Dog breeding is part of a canine's life. However, many dog owners prefer to neuter their pets and avoid pregnancies. If you have decided to breed your dog, you may have a number of questions regarding this procedure.
Can My Dog Be Bred?
Typically, dogs can be bred as soon as they reach maturity, which happens at 6 months in most dogs and at 12 to 18 months in larger dog breeds. However, it is only recommended to breed the dog after the first heat cycle. Senior dogs should not be bred.
It is important to have the dog tested for various genetic diseases that may be transmitted to puppies, because dogs with certain diseases should not be bred.
How to Find a Partner for My Dog for Breeding?
If you want to breed your dog, you will have to find another dog for your pet to mate with. The partner may be found with the help of your vet or at a kennel, where they can help you find the dog you need for breeding purposes. Make sure that the dog chosen for mating has a clean bill of health and no genetic diseases.
When Is the Best Time to Breed the Dog?
In dogs there are only a few fertile days during a heat cycle. These fertile days are after the heat cycle starts, but can only be established by the vet. If you would like to breed your pet, take her to the vet when her heat cycle starts and the vet will perform a few tests to check her hormonal levels. You will have to isolate the female dog during her fertile period, because if she comes in contact with other male dogs, she can easily be bred.
How to Make the Dogs Breed?
Typically, the dogs will mate if kept in the same room, because the female will send out signals in the form of pheromones and the male will recognize these. However, you will have to provide the dogs with a quiet environment and make sure they are calm. You may need to keep them in the same room for 2 or 3 days, so that they can get used to each other, which can facilitate the mating.
What Are the Signs of Pregnancy?
If the female dog has been bred, she will display a number of symptoms. First, she will no longer have her heat cycle. She will also have swollen nipples and a lack appetite during the first weeks of pregnancy. As the pregnancy advances, the dog will have an increased appetite and you may also observe that she has an enlarged abdomen. The pregnancy lasts 9 weeks and during this time the dog shouldn't have any heat cycles or vaginal discharges. If blood occurs, this may signal an abortion.
How Many Puppies Can a Dog Have?
A pregnant female dog can give birth to several puppies, typically between 2 and 10 depending on the breed, but there are extreme cases in which dogs give birth to 16 puppies.