How to properly conduct the first mating of toy terriers

Many toy terrier owners are thinking about getting offspring. When deciding to breed your favorite pet, you need to take into account its anatomical features. Due to their miniature size, not all toy terriers are able to give birth to offspring.

We will tell you further how pregnancy progresses in a healthy dog and what you need to know so that toy terrier puppies are born healthy.

Cable selection

The choice of cable should be taken very seriously, since the usual goal of a professional breeder is to qualitatively improve the breed.

After all, even if a bitch has shortcomings, a purebred and registered toy terrier can compensate for them or completely eliminate them, and even hereditary ones.

The cable should be the same size as the bitch, or slightly smaller.

Dogs begin to reproduce at an early age - 8-12 months. It is very undesirable for a young body to mate.

At this point, the toy terrier is not yet strong enough and early pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding usually cause diseases that are difficult to treat.

The approximate time when the timing is considered normal is when the age of 20 months for a female and 24 months for a male, but the physiology of toy terriers is very different, so the female becomes physiologically mature after the third heat, when it is advised to begin the first mating.

Features of caring for a dog in heat

Typically, a healthy toy terrier bitch does not require special care during this period, however, there are a few rules that should be followed.

Caring for a female toy terrier during her “critical days”:

To prevent the dog from dirtying the furniture, and also to avoid infection, wear special underpants on the dog. They can be purchased at pet stores. Such panties can be of different sizes and densities. If necessary, line them with a regular panty liner. The dog's panties are removed only during walks, so that he can go to the toilet. If your pet does “her business” in the tray, then you need to watch her more closely;
during a walk, do not let your girl off the leash under any circumstances, otherwise an unplanned mating cannot be avoided;
keep your pet on a short leash and do not allow male dogs to “jump” on her. Remember - once mating has begun, it will be impossible to separate the dogs;
during “critical days” it is possible and necessary to wash the dog, since its discharge has a strong and unpleasant odor;
wash the bitch with warm water 2 times a day (preferably after a walk), and use a soft gel for intimate hygiene. After washing, gently dry your dog with a soft towel or blow dry. Don't let your baby get cold;
Never allow your dog to swim in bodies of water. Since at this time she is especially vulnerable to genital tract infections;
spare your baby from participating in exhibitions during estrus, as this can provoke stress or infectious diseases in the animal;
Never allow your dog to sleep on a cold floor or in a draft.

First heat

At the age of 8-12 months, bitches have their first heat, and subsequent ones usually occur with a break of 6 months.

It lasts 18-20 days. Sometimes there are slight deviations from time, since dogs have individual characteristics.

In order not to miss this moment, it is worth noticing a change in behavior, disobedience, excitability, and possible loss of appetite.

At the onset of estrus, a slight enlargement of the vulva appears, from which bloody discharge later occurs.

Gradually, every day the intensity of the discharge increases, and when the moment of ovulation comes, the loop increases to its maximum and softens, and the discharge changes color to yellow-pink.

The duration of ovulation is 3-5 days. Due to mating on the first day of ovulation, breeders usually lose puppies in the litter or end up with an empty female.

Do not be afraid of deviations that may occur during the process of estrus, such as prolonged rigidity of the “loop”, aggression towards the cable or the absence of visible discharge.

If you properly monitor the bitch, she will give birth to normal and healthy puppies.

Main features

Determining the beginning of your pet’s “critical days” will not be difficult.

Just pay attention to the following symptoms:

on the eve of estrus, the toy terrier usually begins to shed;
the pet begins to urinate more often than usual, and bloody discharge appears from the vulva;
the dog becomes disobedient, too active, sometimes aggressive. The thing is that her hormones are practically “boiling” and an irresistible sexual desire appears;
the bitch can be playful, cheeky, and due to her nature, sometimes behaves inappropriately (does not follow commands, runs away, etc.);
After about a week, the discharge from the loop changes color. They become pale yellow, sometimes straw-colored, and have the consistency of mucus.

First mating

The first mating is a serious moment in the life of a breeder. Her planning must be intentional and thought out in advance, focusing on the timing of the heat and how it happened.

The breeder is required to keep a diary detailing daily health, conditioning and training.

Estrus is always described, regardless of whether there will be mating at this time. You should not miss every detail: the color of the discharge, the state of the “loop,” how the bitch reacts to the male and her behavior in general.

Bacteriological tests are carried out for hidden infections of pets: staphylococcal, hesperovirus and others).

Now it is important to do this 1.5 months in advance, because when a population of dogs very often suffers from similar diseases that do not usually appear, but the puppies gradually begin to die.

The procedure is very simple and is recommended as a good preventive measure, because it is better to invest money in tests than to look for problems later and lose the entire litter.

Actually, for the mating itself, natural mating is desirable, which gives more positive emotions during the courtship ritual.

If this is the first mating of a toy terrier, then a lot of stress is possible, both for the breeder and for the pet . If the conditions are urban, then the mating conditions are completely different.

The bitch is taken to the male, since the male usually feels calmer and more comfortable in his home environment.

For mating to be successful, you should call an instructor if you are not a professional in this field. If everything is successful, wait for pregnancy and get ready to give birth.

At what age does it start?

The first heat of a female toy terrier can begin at 6-8 months. In some individuals, at 9-10 months. Everything here is individual.

But this does not mean at all that as soon as the dog “flows”, it is necessary to breed. This is wrong. In order for everything to go well, the first mating is carried out no earlier than the third heat, that is, your dog must be at least 1.5-2 years old, otherwise it will undermine its health and shorten its life expectancy.

If you are the owner of a mini toy terrier and your pet weighs less than 2 kg, then the risk of complications during childbirth increases approximately 2 times!

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

In order for your pet to go through the period of estrus painlessly, follow a few simple rules:

change your usual walking route and try to avoid familiar places, as well as places where you can meet other dogs;
keep your toy terrier girl on a short leash and, if possible, walk her for a short time;
try to avoid the usual games and stroking, as during this period the dog is especially sensitive and this can irritate it.

Sometimes the dog can be aggressive and may bite.

Pregnancy and childbirth

If you don’t notice her outwardly, then the bitch’s behavior reveals everything, she calms down, begins to take care of herself, mucus discharges from the vagina, her appetite worsens, and then increases.

The tummy and swollen nipples will become noticeable at 5 weeks. You can feel the fruits already on the 7th, but you should be very careful not to cause harm to future puppies.

To see the number of puppies, you can do an ultrasound or x-ray (the main thing is on day 45, when the skeleton is formed), but you will see the exact number of puppies when the birth is over.

Childbirth is a very difficult process for a bitch, and sometimes it may not start on time. If there is no birth after 65 days, then head to the veterinarian.

Childbirth is sometimes carried out through operations, and sometimes miscarriages occur due to improper care or some problems that perhaps the breeder did not bother to fix before pregnancy.

How long do pregnant Spitz walk?

In the first twenty days, it is almost impossible to understand that a Spitz is pregnant. After this period, the bitch may develop toxicosis, which lasts for about 10 days. Five weeks after mating, external signs begin to appear - the tummy grows, the nipples acquire a more saturated color. At the eighth week of pregnancy, the future offspring will be noticeably moving in the stomach.

About a week before giving birth, the pet’s character may change – she becomes more nervous, her mood changes constantly, and there are sharp temperature rises. The dog is looking for a suitable place, preparing it for future births.

How long a Spitz's pregnancy lasts is of interest to many owners. The animal carries the fetus for approximately 63 days.

In most cases, childbirth occurs without problems

Sterilization

It is worth remembering that not every owner strives to spread this breed; he can keep a dog as a decorative component of life. At the same time, do not receive a litter of puppies or possible complications during childbirth.

For this purpose, the owners sterilize the breed. The following will describe the pros and cons of this:

pros:

character becomes more obedient, aggressiveness decreases;
life expectancy increases by 2 years on average;
the risk of developing hormonal diseases is reduced;
the smell and marks disappear in the apartment;
absence of a litter of puppies and peace of mind when walking.

Minuses:

the appearance of excess weight;
risks of complications from sterilization surgery.

It is noticeable that there are more pros than cons, but it is worth considering whether sterilization is necessary, so as not to regret the operation later.

How to choose a partner for a toy terrier

The dogs chosen for mating must match each other in size. A male dog may be somewhat more graceful than a female, but not vice versa. It is advisable that one of the partners is already untied. Qualified assistance in choosing a partner can always be obtained from professional clubs involved in breeding toy terriers.

We will tell you further how pregnancy progresses in a healthy dog and what you need to know so that toy terrier puppies are born healthy.