Free consultation and order
warencorb My Cart 0 item(s) - £0.00
Your shopping cart is empty!

Mating in dogs: everything you need to know about reproduction

Mating in dogs

Prospective breeders probably have many questions regarding the mating of their dogs. After all, breeding involves a great deal of responsibility and both the parents-to-be and the puppies should, of course, enjoy impeccable health.


In the following paragraphs, we have summarised everything important about dogs and mating. Among other things, you will learn when dogs become sexually mature and why sexual maturity is not the same as breeding maturity.


We also explain the differences in mating behaviour between males and females and how you can support your efforts to reproduce successfully with the right diet.

When are dogs ready to mate?

When dogs are ready to mate depends primarily on their sex as well as their breed. Small breeds usually reach sexual maturity earlier than their larger counterparts.


In males, puberty begins at an age of five to eight months, while bitches normally come into heat for the first time at an age of six to twelve months. However, reaching sexual maturity does not mean that the dogs are immediately ready for mating and mating at this age is already recommended.


Depending on the breed, stud dogs only reach so-called breeding maturity at an age of 12 to 24 months. Bitches do not reach their maximum fertility until their second heat. Irrespective of this, it is important to take into account the regulations that the respective breeding association provides with regard to the minimum age for mating the dogs of its members.

The heat of the bitch

Bitches are usually in heat twice a year. The cycle of the bitch is divided into pre-estrus, oestrus, post-estrus and resting phase. In female dogs, the readiness to conceive and to mate is limited to the actual oestrus phase.

Male dogs are ready to mate all year round

Unlike their female counterparts, male dogs are ready to mate all year round. As soon as a male dog is sexually mature, he is magically attracted to a bitch in heat. Often this is already the case during pre-mating, but the bitch vigorously fights this off.

Wie läuft der Deckakt beim hund ab?

How does the mating act work in dogs?

The actual mating, or the act of mating, begins with a kind of foreplay in which the two dogs sniff each other and get to know each other. When the bitch is ready to mate, she stretches her rear end towards the male and lets him mount her from behind.


During the mating act, the male dog first holds on to the bitch's loins with his front paws. His penis does not fully erect until it has penetrated the female. Now the vein pads in the vagina also swell and both dogs are literally wedged together for the duration of the mating act.


Now the male dog gets off the bitch again and turns away from her. This process is called hanging. It usually lasts about a quarter of an hour, but occasionally it can last for a whole hour.


The mating ends as soon as the vein pads of the bitch and the penis of the male start to swell again so that the two dogs can separate from each other after the mating has been completed. If the mating was successful, the bitch becomes pregnant and you can expect the birth of the little puppies after about 58 to 68 days.

Tips for healthy offspring

Of course, it is important that you create the ideal conditions for the successful reproduction of your dogs as well as the birth of the healthiest puppies possible. Among other things, this means that your dogs should have reached breeding maturity before mating.


In addition, you should refrain from mating older bitches. After all, pregnancy and subsequent suckling are associated with enormous physical stress, which is a risk both for the bitch herself and for her offspring. Depending on the breed, female dogs should no longer be used for breeding from the age of four to six years.


Furthermore, it is advisable that you look into possible hereditary diseases of the respective breed before mating your dogs and, if necessary, have them ruled out by appropriate tests at the vet. Only use healthy dogs for breeding. Otherwise, diseases of the puppies are practically pre-programmed.

What matters in the nutrition of your breeding dogs

A balanced diet with healthy dog food is of crucial importance for stud dogs and breeding bitches. Therefore, when buying food, make sure it is of good quality and give preference to natural products with a proportion of animal proteins that meets their needs.


In the Bellfor range, you will find high-quality wet and dry food made from food-grade ingredients. Whether with digestible insect protein from the larvae of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) for nutritionally sensitive dogs or with classic protein sources such as chicken or fish - Bellfor dog food provides your dogs with all the important nutrients, not only with regard to mating and a possible subsequent pregnancy of the bitch.

Shiimun Vitalizer to improve fertility

In addition to feeding our high-quality dog food, we recommend a dietary supplement with Shiimun Vitalizer for breeding dogs. Shiimun Vitalizer is a well-tolerated food supplement with shiitake and other selected ingredients, such as L-arginine and maca extract.


Thanks to its special composition, Shiimun Vitalizer provides your four-legged friends with many valuable nutrients and can thus gently help to improve the fertility of your breeding dogs.

Our conclusion on the subject of mating in dogs

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when it comes to dog mating. But if you take conscientious care of the well-being of your breeding dogs, with a little luck nothing will stand in the way of successful reproduction and the birth of healthy puppies.


In the Bellfor range, you will find everything you need for a balanced diet for your breeding dogs, from species-appropriate dog food to high-quality nutritional supplements such as Shiimun Vitalizer.

Was this page helpful?

Write a review

Bad
Good
Dietician
My data
normal

Ribs can be felt beneath low fat cover, visible waist from above, visible elevation of the abdominal line in front of the pelvis from the side.

My weight
My activity
Dog food should not contain the following
VEGETABLES AND CEREALS
MEAT AND FISH
OTHER
Health problems
Special needs of your dog

Suggested Products

watsapp-button-icon
bellfore motive