Dog Breeding Cycle Articles | DOGS

By: A. Fletcher

Dog Breeding Cycle’ is one of the important factors you need to know, when it is about time, you have taken a decision to breed the dog. Further on in this article it will give you guidelines to understand the breeding cycle for female dogs.

It is said, most female dogs go in to the “period of heat” also known as estrus just about every six to seven months beginning sometime before their first year of age. Before breeding your female dog allow her to have full grown before considering ‘breeding’. You won’t want to put a female dog through extra care or nursing when her body is not geared or ready in accepting those changes. With female dogs as, Great dane, St.Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, the breeding should not take place until they are over two years of age.

It is through the ten to twelve days of the heat cycle for your female dog, she is ready for the male dog to breed her. You can start counting days at the first sign of any blood discharge you notice from the vulva. Know that, every female dog will have different times for when she will allow breeding, so it is your responsibility to keep good records of everything you note, starting from her first blood discharge to noting the swelling of the vulva to temperament and attitude of your female dog.

Sometimes you wouldn’t notice the blood discharge because of your busy life. When you notice, according to you it will be day ‘one’ when it is actually a day three or five. In these cases, when you bring the male dog for breeding, you do not need to wait till the tenth day. In fact, you can actually bring the male dog to breed her because may be she is ready for breeding at that moment. She will also let you know her timing whether it is right or wrong for her, she will let you know her willingness or unwillingness to stand for the male.

One of the signs female dogs’ show of their willingness is when they crook their tail off to one side and stand in front of the male and even back into the male. It doesn’t have any influence on hormonal levels just because you would think that she should be bred on certain day.

One more required note, some breeds like bulldogs, Pugs, Chihuahuas, Boston Terriers, Pekingese, are partial list of breeds that require surgical and medical assistance with whelping. For that, you need to have close communication with your veterinarian long before whelping process. You might need veterinary assistance.

Get all the information from the veterinarian so that you and your female dog are on the safe side. Let your veterinarian guide you through step-by step process through the ‘breeding’.

Know that some times it can be painful for your female dog while breeding, and even in that case, you will see an indication about the uncomfortable feeling that your female dog has while breeding.