother becomes more careful and sleeps more.
• Appetite increases.
• 7 – 10 before birth, you can clearly feel the puppies moving.

Earlier determinations of fertilization are available only to veterinarians; 3–4 weeks after mating, you can do an ultrasound diagnosis or take a blood test for relaxin (a hormone produced in pregnant women).

Preparation for mating

If you are planning to breed a Yorkshire Terrier female, you need to carry out preliminary preparations:

• all vaccinations must be done according to age;
• The dog should not be thin or overfed. Her diet must be balanced.
• 2-3 weeks in advance it is necessary to give an anthelmintic and treat against fleas and ticks;
• the hair in the area of ​​the dog’s genitals should be cut short;
• You should not wash your dog with detergents just before mating. The smell of gel or shampoo can distract a dog from a bitch. Give her a bath 4 days before mating.

Owners of a male Yorkie should not breed him with another dog for a month before the planned mating.

Key mating rules and advice from dog breeders

Basic (sometimes even unspoken) rules for breeding dogs among breeders:

1. Do not produce mestizos and phenotypes.
2. Do not breed sick animals.
3. Do not engage in inbreeding unless absolutely necessary.
4. Do not allow mentally unstable dogs to breed.

Another optional but important principle is not to mate large breeds that are too young, particularly females. Large and giant dogs mature psychologically and physiologically later than other breeds. Therefore, responsible breeders, who care about their sires and puppies, try to untie bitches closer to two years. Complete formation of the skeleton occurs later than the officially permitted mating age.

Ready time for pairing

The question of when a dog is ready for mating confuses most dog owners. However, if you resort to a proven scheme, you don’t have to worry about this. In this case, you can use two ways to determine readiness.

• 1) Familiarize yourself with the reaction of the bitch; if, when you grasp the hips and press on the lower back below the croup, she is ready for mating, then the individual will freeze and move her tail;
• 2) By gently pressing the lower part of the loop, the knot rises and freezes, starting to move forward with short pushing movements.

These “folk” methods of determination also have a scientific basis, so their effectiveness is high. As soon as the dog’s ability and readiness to mate is revealed, the procedure should be carried out. Otherwise, after three days the moment of estrus will be lost and mating in dogs will lose its meaning.

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Agreement and Act of Dog Breeding

In breeding there is such a thing as the act of mating; this is a mandatory document, without which mating will be considered unscheduled. The data of the owners and their pets is entered into the act, and then certified by the nearest canine organization. A standard mating act can be found on the official website of the RKF or downloaded for free on our website. It is compiled in triplicate - for the owners and for the club, which will carry out the litter verification and issue pedigrees.

Cynological organizations do not control payments for mating, so that there are no disagreements among the owners, experienced breeders recommend drawing up an additional agreement, which will spell out all the rights and obligations of the parties.

Sample of filling out a dog mating certificate

For an inexperienced dog breeder, it is better to contact the nursery where the puppy was purchased for all questions regarding mating and related documents. Breeders are always happy to help their “children” both in selecting a pair and in preparing pedigrees. After all, this is an opportunity for them to know that everything is fine with their charges.

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Necessary documents for mating

At the time of mating, you must have a complete package of documents for two dogs (male and female).
These documents will be useful to you a little later (after 3.5 months), when you activate the puppies. Activation is an inspection of the litter by a third-party specialist (a representative of the kennel club), in order to assess the compliance of the puppies with the breed standard, their health status, culling and issuance of documents. Activation takes place when the puppies are 45 days old. So, the complete list of documents required to register a litter: 1. mating certificate () 2. copy of the bitch’s pedigree 3. copy of the bitch’s owner’s passport 4. original exhibition diploma with the bitch’s assessment or copies of championship titles 5. copy of the dog’s pedigree 6. copy of the owner’s passport male 7. original exhibition diploma with male evaluation or copies of championship titles 8. copy of kennel registration certificate (only for kennel owners)

What is the best time to breed?

Veterinarians and breeders recommend carrying out the first mating in spring and autumn. The advantages of spring mating include:

• Length of daylight hours. Sunlight helps to better absorb vitamin D and calcium, which are involved in the structure of the skeletal system of developing embryos. And also during the period of long daylight hours, females recover faster after childbirth;
• Nutrition. With the beginning of spring, the content of biologically active compounds in meat and fish products increases. But this applies only to natural nutrition: in the spring, a pregnant female receives more vitamins and nutrients;
• Protection of newborn puppies from rickets. The summer months are the best natural remedy against rickets. The puppies will spend a long time in the fresh air, walking and strengthening their shape.

Possible complications

It would seem that mating dogs cannot have any complications, since this is a natural process, but in practice everything is a little more complicated and sometimes the following difficulties are observed:

• aggressiveness of the dog towards the owner of the bitch (you need to distract the dog’s attention);
• discrepancy between partners' sizes;
• inaccurate determination of the timing of sexual heat and mating;
• inappropriate parameters of the bitch (too fat or, conversely, too thin);
• structural anomalies of the genital organs and gynecological diseases;
• unsatisfactory condition of the male sperm (low sperm concentration or insufficient sperm activity).

In addition, the possibility of psychological problems should not be ruled out: for example, a female dog may be frightened by an unfamiliar area and try to run away (especially if the male behaves aggressively).
To avoid problems, try to prepare in advance for all possible scenarios. Did you know? The Tibetan Mastiff is recognized as the most expensive dog breed in the world. These giants show their superiority with all their appearance, so it is not surprising that wealthy people buy them. So, a puppy of this breed was sold in China for 1.5 million dollars.

Dating procedure

The first to visit the mating place is the “lady”, who gets the opportunity to get acquainted with the surrounding space for 5-10 minutes, then the “gentleman” is released to her. An experienced dog will initially prefer to spend a little time courting a bitch.

The introduction of pets should take place under the supervision of their owners. Often you may need help when breeding dogs, especially when the dog is young and does not have the proper experience. In such cases, he may need to be “adjusted”, placed in the desired position. An overexcited dog is capable of performing incorrect mountings. To correct the situation, the owner should take his four-legged friend out and give him time to calm down a little.

The behavior of experienced male dogs may be different. Someone tries to growl at the “lady”, bite her lightly, and show his dominance. Quite often, “grooms” demonstrate polite behavior, try to flirt, lick the “noose” and “ears” of their “brides”. Often the behavior of an experienced male dog changes radically. This means that the owner will have to control his pet at all times.

In most cases, the reaction of an experienced bitch to a dog is calm. The “lady” is not against the advances of the “gentleman”. After a short game, the bitch takes a stance and withdraws her tail. Her pelvis is located in front of the male's front legs. The animal periodically tilts its head to the side, without looking at the partner, and may flatten its ears.

A young bitch is capable of showing fear, tucking her tail, and falling on her paws. If this is the first mating of dogs, the “bride” often snaps, and sometimes even tries to rush at the “groom”. This behavior is explained not only by youth and inexperience, but also by an error in calculating the day of mating. Another reason is the presence of abnormalities in the animal’s nervous system. The adequate reaction of the bitch, her acceptance of her partner’s advances, the absence of fear and aggression indicate the correct calculation of the time of mating, and the absence of unwanted physiological and nervous disorders in the individual.