Dogs should only be bred if it will improve the breed. Mating a German Shepherd is the first step towards getting offspring. In order for the litter to be strong and numerous, you need to choose the right pair and choose the right day for mating. Both parents must be healthy and vaccinated. An anthelmintic is given in advance.
To successfully bring together partners, owners must follow some recommendations.
At what age do German Shepherds occur?
girl
The best age for breeding a female German Shepherd is between 18 months and 2 years. This is done on the third heat. During this period, the female will finally form and become an adult.
If the bitch is three years old and has not been bred to this point, the risk of stillbirth increases, and difficulties with fertilization and pregnancy in general appear. As a girl ages, she may develop endometritis. In addition, a bitch that gives birth late produces insufficient milk for puppies.
Also, mating too early is harmful for the dog. If a female mates during her first or second heat, she often develops health problems.
boy
The minimum age for the first mating of a male German Shepherd is the same - 18 months and older.
First time
From a physiological point of view, there is a readiness for reproduction from six months, but the optimal period for this is 1.5-2 years, when the body has finally matured.
When to start?
Traditionally, they focus on the third heat. Notes from your observation diary will be useful to you, where you wrote down the start and end dates, and the features of the menstrual cycle. These data will be useful in the future. Also take into account the uniqueness of each individual, because the speed of development is different for everyone.
Underwater rocks
Avoid possible mistakes before untying. It is not advisable to carry it out after ovulation, even if the active period is still ongoing. This is fraught with the birth of weakened or stillborn babies. It is not recommended to start this too early or delay it, otherwise your health will be at risk. Watch your diet. Forced hunger and a lack of beneficial microelements or high-calorie foods that provoke obesity can lead to miscarriages.
How to choose a German male and female for mating?
It is advisable to untie a male dog by the age of two, and then mate him regularly. Selecting partners is an important stage of preparation, especially if the process occurs for the first time. Often male dogs, after incorrect matings, stop expressing themselves. In this regard, constant monitoring of the owner is required.
The selection is made not only by exterior, but also by behavioral parameters and the dog’s health. So, both partners must meet strict criteria:
- suitable age, i.e. not younger than 18 months;
- availability of all necessary vaccinations. Information about them is entered into the veterinary passport;
- confirmation that there are no genetic diseases;
- balance, lack of aggression and fearfulness.
The girl can be matched with either an already familiar male or a new partner. In the first case, things will go faster because the dogs are already familiar with each other. It is also important that the owner is always close to the pet. This will make him feel safe and comfortable. You need to praise the dog, but do not raise your voice at it.
If the owner plans to get puppies of a certain color, it is necessary to choose the right colors of the partners. For example, to obtain zonal-colored puppies, a zonal male needs the same female for mating. Or, for example, for mating a black German Shepherd needs a dog of a similar color.
Choosing the right pair
When selecting studs, they study the dog’s pedigree, preferably with an examination of close relatives (to detect the advantages/disadvantages of the line), and also look at his exterior, temperament and health, including his psyche.
Important! A responsible breeder balances the parameters of both dogs (skeletal structure, muscles, weight and height) so that they match as much as possible in order to avoid articular dysplasia in future puppies.
Puppies from unscheduled matings (born from a non-breeding female) are excluded from breeding, even if they meet all the requirements of the breed standard. Only German Shepherds that have successfully passed the Körung are suitable for elite breeding.
When selecting partners, follow the basic rules:
- the exterior of the male/female must comply with the German Shepherd standard;
- to improve the breed, only males are used;
- it is necessary that the dogs are suitable for each other in age;
- underweight/overweight of one of the partners is unacceptable;
- Shepherd dogs must be in excellent physical/mental condition;
- identify the pros and cons of dogs to make an optimal pair.
The last point assumes that if a bitch has some insignificant defect, she is bred to a dog that is devoid of such a defect, but does not have a counter-feature. When you combine mutually exclusive (alternative) qualities in partners, you will not get a golden mean, but will see offspring with intermediate properties. Also, puppies may be born, half of which have inherited their mother's characteristics, and the other half - their father's.
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Dog's first mating
The first mating is an exciting and at the same time important time for German Shepherds of both sexes. To successfully breed dogs for the first time, you need to choose the right partners. It is better if one of them is already “experienced”. For example, if they are breeding a male dog for the first time, then you need to select a female with experience and a balanced character, ready for mating.
It is better if both German Shepherds have already known each other before. It is impossible to say exactly how long it will take for preliminary acquaintance and courtship. One part of the males quickly starts mating, the other part likes to play around beforehand. In any case, the Germans cannot be rushed.
It happens that a male dog cannot mount the first time. If this happens, you need to take him to another room for five minutes so that he does not become overtired and takes a short break.
Sometimes veterinarians advise covering the girl, or rather her loop, with Vaseline. This is necessary if there is not enough natural lubrication during mating. You can place a rug under the male's paws to prevent him from slipping.
Features of crossing
There are two known ways of mating dogs - manual and free . The first involves the active participation of people, especially if one of the shepherd dogs is bred for the first time. Animals often require outside help, since mating does not always go smoothly. Freestyle mating is permissible when mating an experienced male dog and a female dog interested in him. But even in this case, the owners look after their shepherds.
Male side
If the male is inexperienced, the owner helps him mount by patting the rump with the word “Up!”, lifting (if necessary) his forelimbs and placing them on the bitch’s back. Her barking should not distract the male from the goal - inserting the penis into the loop. As soon as it enters the vagina, the muscles of the latter contract, tightly holding the bulbs of the penis. This is the lock (cleaning), during which the erection increases, ejaculation occurs and sperm is absorbed by the uterus.
Important! When the shepherd dogs have entered the castle, slowly remove the dog’s front paws from the bitch and place him with his back to her (first turning 180°) or next to her front legs. The castle lasts from 20 to 60 minutes.
Sometimes the penis enters partially and its bulbs are outside the loop, but even in such a situation, fertilization is possible: you need to hold the male on the bitch for at least 5 minutes. If he mounted, but the penis remained outside, the sperm does not enter the uterus. Then the dog is allowed to rest, taken to another room for 15–30 minutes, and the mating is repeated.
From the side of the bitch
Before mating, especially the debut one, they put a muzzle on the bitch and hold her head with her hands so that she does not bite the dog when mounting. Feeling the touch of the penis to the loop, the bitch can bark and scare away an inexperienced dog, so the owner must calm her down and also not allow her to lie down/sit when entering the lock.
If there is a difference in height, the male dog is helped to get into the loop by placing the partner in a position that is comfortable for him. A short bitch is slightly raised, for example, with a knee under the belly (away from the genitals).
Important! Bonding does not work for many reasons, including due to the inexperience of the bitch, squatting during mounting (the penis jumps out of the loop) or the haste of an inexperienced dog, whose bulbs swell before the penis penetrates the vagina.
A day later (for greater confidence in conception), a repeat or control mating is usually organized, since sperm retains its properties in the uterus for 24 hours.
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Preparing to breed a German Shepherd
Male
To prepare a male long-haired German Shepherd for mating, you must follow the recommendations of dog handlers:
- Provide a complete diet with a predominance of protein products. Protein is found in raw meat, offal, fish, eggs and cottage cheese. All this can be given to a German.
- Additionally, you need to give your German Shepherd mineral supplements and calcium.
- Before mating, you should take long walks of moderate activity.
- It is necessary to examine the male genitals. When discharge appears, it is necessary to syringe it with potassium permanganate.
- A few days before mating, the German's claws need to be trimmed.
- Before mating, give the male a teaspoon of vegetable oil with vitamin A.
After mating, a male German Shepherd needs rest to restore the energy it has expended.
Bitches
To prepare a female German Shepherd for mating, the owner needs to normalize her weight. Being underweight or overweight leads to a difficult pregnancy and increases the risk of stillbirth.
Also, before knitting a girl, you need to make sure that there is no:
- congenital malformations;
- infectious diseases;
- sexually transmitted diseases;
- joint dysplasia.
About a month before mating, the female is given an anthelmintic drug. This prevents embryos from becoming infected in the womb. If the female is more than three years old, she must be bred in the presence of an experienced dog handler or veterinarian. The loop is covered with Vaseline.
Breeders' advice
To breed a German Shepherd, it is recommended to take a male with a pronounced sexual instinct and a desire to cover the bitch . The breeder must do a good mounting (tightly clasping the partner's sides with his front paws), instinctively find the genital slit and have a push reflex to insert the penis into the vagina.
This is interesting! A male dog lacking any of the listed characteristics is excluded from breeding work, since his negative qualities can be inherited by the puppies.
Before mating, both shepherd dogs are given a good walk, making the last feeding no later than 3-4 hours before mating. The breeding room is prepared by the owner of the male dog, since the male dog always receives his partner on his territory. Before crossing, the female genitals are washed with a solution of rivanol.
To prevent the dog's paws from moving apart during mating, the floor in the room is covered with a rug or mat. Before mating, you need to prepare medical Vaseline, a muzzle and a bowl of drinking water. The effectiveness of mating depends mainly on the temperament and experience of the dog.
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How often can dogs be bred?
Dog handlers allow mating of female German Shepherds once a year, that is, after one heat. Males can be untied more often: for example, a male dog can be untied for several days in a row. The main thing is to give him time to rest and recover. Previously, dog handlers allowed mating of a female dog twice a year, i.e., during each heat. But still, pregnancy is a difficult test for a dog.
It can be noted that a long break between male crossings does not in any way affect the quality of sperm. But as soon as a male dog crosses the threshold of seven years of age, sperm begin to lose their activity, and in nine-year-old Germans and older they are completely “defective” and are not suitable for reproduction. Therefore, crossbreeding of German Shepherds is carried out at a young age.
Physiology of mating
If the bitch is in season, she allows mating. First, the male makes several test cages, after which he firmly grasps the female’s body with his front paws and looks for the entrance to the vagina. The first portion of ejaculate is released, which does not contain sperm.
This is followed by a series of thrusting movements, with which the penis is completely inserted into the vagina. Then a second portion of ejaculate is released, containing many sperm. This moment is easy to determine by the dancing movements of the male dog: he is actively moving his hind legs, as if looking for a comfortable position.
If all goes well, a “lock” will form moments after ejaculation. At this time, the third portion of ejaculate is released. It does not contain sperm, but helps them penetrate as deep as possible into the uterus.
“Lock” or “mating” is an anatomical feature of dog mating.
During sexual arousal, the male's penis fully extends from the prepuce and becomes hard. At its base there is a special extension - the bulb. When it becomes spherical, the bitch's vagina shrinks tightly around it.
Dogs will separate on their own when the swelling of the penis subsides. On average, partners stick together for 10 minutes, occasionally this time increases to an hour. After mating, the male does not remain in the cage, but moves his paws over the bitch’s body, taking a comfortable position. Usually pets stand with their tails facing each other.
Bitch giving birth
The duration of pregnancy for a female German Shepherd ranges from 60 to 66 days. The bitch's labor begins either in this time interval, or a little earlier (on the 57th day) or later (after the 66th day).
The variation in birth dates is due to the fact that quite a lot of time passes between ovulation and mating. A reason for concern is when labor begins ten days earlier or later than normal.
External indicators
It is possible to determine the day when estrus begins by changes in the bitch’s behavior and appearance. Sometimes a calm German Shepherd girl seems to be replaced, she becomes apathetic or aggressive depending on the circumstances.
Physiological signs appear:
- the genitals swell, a loop protrudes;
- nipples swell;
- The fur on the belly gets wet and milk is secreted.
On the first day, when estrus begins, the shepherd dog will not let its partner near. Being ready to let her in, the bitch herself bends down, exposing herself. Only then can dogs be born.
What assistance may be needed during childbirth?
A pregnant German Shepherd will need the owner’s help not only during childbirth, but also before it. First you need to prepare a set of the following items:
- thick oilcloth, cotton sheets or rags (play the role of bedding);
- absorbent disposable wipes or diapers;
- a plastic basin where you can put used diapers;
- insulated and soft box for newborn puppies. You need to place her next to the female;
- cotton thread for tying the umbilical cord;
- a notepad and pen for recording the time of contractions and the birth of babies;
- sterile bandages, gauze, cotton wool, antiseptic, etc.
In order not to confuse newborn puppies, you need to prepare multi-colored threads.
During childbirth, you need to support the dog and not leave her even a step. With proper preparation and the constant presence of the owner, the birth goes well. Just in case, you should keep the veterinarian's phone number nearby.
Frequent mistakes of owners during mating and childbirth
A number of mistakes that owners of German Shepherds often make during breeding and childbirth of a dog:
- Attempts to “swing” a slow and restless male with the help of screams, pats and pushes. So, on the contrary, it will not give the dog the opportunity to calm down, but will only increase his nervousness.
- Careless assistance to the male during mounting: for example, touching his genitals. This will cause the male to stop acting. The mating will end in failure. When the male is covering the female, you should not disturb him.
- Owner's excitement. Dogs feel all the feelings of the owner. Therefore, a person’s excitement will easily be transmitted to a German.
- Poor preparation for childbirth. In certain situations, this will harm the puppies and the giving birth female.
- Taking newborn puppies from their mother.
Looking for a partner
Often they look for him in a dog breeding club. Then you have a wide choice. Ask unobtrusively about the animals and their owners. Perhaps your mutual friends or reliable sources of information will recommend someone to you. Find out about past relationships and their success rates.
If you are not interested in awards and titles, and you took a faithful comrade just for fun, then you just need to turn to local newspapers or websites where the same lovers are waiting for mating games. You can easily find what you need from the ad.
With the help of a correctly selected applicant, the appearance of the puppies is corrected, bringing them closer to generally accepted standards. If your girl is large, choose a small boy for her and vice versa.
Pay attention to the personality of the person who owns the dog. If he inspires your trust, you do not experience doubts or anxiety when meeting him, you can safely conclude a deal. And pets always look like those they serve.
