It is not easy to mate dogs- especially if it is your pet’s first time. You cannot just put your dog with a bitch and expect it to happen- no you need the assistance of an experienced breeder, especially in case of unproven dogs. If you plan to stud your young male, you must handle him from a young age. Breeders often recommend stroking his genitals so that the dog gets used to assistance at the time of mating. Here are some important tips for breeding a male dog for the first time.
Bitch’s season
The best time to mate your male dog is when a suitable bitch is in season. The bitch’s heat can be summarized as follows:
- Day 1- this is the first day of her bleeding. Many pet parents/breeders tend to miss this date.
- For a week, she will not stand a male dog. During this period, she will snap and run away from your stud’s attention and advances. However, this is a good time to get the dogs together as they can flirt and play together and get familiar with each other.
- Then there is a week during her heat cycle where she will stand any dog and even run away to attempt to find one.
- This is followed by a week where she will again snap at the dog and will go ‘off’.
During her season, always keep her locked up. Even if you have a large fence, crazed male dogs are capable of coming over!
Dog mating tips for female dog owners
It is best to mate a (female or male) dog by the age of 2 years since they are mature by this age and sound in mind and body. Mating your female dog for the first time is best done under supervision. You can call up dog mating assistance breeders to help you. Female dog mating first time tips are as follows:
- Introduce the dogs around Day 8 of your bitch’s cycle.
- If you have not counted the days, you can get signs from her: if she is not ready, then she might snap or simply sit around. Some young bitches are ‘never ready’. You have to be firm with such girls.
- If you have found a good stud dog, ask to see his medical records. He should not have any heart issues or congenital health problems. Do not breed your bitch with a stud having aggressive tendencies.
Assisting a male dog to mate
The best days to get the dogs together for mating are Day 9, 11 & 13 and again on 10, 12 and 14 (with Day 1 being the first day of her bleeding). Get a couple of assistants to help you (at least three of you are needed to ensure that the stud does not pull out too quickly).
- Let the dogs flirt or play a bit.
- Take into account any height differences between the male and female. If the female is taller, you might have to prop the male up or make a hollow for the female.
- One person can sit on the floor with the bitch on their legs to prop her up. Another person can hold the bitch’s collar tightly.
- Let the male dog have a go. If you are breeding your male dog for the first time, he could be a bit clumsy and over excited. Do make sure that the bitch’s vulva is propped up so the male can access it easily.
- Once the male is in, put your arm firmly around him so that he does not pull out.
- If you keep getting slips-that is the male keeps coming out of her, you must ensure he stays in. This is because the male will not pump sperm unless he stops thrusting. If he pulls out too early, the sperm will end on the floor. That is why it is very important to get dog mating assistance.
Tie
Ideally, the male and female dogs should tie together. Allow your male to turn around if he wants, so that the dogs are standing back to back. Do not let them start roaming around. If you get a tie, you must still mate them a day or two later. One tie is ideally enough to get your bitch pregnant, but two or three are even better!
As can be seen, female dog mating first time and how to mate a dog for the first time can be quite tricky. We hope this brief dog breeding for beginners guide will help you stud your dog out.