Many dog owners don’t know about the dog mating process and wonder if dogs need privacy while mating. Can dogs mate through a fence? Read on to know more.
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If you own a dog for the first time, you may have many questions about the dog breeding process. You may wonder:
- How long will it take for a dog to breed?
- Can dogs mate through a fence?
- Do they need privacy while mating?
- Can dogs mate more than once?
And many other such things. Well, if you are thinking about breeding your dog, you need to do some research before proceeding. There are many things to learn if you want your dog to be performing well.
Breeding your dog is a great responsibility and you should make sure that your dog is healthy before you take them for the process. In this article, let us look at dog breeding and answers to some questions that people ask often.
Can Dogs Mate Through a Fence?
To answer one of these questions, it is unlikely but possible for dogs to mate between the fences. If your dog cannot manage between the fences, he may find ways to get through the fence.
A lot depends on the type of fence, the heat cycle, and intensity of the dog, its age, breed, and strength. If the dog is strong and capable enough, it will find whatever means necessary to mate, and even fences cannot separate them.
How Do You Encourage Dogs To Breed?
Many dog owners want to see their dogs producing puppies. You can take your dog to other breeds without any fertility treatments for mating purposes. Just make sure that your dog is healthy and fine. Healthy dogs are more likely to have successful breeding.
You can also keep a check on when your female breed goes on heat so she will be able to conceive. When your dogs mate, let them be in their own space and let them interact with each other on their own.
You need to make sure of the following three things while breeding dogs:
- Ensure that both dogs are healthy
- Ensure that the female is in her heat cycle
- Proceed with mating.
Let’s discuss each of them in more detail.
Keep Your Dog Healthy
#1 Make sure the female breed has a healthy weight
Females need to be in good health to have a healthy pregnancy. A female breed that is underweight or overweight may have issues in conceiving and carrying puppies.
- You can consult your vet before breeding dogs. Talk about your dog’s weight and health. Depending on her age and breed, your vet may recommend certain diets and exercises to keep your dog healthy.
- So if your female breed is either overweight or underweight, you may want her to be healthy before breeding.
#2 Feed Them a Balanced Diet
Feeding your dog a well-balanced diet will help in healthy breeding. Proper intake of proteins and vitamins in dogs will help keep their good health.
- Your vet may recommend a different diet for dogs as per their age and breed. Keep a proper schedule of feeding dogs and do not let them eat anytime they want to.
- You can give your dog treats as a reward for a good habit. Remember to keep a healthy weight. Offer fruits and vegetables as treats like carrots, apple slices, or beans and not cookies or biscuits.
- Fish oils are a good supplement to add to your dog’s diet. It helps prevent kidney diseases and keep your dog healthy
#3 Exercise And Walking
You need to take your dog for a walk regularly to keep them healthy. Exercise helps dogs maintain overall weight and promotes fertility. Let your dog play in the yard for some time and take them for a walk in the evening.
- Larger and energetic dogs need more walking and physical activity than small dogs. You can talk with your vet and know how much your dog needs to exercise to maintain a healthy weight.
- If your dog is very energetic, you can invest in a fenced yard so your dog can run and play freely.
Pay Attention To The Female Dog’s Cycles
#1 Keep A Check When Your Female Dog Is In Heat.
Keeping a check on your female breed’s reproductive cycle every month can help you know the good time to mate.
- You will notice a bloody discharge on your female breed’s first day of its cycle.
- Though you may not exactly know your dog’s first day if it is bleeding very light, you will notice some behavior changes in your dog when it goes into heat.
- It will take time for you to understand your dog’s heat cycle. Just keep a note of your dog’s behavioral changes and energy level. Remember not to breed your female dog during its heat cycle.
#2 Keep A Count On The Heat Cycle
Female breeds will be fertile after their heat cycle. Usually, after ten days of their heat cycle, female breeds allow male breeds to mount. When dogs breed in this period, the female breed will most likely conceive litter.
Proceed With Mating
#1 Do Not Overfeed Male Breed When You Are Planning To Mate.
If you overfeed your male dog, he will be lazy and not very energetic. You can feed your dog when it has successfully mated with the female breed.
#2 Let Your Dog Be Calm
If you want to breed your dog naturally, let them both be calm first. If your female breed is nervous, it is less likely to breed.
If your male and female breed dogs do not know each other, make them meet for some days before mating them. It will be easy for your dog to mate when they know each other.
How Many Days Will A Female Dog Let A Male Mount Her?
Most dog breeds let male breeders mount a female dog for 3 to 7 days. Mating is usually between the 9, 11, and 13th days of the heat cycle.
This usually depends on female breeds, and there will be a huge difference among dog breeds. Some female breeds can let males mount for some days, while some let them mount for more than a week.
Usually, female breeds mate during the heat cycle. The heat cycle lasts for one to two weeks and differs for all dog breeds. Most dog breeders let the dog breed for a week. Then they separate them when the mounting period is finished.
There is an old saying: females mate as they want to, and they don’t feel like mating once they are pregnant. However, this is not completely true, as female breeds will not even know if they are pregnant or not.
At the same time, some females do not let male breeds mate even during the fertility period. This is mostly because they are not very social or are afraid.
What Happens If You Separate A Dog While Mating?
You should never pull them apart when they are stuck together.
When you try to pull your dog during mating, you may actually hurt them. Do not make any attempt to break them. You may want to stop the female breed from getting pregnant but separating them won’t even solve your problem. Instead, you can encourage your dog to be calm.
Can Dogs Mate More Than One Time?
Yes, they can.
There is no restriction on how many times a dog can mate in a single day. If the female breed allows the male dog and the male dog is ready for it, they can mate.
Female dogs are more likely to get annoyed soon and stop male dogs from mating more than once a day. Though given a choice of male breeds, they are likely to mate multiple times a day.
It is quite possible for female dogs to get pregnant when they mate multiple times, but it is not necessary to increase pregnancy chances. Most dog breeds allow dogs to mate only once or twice in a single day.
Do Dogs Need Privacy When Mating?
Yes, it is better not to intervene after the mating process begins.
Give them some privacy, and do not try breaking them up when they are mating. If you intervene in between, they may get stressed and even hurt themselves.
A little bit of privacy will help them breed successfully. You can take your dogs to a basement or a shed, so they feel comfortable and have some privacy.
Can Female Dogs Get Pregnant In the First Mating Season?
Yes, two out of five females get pregnant in the first season itself.
Around 40% of females have a chance of getting pregnant during the first mating process. When females have their first heat cycle. Once the mating process gets the dog pregnant, though not necessary.
Females breeds getting pregnant during the first mating session is good news for dog breeders who purposely mate dogs. But for some, it can lead to complications as they might not be ready to take care of the puppies.
You need to check on your female dog when it roams around the yard freely. If you don’t want more puppies at your house, you can take your dog to the vet and get them neutered or spayed.
Does Getting Tie Together Means Female Dogs Are Pregnant?
Not necessarily, but the longer the dogs are tied, the better are the chances.
The longer the dogs are tied together, the more is the chance of the semen reaching the female eggs. However, there is no guarantee that the dog will get pregnant. Just like humans, not every mating process needs to be successful.
As per AKC, a vet can diagnose the do and find out if it’s pregnant after around 25 days of mating. You may see certain signs after three weeks of the mating process, such as:
- Weight gain
- Increase in appetite
- Vomiting
- Swollen belly
If it is challenging for you to take care of the puppies, you can consult your vet for possible solutions.
Can Spayed Or Neutered Dogs Also Get Stuck?
Yes, they can
It is rare but quite possible for a neutered or spayed dog to get stuck while mating. They are more likely to be stuck when they have recently been neutered. This is because they have a high level of testosterone.
Does A Female Breed Bleed After Their Mating Session?
If the female breed gets pregnant, it will not bleed. Usually, a dog’s pregnancy lasts for 58 to 68 days. During this time, you will see a small amount of discharge.
If your dog is pregnant and bleeding, this is a cause of concern, and you need to consult your vet immediately. Bloody discharge can lead to miscarriage and, if left untreated, will lead to infections in dogs.
How Can You Keep Your Male Breed Away From Female Dogs During Heat Cycle?
When a female dog is in its heat cycle, the male dogs around the neighborhood get to know about it through her smell and her actions.
Dog owners may even wonder how to keep males away from their female breed. Let us look at ways to keep them away from female breeds during the heat cycle.
Keep A Check On Female Dog
Of course, just as male breeds want to meet your dog, your female dog will likely also want to meet them. She may move back and forth near the door, howl, and whine to come out. She may even try to escape from the other door, so you need to keep an eye on your dog.
When you take them out to pee, always carry them on a leash, or they may try to run away. You can keep a stick or spray bottle to scare the male dogs on the road.
Keep Your Dogs Separate
If you have both male and female dogs in your house, you will have to keep them separate. You can either keep them in separate rooms or in their crate.
Using Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll helps mask the heat smell among dogs. There are two types of chlorophyll, liquid and tablet form. You can add a small amount of it in the morning and evening. For best results, give it on the first day of the heat cycle. You can consult your vet to know the exact dosage of chlorophyll suitable for your dog.
Use Dog Britches
Britches help keep your dog comfortable during heat and help prevent unwanted pregnancy if worn properly. Though britches cannot prevent pregnancy fully but can make things difficult, and you get time to intervene immediately.
Spay Or Neuter
Spaying or neutering dogs will help prevent unwanted pregnancies. This also reduces sex drive to some level and reduces male dogs’ eagerness to be around female dogs during their heat cycle.
A Few Final Words
Breeding dogs is a challenging as well as an exciting task. Dogs can mate from between the fences. Otherwise, they will quite likely find ways to escape the fence.
It is better not to intervene with your dog during the mating process; otherwise, they may hurt themselves and prevent future breeding. Wait until the mating process and let your dog be calm. If you are new to dog breeding, this article will be helpful.
Thank you for reading, we hope we answered most of your queries regarding dog mating. Do let us know if you have more questions in the comments section below.
