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© Orchard Veterinary Group

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So You Want To Breed From Your Bitch?

 

Introduction

Breeding from your pet should not be a spur of the moment decision.  It takes dedication, planning and regular veterinary treatment.

From the beginning it is wise to make a logbook for your bitch, in it you should keep records of the following:

When your dog was vaccinated and when boosters are due.

Worm and Flea Treatments and due dates.

The history of the bitch (especially if you are not the first owner) and her family tree where possible.

Kennel club certificates (where applicable).

The dates of your bitch’s last season – this is key to breeding as it allows you to plan in advance when your bitch is likely to be in season again.

The dates of alliance/mating.

Records of veterinary examinations and ultra sounds.

Regular weight checks

Specialist Insurance (as not all insurance policies will cover breeding animals) - although veterinary intervention is not common, if your bitch does require a caesarean section this can be a costly affair as she will not necessarily choose the daytime to have her puppies.

 

Before you decide to breed it is important to have a consultation with a veterinary surgeon to have her checked out.  It is important to ascertain whether she is in good health to help protect not only your dog but also the puppies you are hoping she will bear.  Diseases are not only infectious there are many congenital (diseases present at birth) and inherited (diseases passed down from parents or grandparents) conditions, and it is your duty as a responsible owner to ensure that your bitch is not carrying such a disease. The best way to discover this is regular veterinary examinations and to look at your pet’s family tree.  If her grandmother for example had hip dysplasia it is possible that your bitch also have hip dysplasia and/or is a carrier of that particular gene.

The British Veterinary Association runs in partnership with the kennel club to provide a “Hip Dysplasia Scheme”.  This scheme has been put in place to help assist breeders select appropriate breeding stock and thus reduce this hereditary condition.  The kennel club also runs a similar scheme to help detect inherited diseases associated with canine eyes.

 

When To Breed

The bitch reaches sexual maturity at 6-12 months of age with smaller breeds reaching puberty earlier than larger breeds.  Female dogs show sexual maturity by the onset of their first heat (season), whereas the dog reaches his maturity when he can produce sperm.

As with many mammals the bitch is seasonally monoestrus this means that the bitch only has one reproductive cycle per breeding season.  The bitch’s reproductive cycle occurs approximately every six months and lasts for about 3 weeks.  It is advised that the bitch should not be mated on her first season but her second or even third season.  The stud dog may begin breeding at 18 months.

The bitch’s cycle is separated into four stages:

Pro-Oestrus - 8-13 days - Increased urination, irritability with other bitches and attraction to males but will not allow mating

Oestrus - 4-7 days - The bitch will stand for the dog with tail held to one side.

Metoestrus - 30-64 days - The bitch will no longer accept the dog and will start to return to normal by about 21 days after the first signs of pro-oestrus, if she was mated and mating was successful this is the pregnancy stage

Anoestrus - 4 months - No reproductive activity

 

Mating

Before mating your bitch you should ensure that the she and the chosen stud dog has had routine flea and worm treatments and is fully vaccinated.

It is traditional for the bitch to be taken to the stud dog and it’s recommended that one of the pair be experienced.

The couple should be introduced on leads at first, as the bitch can be quite fierce to begin with because she may not have reached oestrus or maybe shy if it is her first time.  If this happens be patient and give the bitch time to settle (this will only happen if the bitch is in the oestrus stage of her cycle).

Once the bitch is calm if you can provide a secure area now is the time to let the stud dog off their leads.  The pair may court each other by playing with one another prior to mating this can last up to 20 minutes.  The bitch may be let off her lead at this point as long as you or the dog’s owner feel confident about restraining her again after penetration.

The dog will first mount the bitch and once successful penetration has been established the dog will turn and the “Tie” or “Lock” will be established, this can last from 10-40 minutes the bitch may vocalise throughout this time and the dog may yelp whilst turning.

During the “tie” it is advisable to prevent the pair from dragging each other or alter their standing position thus some restraint may be necessary.  Once mating has finished the couple will relax and the “Tie” will end.

If mating was successful the bitch will remain in Metoestrus for a gestation period of approximately 56 to 63 days from the time of egg fertilisation (however this can take 2 days after copulation).

 

Care of the Bitch During Pregnancy

Whilst the bitch is pregnant she will require a little extra tender loving care.  As mention above before the bitch is mated she will need regular flea and worm treatments.  However during the pregnancy she will require a structured worming regime put together by a veterinary surgeon or nurse to prevent both mother and the puppies becoming infested.  This is very important, as round worms in particular can be especially dangerous to newborn puppies.

The bitch should be fed on a balanced diet throughout and a complete growth diet towards the end of her pregnancy and whilst feeding the pups this will suit her nutritional needs at this time.  Extreme care should be taken to avoid the bitch becoming overweight at any stage during pregnancy as this can cause complications with the birth process.

Exercise should be steady lead walks daily, towards the end of the pregnancy allow the bitch to dictate how far she wants to go.

Make your bitch a whelping box in a quiet secure place in your household lined with some old blankets you do not mind throwing away or alternatively vet bed (a wool like bedding that absorbs fluids and keeps it away from the pet) this can be obtained from pet shops and veterinary surgeries.  The bitch should be allowed access to this box at least three weeks prior to giving birth to reduce any anxiety the animal may have when the time comes.

During a normal birth no interference should be needed.  It is advised that you supervise the birth but do not intervene unless absolutely necessary.  If there has been much strong straining but no pups have been produced within two hours veterinary intervention maybe necessary and a veterinary surgeon should be called.

 

Care of newborn Puppies

Following a normal birth a visit should be arranged with your veterinary surgeon a few days after the birth.  During the time leading up to the visit observe the bitch, suckling should occur naturally.  Keep a record of puppies that do not appear to be feeding well or any other abnormalities you may have noticed and show your findings to the veterinary surgeon when he arrives to check everyone (including the bitch) is doing well.   Weighing puppies from birth at the same time every day is essential to detect signs of ill health at an early stage.

 

Conclusion

When breeding a bitch you can plan it in four stages.  The first stage is the period before the mating, it is important to plan ahead ascertain who the stud dog is going to be and don’t be afraid to find out some history about him.  Then work out the time of oestrus if you can get this right first time it will prevent additional stress to your bitch.  Remember that she will not necessarily become pregnant at her first mating and it maybe necessary to wait until her next season.

The second stage is the pregnancy itself the bitch will need to be treated differently and regular trips to the surgery are advised.  A structured worming regime can help to keep the unborn pups as well as the mother healthy, but a veterinary surgeon must choose a wormer that is safe to use in pregnant bitches.

The third stage is after the birth whilst the bitch is caring for her puppies regular veterinary checks and record keeping can help to maintain the health of the pups.

The fourth and final stage is when the pups are ready to leave the bitch and go to new homes it is important that you promote preventative health care and providing a copy of your regimes can help with this.  You could also suggest that the new owner visit the surgery for a complementary puppy clinic with one of the nurses there, as they are happy to provide any information they concerning vaccination, flea and worm treatments, insurance and diet.

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