How Jack Russell Terriers are mated: basic rules in steps and how to properly prepare the dog

Breeding Jack Russell Terriers is not as difficult as other small dogs.

But it is necessary to take into account some of their breed characteristics.

So, due to an overly emotional and even cocky character, unforeseen difficulties may arise during mating.

And when choosing a suitable partner, you need to take into account the heredity of dogs.

It is also important to understand the breed types of Jack Russells and their modern lines.

When ready to breed

Boy

It is allowed to untie a male dog from 1.5 years of age, not earlier.

If this is done before reaching this age, the dog may develop destructive character traits and an indomitable desire to reproduce, the only salvation from which will be castration.

This will be especially offensive if the dog is excellent in appearance and promises to become a good producer.

It is advisable that the dog receive a breeding assessment at the exhibition before 1.5 years.

If this does not happen, then it is better to wait to untie it.

Girl

For the first time, it is best to breed a bitch who has reached two years of age..

Some owners rush to untie their dog as early as possible, sometimes even during the first heat, especially if it was late and began after the bitch reached one year of age.

This should absolutely not be done: early pregnancy and childbirth will not bring any benefit to a Jack Russell bitch.

The benchmark for starting breeding should be the third heat . Until this time, it is better for the owner of the bitch to focus on the exhibition career of his pet and its training.

Knitting pattern

A sample (about 10-12 cm) is no small thing. We cast on loops on 2 knitting needles, then transfer them to 1 knitting needle, and use the 2nd knitting needle to knit the selected pattern. It is advisable to wash the sample, perhaps the yarn will shrink, then calculate the number of loops for the pet.

After all, it is this small detail that will help you accurately calculate the required number of loops for any part of the sweater.

Knit stitch - knit one row with only knit stitches, the next with purl stitches, then repeat the rows.

All this is done before the knitting stage.

Advice!

It is advisable to outline a small plan and draw a pattern, recording all the measurements and converting everything into loops.

How to understand that your pet is ready

Usually, bitches are bred for 10-15 days.

But in order to accurately determine the most favorable time for mating, you also need to pay attention to some changes in the dog’s character and behavior, as well as physiological signs of readiness for mating:

• The dog's behavior changes: it treats males more favorably: it allows them to approach itself and flirts with them.
• By the beginning of ovulation, the discharge from the loop becomes lighter - golden with a pinkish tint and acquires a pungent odor.
• The loop increases in size and becomes soft. By the day of mating, it should retain some elasticity only at the top, near the base.
• If you put your hand on the dog's croup, it lifts the loop and moves its tail to the side.
• When the loop is touched with a finger, it also rises and its edges open.

If the owner of the bitch is not sure that he was able to correctly calculate the day suitable for mating, then he can take the dog to the clinic, where it will undergo a special test that determines the level of progesterone in the blood.

Estrus

Maturation and physical formation in dogs of medium and miniature breeds, which include Russells, occur earlier than in large species. A male can continue his lineage at the age of one. At the same time, by this age a bitch has already gone through the first stage of estrus or emptying.

During the preparation of the bitch's body for fertilization, significant changes occur in it at the hormonal level, as well as of a psychophysical nature.

A pair of Jack Russells

For your information! Estrus in Jack Russells occurs in several stages and ultimately ends in pregnancy after mating.

Duration and frequency of estrus

Often, novice dog breeders wonder how long the estrus lasts in Jack Russell Terriers and what is its frequency. Estrus for representatives of this breed lasts for two weeks. Around the 10th day, the bitch is completely ready for mating. Estrus occurs with a certain and regular frequency, which varies from five to seven months. As practice shows, an experienced and attentive owner can always determine with an accuracy of one day when the process will begin.

Estrus in representatives of this breed is accompanied by the following signs:

• change in emotional state;
• molting;
• the bitch marks her territory;
• discharge of blood from the genital tract.

Ovulation occurs between days 10 and 13. At this time and the next few days, the bitch is ready for mating. This can be understood by the fact that the bloody discharge becomes lighter, and then mucus appears instead. Significant changes also occur in the behavior of the animal. During this period of time, the bitch begins to accept the males’ advances; when sniffing, she freezes and stands motionless, and also moves her tail to the side and lifts the loop of her vulva.

Note! The first mating of female Jack Russell Terriers is recommended no earlier than two years of age.

If fertilization does not occur during the ovulation period, or for some reason the owner decides not to breed, then after 14 days the animal returns to its normal life. The loop gradually contracts, the discharge stops, and the bitch’s behavior normalizes.

How to choose a pair?

When choosing a partner for mating, the owner of a bitch needs to focus on the following criteria:

• Health. The dog must be healthy himself and be free from hereditary diseases.
• Psyche. The male must have the typical temperament and character of the breed.
• Exterior. It is very important that the male dog is as good as possible in terms of conformation and even surpasses the female dog in this regard.
• Origin. The mating partner must come from a good modern line, famous both for its health and victories at exhibitions. The more champions in the line, the better.
• Titles. It is desirable that the male be at least a champion of the breed.

It is better to spend time looking for a worthy sire than to breed a bitch with an unremarkable dog whose only advantage is that he lives nearby.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

“It is recommended that you select the best male dog you can find for breeding. He must be healthy both physically and psychologically, and his conformation must be as good as his pedigree. Finally, if you are going to untie your girl for the first time, then choose an experienced stud dog as her partner. And it would be nice to also look at his offspring to have an idea of ​​what kind of puppies are born from him.”

Description of the breed

There is a regular variety of these creatures and mini ones. But you need to be especially careful with the latter; sometimes unscrupulous breeders can offer instead sick and weakened individuals who simply weigh less than they should. Here are the characteristics of Yorkies:

• height at the withers from fifteen to eighteen centimeters,
• weight from two to three and a half kilograms,
• long silky and absolutely straight fur, similar to the touch of human hair. The coat is thin, some are very long. It grows all the time and needs to be trimmed regularly,
• the color from the back of the head to the tail is gray-steel, on the muzzle it is bright golden. Long golden bangs, dark ears and nose. In this case, puppies are born black. In summer, the fur may temporarily turn grey.

The character of terriers is very active, they are ready to have fun and amuse everyone around them for hours on end. It is better to wear a leash when walking so that they do not start a fight with someone larger than themselves. Even though they can be litter trained, they still need to be taken for long walks regularly, because they need fresh air and exercise.

In autumn and winter, wear special warm clothes, because babies are very prone to colds.

Preparing the dog

You need to start preparing your pet for mating about a month before..

It is necessary to worm the bitch and, if necessary, give her vaccinations.

At this time, you can already start giving her special vitamin supplements for pregnant and lactating bitches.

IMPORTANT!

If the dog is overweight, then it should be brought into shape even before mating, since during pregnancy it can cause complications.

Before you start looking for a dog, you need to find out if the bitch is healthy . If during the examination any pathologies are discovered, then the bitch should not be bred.

Taking measurements

In order for the sweater to fit well, before starting knitting, you need to take measurements from the dog. It is better not to rely on standard breed indicators, because all animals are individual. For knitting you will need the following measurements:

• neck girth;
• length along the back (from the collar to the base of the tail);
• chest girth;
• distance from the armpit of the front paw to the back paw (for girls);
• distance from the armpit of the front paw to the manhood (for boys);
• distance between the front paws;
• waist circumference

Basic rules step by step

Dogs are not fed before mating: the last meal should be no less than three hours before the “event”.

Immediately before mating, the partners are walked: this can be done separately or together.

How to knit according to the rules:

• To carry it out, you need to choose a place on the dog’s territory. A room in a house or a private yard is ideal for these purposes.
• It is advisable to cover slippery floors with old carpets or mats.
• If mating takes place outside, it is advisable that there be a canopy there.
• The dogs are allowed indoors or into the yard, where they begin to look closely at each other and get to know each other and play with each other.
• After the bitch allows the male to approach and sniff her external genitalia, he mounts. Further events can develop in different ways: either the male manages to get into the loop, or the female turns out and runs away. In the first case, it is better not to interfere. But in the second, the dogs will have to help: hold the bitch by the collar and under the belly while mounting.
• The male dog may also need help. This happens if the bitch is larger. In this case, you should place a stand under the dog’s paws.
• After ejaculation occurs, a so-called “lock” is formed, which lasts from several minutes to an hour. All this time, the dogs must stand with their backs turned to each other.
• If the bitch is nervous during the “lock”, whines and tries to wriggle out, the owner must hold her by the collar.
• The next day or every other day, a control mating is carried out.

In case the bitch won’t let the male in or the male doesn’t want to breed her, it is advisable to select a spare partner in advance.

The process of mating and mating of Jack Russell Terriers

It is not true that natural reproductive instincts play a large role during the mating of breeding animals. In most cases, a bitch is brought to breed with a dog that is unfamiliar to her , so most often the dogs behave aggressively, growl and sit down when the dog tries to mount.

Hand-breeding a Jack Russell Terrier is practiced when both dogs are on leashes.

Jack Russell males are very temperamental and active ; sexual instinct and the presence of a female in heat have a strong effect on them. An experienced male Jack or Parson Russell Terrier, which is regularly used for mating, pays almost no attention to the aggression of the bitch. But such behavior can frighten a young male, so for the first few matings it is advisable to invite a professional instructor . The instructor's services are paid by agreement, as much as the professional requests, but most often this responsibility falls on the owner of the bitch.

Before mating, the bitch is placed on a leash, using a collar to fix her in one position, preventing her from turning to look at the dog. After this, they bring the male dog, encouraging him to mount the bitch. When the female is penetrated into the vagina, the male ejaculates. The duration of ejaculation does not exceed a minute, then the dogs stand “in the castle” for about half an hour. It is wrong to think that the absence of a lock is a sign of an unsuccessful mating. The bulk of sperm is released during friction.

A common practice for breeding Jackcrassel dogs is to carry out a test or re-breeding . This is necessary to best guess the time of ovulation.

Important! Repeated mating is carried out one day after the first.

How is pregnancy going?

The average gestation period for females of this breed is 60 days..

In the first month, it is difficult to understand whether the bitch is pregnant or not, since she does not change in appearance. True, in the third week the nipples begin to swell.

In the first month of pregnancy, the bitch may seem lethargic or sad, she sleeps more and eats less well. But all these signs are unreliable.

NOTE!

The fact that the bitch is pregnant is indicated by the expansion of the volume of the ribs, which is why the sitting bitch appears more plump.

In the fifth week, an increase in the abdomen becomes noticeable.

From this time on, you need to reduce the dog’s activity: you should not allow it to run or jump a lot. Also, you should not allow your bitch to go up or down stairs.

From the beginning of the second month, the frequency of feedings is increased: at first the bitch is fed 3 times a day, and by the end of pregnancy - 4 or even 5 times.

In a dog’s diet, if it eats natural food, the amount of protein products, including meat, increases. A week before the expected birth, meat is completely excluded from the diet and replaced with boiled sea fish: this is necessary to prevent eclampsia.

If suddenly a pregnant bitch has a fever or suspicious discharge appears from the loop, then the dog should be taken to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

Melange sweater

Dog weight: 12-15kg.

We will need:

• melange yarn, composed of 77% acrylic, 20% wool, 3% polyamide (50g per 70m) – 150g;
• knitting needles No5 and No6.

Patterns:

• cutting: 2l.x2i.;
• persons Ch.: alternate p. persons p. with a row of purl.

Density: face. Ch. 12p. for 19 rub. will be 10cm by 10cm.

Description

Back

Using knitting needles No. 5, cast on 50 stitches. and knit 8p. cutting Let's go to sp. No6 and persons. Ch.

At an altitude of 36 rubles. (19 cm) on both sides we decrease the loops, retreating 2 stitches. from the edge: 2l., 2p. in 1 sheet, faces. to the extreme 4 p., 1 simple broach, 2 l. In 2 rubles repeat the decrease.

On the remaining 46p. let's continue working. Having knitted 58r. (30cm), move on to cutting with knitting needles No. 5. We knit 16 rubles. (this is 8cm) and closed. P.

Tummy

Using knitting needles No. 5, cast on 26 stitches. and do 8 rubles. cutting Let's go to sp. No6 and persons. Ch. From 36r. (19cm) on both sides we decrease by 1 stitch, as described for the back. We repeat the decrease through the row. There are 22 stitches left, on which we knit evenly. From 58r. (30 cm) using knitting needles No. 5, we knit a sweater for a dog using cut knitting. We knit 16 r. (8 cm) and close. P.

Mittens

Sp. No5 dial 26p. and knit 12 rubles in the round. (6cm) cutting. We do not close the loops. We knit the second sleeve in the same way.

Assembly

We sew the upper sections of the cutting. We sew the sleeves with a loop stitch. We make the side seams.

How does childbirth go?

Jack Russells are strong and healthy dogs whose births, as a rule, occur without complications. But the owner must be ready to help his pet if something goes wrong.

Childbirth begins with contractions - regular contractions of the uterus, which become more frequent and stronger over time..

At this time, the bitch gets anxious, walks around the house and may hide in a corner. You need to carefully monitor her so that she does not accidentally give birth to a puppy in a completely inappropriate place, and not in a box prepared for this.

A couple of weeks before the expected birth, you need to prepare a special birth box of a suitable size and begin to accustom the bitch to it.

As their intensity increases, the contractions turn into attempts, the outcome of which is the actual birth of the puppy..

Normally, the bitch herself takes care of the newborn: she frees him from the membranes, bites the umbilical cord and licks the puppy, and to top it all off, pushes him with her nose to the nipples.

The puppy quickly understands what’s what and begins to eat his first independent meal in his life.

Then everything is repeated as many times as there are babies born in the litter. And finally, when the whole family is gathered, the bitch can rest a little after giving birth.

Choosing a puppy, care, maintenance

It is better to buy a puppy from a nursery, from experienced breeders. Description of the Jack Russell Terrier breed includes characteristic features:

• white color with red or brown spots;
• dark eyes with black rims;
• black nose;
• a tail that is not too long and should not curl into a ring;
• straight and even paws;
• the hind legs are muscular and strong;
• the puppy should be lively, playful, and curious.

You should be wary:

• light eyes;
• pink or brown nose;
• arched or hunchbacked back;
• crooked paws;
• very long or soft coat;
• passive, fearful puppy.

Care and maintenance

It is better to keep a Russell in an apartment or house, but not in an outdoor enclosure. Dogs are sensitive to cold; in addition, an older puppy can dig under and run away. For this reason, you should not leave him alone, even in a fenced yard. Representatives of the breed are big fans of digging, so you need to be prepared that over time there will be holes and even entire ditches on the territory.

The puppy should immediately be given its own place, away from the radiator. Drafts must be excluded. Any place is suitable: a bed, a basket, a house. The bedding should be warm. At first, you can limit the space by installing a mini-aviary.

Remove carpeting. It is impossible to remove the smell from them; it will always remind the puppy of what was done. The floor must be covered with special diapers and newspapers. It is not advisable to use fabric; the dog will get used to using textiles in this way.

Hide everything that a small terrier can chew: shoes, wires, etc. To prevent your pet from spoiling things, you definitely need toys. Try to buy ones that he can't chew. The Russells act cruelly with other toys: they turn them into small pieces. This is dangerous: the dog can swallow one of them.

The puppy will run and play a lot. It should be taken into account that he has very fragile bones, so you need to make sure that he does not jump from high surfaces. Until the age of 1 year, the terrier should not be allowed to go down the stairs (take him for a walk in his arms). For the formation of the psyche, communication and games with relatives are important (but only 3 weeks after vaccinations). It is impossible for the Russell to be in the sun for a long time; in the heat it is recommended to walk in the shade, near a pond.

Upbringing

Start from the moment the puppy appears in the house. Teach your pet to its place, stop attempts to climb onto the bed, table, jump on a shelf, or climb into a closet. Little puppies are obedient until they learn the habits of their household. The pet must immediately be made to understand what can be done and what cannot be done.

Stability, consistency, and perseverance are important in education. Agree with all family members to follow the general rules. You cannot allow a situation where one will drive the puppy out of the bed, and the other will allow it to sleep there. Do not allow your pet to occasionally do something illegal.

As the puppy grows up, it will try to claim the role of leader; this must be stopped. You cannot give in to Russell; he will quickly sense how he can get his way and become disobedient. You can’t hit him, just shake him by grabbing him by the withers. This is how puppies are punished by their mother dog.

A pet needs constant attention; an important element of education is communication, preferably in the form of play. This will allow you to develop the desired behavior model

Don't play with your puppy's hands, otherwise he will develop the habit of grabbing them. Stop the slightest attempts to bite, slip a toy. Training is also important. Russell must be able to carry out basic commands (“come to me”, “place”, “sit”, “lie down”, “fetch”).

Toilet training

To teach him to go to the toilet outside, take your puppy for a walk more often: after sleeping, feeding, playing. Walk only on a leash. The recommended interval between walks is 1-2 hours. The more often the pet goes to the toilet using diapers/newspaper, the longer the training process will be.

Puppies, like children, cannot endure for long; puddles and piles can appear in the house up to 6-8 months. You can’t punish for this, it’s better to show dissatisfaction: say “Ugh!” in a stern voice. When outside, praise your puppy after he relieves himself.

How to give birth yourself?

Most bitches cope with childbirth on their own. But in young dogs, the maternal instinct may not yet awaken, and therefore the owner will have to accept newborn puppies on his own.

How to do this:

• As soon as the puppy is born, the owner needs to rupture the membranes near his nose so that the baby can take his first breath of air.
• Having freed the puppy from the films, you need to quickly but carefully rub it with a clean soft towel, then tie the umbilical cord 2 cm from the newborn’s abdomen and cut it above the bandage.
• After this, carefully pulling the umbilical cord, pull out the placenta.
• Then you need to give the puppy to the bitch so that she can lick it, and after that, place it on the nipple.
• At the time of the birth of new puppies, already born babies should be placed in a box with a warm heating pad covered with a soft cloth, and then returned to the mother again.
• After the last puppy is born, you need to check the number of placenta: their number should be equal to the number of puppies born.
• Upon completion of the birth, you need to give the bitch warm tea diluted with milk.

CAREFULLY!

As the litter becomes wet during childbirth, it should be replaced with clean one.

Jack Russells are not a difficult breed to breed. And yet, having decided to start breeding them, you need to carefully think and calculate everything.

After all, paying for a dog’s services and maintaining a bitch during pregnancy and childbirth is not a cheap pleasure..

Raising puppies also takes a lot of money, time and effort, and therefore, it makes sense to think about getting offspring from your dog only when the dog is truly magnificent and can improve the breed.

The right diet

Keeping jacks involves not only hygienic care, but also proper timely nutrition. A healthy diet is the key to strong bones, a strong immune system, energy and good mood.

You can feed Russells with ready-made dry food. It is convenient to store, transport, pour and easily measure the required amount. In addition, the granules contain the necessary complex of vitamins and minerals.

But low-quality dry food leads to gastrointestinal imbalance and serious health problems. Therefore, it is better to opt for super-premium products for small active breeds.

Natural nutrition should consist of raw (thawed or scalded) lean meat and complex carbohydrates. Chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit are suitable. By-products can be used. Not all Russell Terriers love fish, but you can pamper your Jack with seafood.

Allowed cereals:

• oatmeal;
• buckwheat;
• barley porridge.

Vegetables:

• carrot;
• zucchini;
• beet.

If Russell loves fermented milk products, then you can add kefir, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, and sour cream to the diet.

One of the features of keeping Jack Russell puppies is feeding them 4–5 times a day. Up to 3 months, babies are fed 5-6 times, up to 5 months - 4 times, only by the age of one year are they transferred to two meals a day. The serving size is determined by the formula: 20 g of food per 1 kg of Russell Terrier weight.

Nicknames for girls

Nicknames are necessary to attract the pet's attention. When choosing, it is worth considering the roots of this breed. But still, terrier girls are sweet, affectionate and gentle creatures. Names of English origin sound beautiful: Lara, Maru, Selena, Gabriel, Cameo, Kandy, Lisa, Malva Matilda, Nicole, Naomi, Olivia, Pixie, Roxy, Scarlett, Santa, Sofia, Fortuna, Holly, Eureka, Charade.

Terrier girls are obedient, balanced, and moderately playful. They can become good companions for their owner. Suitable nicknames: Toffee, Daisy, Vanilla, Olive.

The nickname should combine such qualities as softness, fragility, tenderness. You can look for the names of heroines from children's cartoons or mythological stories: Jasmine, Mermaid, Havana, Antalya. Music-themed nicknames for terriers sound good: Flute, Allegro, Harp, Ollemanda, Notka, Gamma.

Very beautiful and consonant names for girls: Whiskey, Buggy, Gilza, Daisy, Aidi, Assa, Ketti, Lolita, Manana, Selina, Oyta, Reggie, Tutti, Yusti, Bibu, Baileys, Sherry, Lulu, Zinnia, Tsorri, Michelle, Reggae, Tinky, Evita. Can be called diminutive names: Vanilla, Cherry, Zabava, Toffee, Hairpin, Mushka, Knopa, Barbie, Busya, Elka, Chiquita, Yasna, Doll.

Nicknames should be easy to remember and at the same time bright and attractive. You should not give long, elaborate names. Some owners give a cool name to a girl terrier: Juno, Snezhka, Simka, Cleo, Zhulya, Sonya, Lipa, Plusha, Umka, Toffee, Sprat, Fifa, Bagheera, Bullet, Kisa, Nezhka, Margot, Zhulya, Kunya, Wendy, Sophie , Gavka, Mira. Others, on the contrary, try to give a name with meaning. For example:

• Lotus (flower);
• Nami (wave);
• Kasumi (fog);
• Yurka (snow);
• Haruki (shine);
• Tiko (lunar);
• Hotaru (firefly);
• Haruka (spring);
• Izumi (fountain);
• Shiju (pearl);
• Kokoro (soul);
• Yuki (snow);
• Kaori (pleasant);
• Kiku (chrysanthemum);
• Aimi (love).

The nickname should accurately reflect the character and habits of the pet, perfectly complementing and emphasizing its advantages. Such as: Ai-Ai, Aidushka, it is not advisable to give.