You may decide to mate your female dog through a reputable breeder or do it yourself. In order for a female dog to mate with a male dog, you need to determine exactly when the dog is in optimal heat for breeding. You can do this by checking your animal for signs of arousal behavior, running tests on your dog, and monitoring their oestrus cycle. Once you know the optimal breeding season for your dog, you can mate it with a male dog.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Checking for Symptoms of a Female Dog's Sexual Behavior
Step 1. Check the dog's genital area
When a female dog enters heat, her vulva begins to swell. You will see the female dog's genital area enlarge and protrude. The tip of the vulva will move up to facilitate copulation with a male dog. These are all signs of a dog in heat.
You can stretch the dog and examine or monitor the genital area from behind. An enlarged vulva will be visible from behind the dog
Step 2. Check for blood or fluid discharge
You will also notice the female dog leaving spots around the house, for example on furniture, bedding, or on the carpet. Spots or discharge from the animal may appear dark red, cloudy pink, or white in color. Dogs will enter the fertile period about 12 days after starting the bleeding because the color is thinning and lightening.
- You may notice a strong-smelling discharge of blood or discharge. This smell will attract male dogs.
- Some female dogs will bleed quite a lot when in heat, while others will only bleed a little.
Step 3. Notice if your dog is urinating more often
You should also monitor your dog's behavior and pay attention to the frequency of his urination. If your dog is urinating a lot, he's probably in heat. Dog urine contains pheromones and hormones, which will help tell the male dog that the female dog is about to mate.
You may notice that your female dog wants to be outside to pee more than usual. This can be a sign that your dog is menstruating in his heat cycle when he is most fertile
Step 4. Make sure the dog is age appropriate for the breed
You need to make sure your dog is old enough to breed. Most dogs should not be bred with other dogs until they have 2-3 cycles of heat. Generally, the dog should be at least 1-2 years old.
If you're not sure your dog is old enough to breed, ask your vet. He will tell you whether your female dog can breed or not
Part 2 of 3: Using Oestrus Cycle Tests and Monitoring in Dogs
Step 1. Monitor the dog's oestrus cycle
Dogs go into heat about twice a year so monitor your dog's cycle to determine when he's ovulating (which means he's fertile). Female dogs have four distinct stages in their cycle: proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and anestrus. You will need to monitor your dog's multiple heat cycles to ensure each stage.
- The proestrus stage begins when the female dog's vulva begins to swell and discharge. The length of this stage is usually 9 days, but can last up to 4-20 days. During this stage, the dog usually attracts the male dog but does not accept the invitation to breed.
- Next is the estrus stage, and this is the period when female dogs can breed. This stage lasts for 9 days, and the dog is most fertile for the first 5 days. He will become more fond of associating with the male dog and allowing him to mate with him. You will notice the end of the fertile stage when the dog's vagina returns to normal, no longer attracts attention, and reduces his desire for male dogs.
- The metestrus stage usually lasts for 50 days, but can reach 80-90 days, and the final stage is called the anestrus stage which lasts up to 2-3 months. During the metestrus and anestrus periods, the female dog is at the end of her cycle and does not accept the mate.
Step 2. Get a vaginal smear test from the vet
You can make sure your dog is in heat by doing a vaginal smear test on the female dog. A vaginal smear test is performed by examining vaginal cells from a dog using a microscope. This procedure is noninvasive and does not hurt the dog. The vet will take a sample from the dog and perform several tests to make sure the dog is in heat.
During the test, the vet will look for changes in the cells that indicate the dog is ovulating. This test can also determine the optimal breeding period for dogs
Step 3. Ask for serum progesterone to be given to the dog
You can also determine your dog's ovulation by having your vet do a blood test to measure the level of progesterone in your dog's blood. Doctors need multiple samples to accurately predict a dog's ovulation period.
This test is considered very accurate for determining the optimal mating period for female dogs. This option is ideal if the female has a history of failed mating or if you want to make sure the female dog is ready before bringing her to the male dog for breeding
Part 3 of 3: Breeding Female Dogs
Step 1. Find a suitable male dog
In order to mate a female dog with a male, you need to find a suitable partner. Look for male dogs of the same breed who are healthy and do not have any genetic disorders or problems. It's a good idea to see a male dog's previous employer or breeder and discuss the male dog's health or medical history.
- You also need to determine the age of the male dog. Most breeds must be between 1-7 years old to be able to breed.
- Make sure you consult with your veterinarian first before breeding male and female dogs. The doctor will be able to make sure both dogs have no health problems or problems before starting the breeding process.
Step 2. Bring the female dog to the male dog when the time is right
Often, male dogs are more comfortable fertilizing female dogs in their territory or home area. Discuss bringing the female dog to the male dog's owner when the time is ideal. Set the date of fertilization based on the dog's oestrus cycle so that breeding occurs during the most fertile period.
- Do not mate the dog in its first heat cycle. Wait until he has experienced 1-2 cycles of heat to be able to breed. This ensures the dog is healthy enough to breed.
- You can also set two periods of fertilization that are 24-48 hours apart. This will help increase the female dog's chances of getting pregnant.
Step 3. Create a stress-free environment for breeding
Once the breeding date has been set, bring the female dog to the male dog in a stress-free environment. Employers of male dogs must provide a clean and open space for breeding. If the female dog is right in the heat cycle, she should quickly recognize the male dog. The female dog will show signs of interest, and if the male dog accepts it, breeding will occur naturally.
