How to prepare a bitch for breeding?
Puberty in dogs occurs between 8 and 10 months. At this time, the bitch goes into her first heat. The owner who plans to further prepare the animal for mating should from now on keep a diary, on the pages of which data regarding discharge, the condition of the “loop”, behavioral changes, appetite, and health of the dog will be recorded. The diary should describe the animal’s condition for several days before the discharge begins. This will help determine the start of the next heat.
Breeding dogs at an excessively early age is not recommended, since this process can negatively affect the health, psyche, and nervous system of pets. It is considered optimal to mate dogs over two years of age. The individual physiological characteristics of each dog play a large role in this issue. According to experienced dog handlers, the signal that an animal is ready for mating is the third heat. Based on detailed records of the first and second estrus, you can prepare your dog for mating.
Carrying out a comprehensive bacteriological analysis
In the period of 1.5 months preceding the onset of estrus, it is necessary to contact a veterinary clinic for a comprehensive bacteriological analysis to identify staphylococcus, herpes virus, streptococcus, and other anaerobic infections. If an infection is detected based on the results of the analysis, the owner will be able to treat the pet in a timely manner to protect future offspring. Certificates with the results of this analysis are submitted by the owners of the bitch and the dog.
Treatment for skin parasites
1 month before estrus, a comprehensive preventive treatment of the animal against skin parasites (fleas, lice, subcutaneous mites) is carried out. For this purpose, use appropriate sprays and shampoos that do not contain toxic substances.
Deworming course
Several days after the preventive treatment of the pet, a course of deworming will be required. The most effective are drugs with a wide spectrum of action; prescription and dosage calculation are the prerogatives of the veterinarian.
Vaccination course
7 days after the deworming procedure, a course of vaccinations is recommended. The use of polyvalent vaccines that counteract the infection of animals with the most common infections has proven itself.
Carrying out the above measures before the onset of estrus helps ensure the health of the dog at the time of mating. In addition, you need to pay attention to the physiology of the individual. A bitch that is too thin or overfed, lethargic, and looks sickly can subsequently have a difficult pregnancy and give birth to weak offspring.
Why train a dog
Any dog, like a child, needs training. Untrained dogs do not obey their owner, spoil various things in the house, go to the toilet everywhere, run away during walks, chase cats and mongrels, and generally cause a lot of trouble and problems for their owner.
In order for your dog to behave civilly, unquestioningly carry out all given commands, understand its place in the house and not do stupid things while walking, training is needed.
Where to train your dog
Dog training involves teaching the animal different commands. The simplest and most common: “Sit”, “Lie down”, “Stand”, “Near”, “Come to me”, “Voice”, “Place”, “Give me a paw”, “Ugh!” and etc.
It is better to teach your dog commands outside. It is advisable to choose a quiet and spacious place. It is important that it is familiar to the pet. There should be no other animals nearby that will distract the dog. The presence of strangers is also undesirable. The dog must be completely captivated by the owner and be maximally concentrated on his speech, and not on extraneous sounds.
How long does it take to train a dog: frequency of training
It is recommended to train your dog every day. The duration of the first lessons is 30-40 minutes, later the time increases to 1-1.5 hours. If you are training a puppy under 6 months of age, the duration of the lessons should not exceed 15-20 minutes.
If the owner has the opportunity to enroll the dog for training in a specialized club, you can agree on 1-2 classes per week. The owner can monitor the learning process, remember various nuances, and on the remaining days independently train the animal at home, honing the skills acquired by the dog.
At what age can you train a puppy at home?
Some experts recommend starting dog training at 6-7 months. However, according to experienced breeders, many dog breeds are ready for training at 3-4 months of age. Puppies are easy to train, quickly train and remember commands well. They grow up to be smart and obedient dogs.
What indicates a dog's readiness for mating?
The planned mating of dogs takes place 12 - 15 from the beginning of estrus. The condition of her “loop” indicates the bitch’s readiness for mating. The dimensions of the “loop” are increased, it is soft to the touch. There is a presence of discharge with a yellow-pink tint. The bitch tries to actively flirt with the males, takes the appropriate pose, and moves her tail while touching the “loop”.
The listed factors indicate the beginning of the animal’s ovulation period and readiness for mating. As a rule, the duration of ovulation is 3 - 5 days. These dog breeding days are considered the most productive.
It is not advisable to breed an animal on the first day of ovulation due to the risk of producing fewer puppies. Also, mating on this day may cause pregnancy to not occur. To avoid such troubles, you can conduct a progesterone test in dogs for mating, which allows you to accurately determine the most suitable day of mating.
Please note that some dogs may have minimal or no discharge during estrus. Sometimes there is insufficient brightness of the color of the discharge. Often the “loop” of the animal remains rigid and does not change in size. There may also be increased aggression from the dog towards the “groom”. In such cases, the time of mating of dogs is determined based on the entries in the diary made by the owner.
On the day when mating is scheduled, feeding the bitch is not recommended. The best option is to plan mating in the morning, when the bitch's stomach is empty and the animal has had time to rest during the night. Thanks to morning exercise and a short walk, the dog perks up and empties its intestines. Experienced dog handlers are against the bitch receiving any physical activity at this time.
Prevention of indecent behavior
To prevent unwanted behavior from your dog, make sure he gets enough exercise. Excess energy is harmful. Go for walks twice a day every day, let the dog run as much as possible, play, and follow your commands. The dog must be tired both physically and mentally.
Recognize the signs of the onset of unwanted behavior. Observe your pet and pay attention to his actions before performing frictions. For example, these could be:
- sounds - panting, whining;
- actions - scraping movements of the paws, attempts to rub the butt, licking.
As soon as you notice these signs, distract the dog. Use toys, give commands, ask them to fetch objects, or engage them in play.
Protect your dog from severe stress so as not to provoke friction due to nervousness. Monitor whether your pet's unwanted behavior is a consequence of being near a source of stress. If your dog is extremely anxious, find a way to “soften” the situation.
What are the requirements for the mating location?
When solving the problem of what is needed to breed dogs, you should initially decide on the choice of territory for this process. The owners of four-legged pets will not go wrong if they prepare the mating site in advance.
It is considered more correct for the “bride” to visit the “groom”, since otherwise a male dog that finds itself in an unfamiliar place may show uncertainty, be nervous, and refuse to mate. This is of particular importance when dogs are mated for the first time or the “bride” behaves too aggressively, her smell is weak and not attractive enough for the “groom”.
The choice of mating location is made taking into account the size of the animals. Pets belonging to small and medium breeds can be provided with a spacious room.
For mating of large individuals, it is advisable to allocate an outdoor fenced area so that the partners have a certain amount of space.
Experienced dog handlers who know how dogs are mated strongly advise giving preference to a secluded place where the animals will not be disturbed by passers-by or other dogs. The covering of the mating area should be non-slip. If the meeting of the “groom” with the “bride” takes place indoors, linoleum or parquet flooring should be covered with carpet or carpet. In winter, the slippery icy ground outside is sprinkled with sand.
Dating procedure
The first to visit the mating place is the “lady”, who gets the opportunity to get acquainted with the surrounding space for 5-10 minutes, then the “gentleman” is released to her. An experienced dog will initially prefer to spend a little time courting a bitch.
The introduction of pets should take place under the supervision of their owners. Often you may need help when breeding dogs, especially when the dog is young and does not have the proper experience. In such cases, he may need to be “adjusted”, placed in the desired position. An overexcited dog is capable of performing incorrect mountings. To correct the situation, the owner should take his four-legged friend out and give him time to calm down a little.
The behavior of experienced male dogs may be different. Someone tries to growl at the “lady”, bite her lightly, and show his dominance. Quite often, “grooms” demonstrate polite behavior, try to flirt, lick the “noose” and “ears” of their “brides”. Often the behavior of an experienced male dog changes radically. This means that the owner will have to control his pet at all times.
In most cases, the reaction of an experienced bitch to a dog is calm. The “lady” is not against the advances of the “gentleman”. After a short game, the bitch takes a stance and withdraws her tail. Her pelvis is located in front of the male's front legs. The animal periodically tilts its head to the side, without looking at the partner, and may flatten its ears.
A young bitch is capable of showing fear, tucking her tail, and falling on her paws. If this is the first mating of dogs, the “bride” often snaps, and sometimes even tries to rush at the “groom”. This behavior is explained not only by youth and inexperience, but also by an error in calculating the day of mating. Another reason is the presence of abnormalities in the animal’s nervous system. The adequate reaction of the bitch, her acceptance of her partner’s advances, the absence of fear and aggression indicate the correct calculation of the time of mating, and the absence of unwanted physiological and nervous disorders in the individual.
Preparing for training: where to start
In order for dog training to produce positive results, you need proper preparation for the learning process. You should start by preparing the dog.
Recommendations for preparing the animal:
1. Before training, you cannot feed the dog, because after feeding it must rest. In addition, active movements on a full stomach increase the likelihood of volvulus and other gastrointestinal problems. 2. Before training, the owner needs to establish contact with the dog, play with it, and pet it. 3. In order for the dog to fully concentrate on the educational process, you must first let it go to the toilet to satisfy its natural needs. 4. To train a dog on the street, you will need some equipment: a soft leather collar, a leash (length from 1 to 15 meters), a treat for motivation and reward for following commands. Medium and large breed dogs will also need a muzzle.
Basic rules and methods of dog training
There are some rules and training methods that will help novice dog breeders develop all the necessary qualities in their pets.
Basic rules of training:
1. One person should teach the dog commands.
All family members should not be involved in raising a pet. 2. You need to train your dog in a good mood. Negative emotions and irritability of the owner will not allow you to establish friendly contact with the dog and achieve positive results in training. 3. Consider a training program, taking into account the nature of the animal. 4. Training can only be carried out when the dog is in good physical shape. You cannot teach new things to pets that have a lethargic appearance and any health problems. 5. End the training with praise for each success and, of course, do not forget to reward the dog with his favorite treat. She will definitely appreciate it and will look forward to the next lesson. There are many methods of training dogs: guidance, pushing, imitation, playful and defensive behavior, passive flexion, reduction of behavioral act, etc. Such methods are often used by professional dog trainers.
An ordinary dog owner who wants to teach his pet different commands can choose the simplest method of training - motivation with an incentive to perform a certain action, where the motivational element is a tasty treat or the dog’s favorite toy.
The imitation method is relevant for training puppies if the family already has an adult trained dog that will set a good example for the younger generation to follow.
Mating procedure
It is advisable to treat the “loop” of a bitch demonstrating readiness by taking a stance with baby cream or Vaseline. The owner should stand in front of the pet, holding it tightly by the collar. The owner of a male dog needs to carefully hold the female dog to the side in the abdominal area, directing her “loop” towards the male’s genitals during mounting.
The male tries to jump on the bitch, grasping it with his front paws, placing his hind limbs on the surface of the floor (ground). When making the first cages, the male tries to find the entrance to the “loop”, selects the best position, and the female tries to adapt to him.
Having assumed a comfortable position, the “groom” begins thrusting with a gradual increase in force in order to penetrate inside the “loop.” After inserting the penis into the vagina, the muscles of the vulva contract, due to which the male’s penis is compressed. This moment means a lock in dogs during mating, during which sperm quickly move into the uterus.
The onset of ejaculation may take only 5 minutes from the start of mounting, but the duration of the “lock” can be significantly delayed (10 - 60 minutes). Separating pets on your own is not recommended. You also need to prevent the “lady” from breaking out of the “gentleman’s embrace” ahead of time.
Sometimes there is a discrepancy in the size and structure of the genital organs of animals, which is why getting in and crossing can be problematic. To help their four-legged pets, the owners need to firmly press the dog, lift the dog, and lift the bitch’s pelvis. It is very important not to touch the genitals of animals.
When sexual intercourse is over, it is advisable not to give the bitch the opportunity to sit down or lie on her stomach. It will be very good if she doesn’t go to the toilet during the first few hours. At the end of mating, pets should be given rest and offered fresh drink. The feeding procedure can be carried out after two hours. The dog’s lethargic behavior after mating is often noted, so games and physical activity are not encouraged at this moment.
In the period after mating, the discharge from the bitch’s “loop” may stop altogether or may continue for some time and then disappear (this depends on the physiology of the dog).
What are the symptoms of a pregnant bitch?
Detection of an animal’s pregnancy after mating occurs only on days 28–30. This is evidenced by the swelling of the “loop,” a rounded tummy, and swollen nipples. An ultrasound examination is considered appropriate at 4-5 weeks after mating. You can read more about pregnancy symptoms in dogs here.
Agreement, act of mating dogs
In order to settle financial claims against each other, the owners of a dog or a bitch will need to draw up a dog mating agreement - RKF, which is drawn up and signed in advance.
This document stipulates: how much it costs to breed dogs, all the conditions are prescribed to resolve disputes between animal owners. The required sample of a dog mating agreement, as well as a dog mating act - RKF form can be obtained from the cynological society where the animals are registered. After the mating procedure, a dog mating certificate is drawn up - RKF, which certifies the event that occurred.
Having the information: what does mating dogs mean, the owners will be able to properly organize this process, surrounding their four-legged pets with attention and care. This will be the key to maintaining the health of animals and obtaining strong, healthy litters. Read the article: How long does a dog’s pregnancy last and how does it progress day by day?
Why is it important to express disapproval?
Unwanted dog behavior should not be encouraged. This rule must be followed by all members of your family. The opinion that there is nothing wrong with such actions is wrong. Some people think that a pet “attacking” a toy even looks funny. But if you don’t pull the dog back and don’t prohibit him from imitating sexual intercourse with inanimate objects, then he will switch to living objects. Such behavior must be strictly suppressed, and in any situation, and not selectively. The dog must understand that this is not the way to behave.
Do not allow family members to laugh at or encourage the dog. As soon as she notices that people are showing signs of pleasure, she will consider this as permission. Indirect approval is just as dangerous as direct approval.
