Dogs: The Keys to Successful Breeding

These days, many breeds of dogs sell for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. As such, many dog lovers see breeding their pets as a great opportunity to make a bit of extra money. In this article, we'll give you some tips to ensure successful breeding.
Dogs: The Keys to Successful Breeding
Francisco María García

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García.

Last update: 25 October, 2022

These days, many breeds of dogs sell for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. As such, many dog lovers see breeding their pets as a great opportunity to make a bit of extra money. To ensure successful breeding, it’s important to consider aspects such as the female’s temperament. Every animal has a very different personality, and some are better suited to raising puppies than others.

The hormone cycle

If you want to successfully breed your dogs, it’s important to have a good understanding of the female’s hormone cycle.

Here are some tips that will help you pinpoint the right moment to successfully breed your dogs:

Keys to successful breeding.
  • When do female dogs come into season? Some believe it occurs every 6 months. However, depending on the breed, a number of other factors can come into play. For example, poodles come into season approximately every 250 days, or every 9 months.
  • A dog’s hormone cycle isn’t like a human’s. It has nothing to do with menstruation, so it’s important not to confuse the two.
  • The first stage is proestrus, which lasts approximately 9 days, though this can vary from 3 to 17 days. During this stage, you will notice a blood-tinged vaginal discharge. It is only after this stage that the female dog will come into season.
  • The ideal moment to introduce the female to the male is around eight to nine days into the hormone cycle. This is when females are most fertile.
  • Animals have very keen instincts. The female will be receptive to the male if her body is ready to carry puppies.
  • Experts recommend introducing the female into the male’s territory, as they will both be more relaxed.
  • The breeding process itself usually lasts around 15 to 20 minutes. We would recommend leaving your dogs together for several hours so they can mate multiple times, increasing the chances of success.
  • If this is the first time your female dog has mated, lack of experience may cause her to run away from the male.

Successful breeding

Sometimes, despite choosing the right moment, breeding is still unsuccessful. But why does this happen? The most likely reason is inexperience on the part of the dogs. If breeding is unsuccessful, you might want to consider using artificial insemination, which involves taking semen from the male, and transferring it to the female via a catheter.

To ensure successful breeding, we would recommend asking for help from an expert, who can make sure the procedure is carried out properly.

Stages of pregnancy

Pregnancy in dogs usually lasts between 52 and 72 days. By day 16, the embryos will be embedded in the uterine lining. At day 20, the embryos will start to form. By day 25, you should be able to feel the stomach to check whether breeding has been successful.

We would recommend taking your dog to a vet, who will be able to do an ultrasound to check that everything is okay. The first ultrasound should be done around 5 weeks into the pregnancy. After that, you should take your dog for an ultrasound every two weeks for a check-up.

Common mistakes

Novice dog breeders often make a number of mistakes. One such mistake is to not consider factors such as the health of the parents. This can often lead to the parents transmitting certain diseases to their offspring. In some cases, mating may not be successful at all.

Another reason mating may not be successful is infertility. This is a common problem in dogs.

We would always recommend seeking help from a specialist, who will be able to examine the animals to make sure they are suitable for breeding. Plus, they will be able to give you extra tips on how to successfully breed your pets.

 

A dog in a field.

Other aspects to keep in mind to ensure successful breeding

There are also a number of other factors to keep in mind, such as hygiene, diet and the mother’s health.

  • We would recommend treating the mother with an antiparasitic before introducing her to the male, and again 10 days into pregnancy, to avoid the transmission of any undesirable parasites which could kill the fetuses.
  • Make sure to feed your dog a healthy diet throughout the pregnancy, and while she is suckling her puppies. The idea is to keep the mother healthy, so that the puppies get all the nutrients they need.
  • It’s important to make sure both mating and birth take place in a clean, healthy and hygienic environment.

It’s best to keep a close eye on the female throughout the process so that you can provide help and support.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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  • Tobias, K. M., & Rohrbach, B. W. (2003). Association of breed with the diagnosis of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs: 2,400 cases (1980–2002). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 223(11), 1636-1639.
  • Whitney, L. F. (1948). How to breed dogs. How to breed dogs., (Rev. ed).
  • McGreevy, P. D., & Nicholas, F. W. (1999). Some practical solutions to welfare problems in dog breeding. ANIMAL WELFARE-POTTERS BAR-, 8, 329-342.
  • Bell, J. (2017). Ten Most Common Hereditary Diseases in Dogs. World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress Proceedings. Recuperado el 25 de octubre de 2022, disponible en: https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=20539&catId=113419&id=8506247

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.