Estrus in dogs: what should a dog owner know?

Preparing Pekingese for mating

Before mating, its owner must determine the purpose of breeding. If the owner needs puppies exclusively for sale, absolutely any dog ​​that has not been castrated can be used for crossing But if a breeder wants to get healthy, beautiful offspring for procreation, it is necessary to approach the matter more thoroughly.

First, you need to take care of the health of the bitch, carefully track the pedigree, desirable and undesirable qualities that may appear in a future litter. Only after this can you look for a male dog.

When looking for a Pekingese male for mating, it is necessary to clarify the results of previous matings . If traits important to the breeder were passed on to puppies with different females, that male should be preferred. Externally, he should be superior in conformation to the Pekingese bitch. How much it costs to breed Pekingese is not a clear-cut question. Candidates for crossing should not be too cheap , otherwise you can doubt the quality of the partners.

Frequency and duration

Estrus (empty) is a sign of sexual maturity of an animal.
At this time, the level of estrogen, the female hormone, increases in the dog’s body, and ovulation occurs. The female exhibits sexual activity aimed at procreation. During the estrus period, breeders plan mating. The bitch is ready to mate and begins to let the dogs approach her. The male will be able to mount and impregnate the female. During the year, females go into heat from 1 to 3 times. In representatives of small breeds, empty space occurs once a year. Large bitches have more critical periods.

The average duration of estrus in dogs is 21 days. In large breeds it may last longer by a week. Duration of more than a month is a reason for a veterinary examination.

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The duration and frequency of critical days are influenced by hormonal levels, breed, nutrition, living conditions and other features.

At the beginning of the cycle, failures in intervals are possible. The schedule stabilizes by 2 years. The frequency and duration of periods in a pet is determined through personal experience. It is preferable for the owner to keep a diary. This makes it easier to plan the breeding of the animal.

When does a Pekingese come into heat?

An attentive owner of a bitch cannot help but know when the first heat . This approximately occurs at eight months of age. But this time is very arbitrary, since all animals are individual. Estrus lasts approximately three weeks and repeats at intervals of six months. Depending on the physical development of the Pekingese, puberty may occur much later, and the interval between estrus varies from six months to a year. The reproductive organs of the female are called the loop among the owners. Before estrus, there may be slight swelling of the genitals and dark discharge. your Pekingese on a leash at this time. In a healthy dog, estrus (the appearance of bloody discharge) occurs regularly once every six months with a range of 1-2 days. At this time, the female is aggressive towards other dogs, and vice versa, she may become lethargic and her appetite decreases. In the middle of the period on the 13-15th day of estrus, when colorless discharge appears , the Pekingese can be bred. The bitch herself changes her behavior towards other dogs, arches her back, raises her tail when touched.

It is necessary to at least approximately mark the beginning and end of the appearance of estrus. If you count the days incorrectly, the mating day will be difficult to determine. You can find videos of Pekingese mating on the Internet.

Before mating, it is advisable to agree in advance with the dog’s owner or outline another backup option so as not to miss favorable days. As a rule, the owner of a male dog brings him to a female dog for mating . Before mating, it is necessary to carry out antiparasitic treatment for both Pekingese.

First time with small breeds

So how long does heat last in small breeds? The first heat in small breeds (Bolognese, Welsh Terrier, Mudi, Pekingese, Pinscher, etc.) usually occurs earlier than in others - at 6-8 months.

But this does not mean that maturation is complete. After the first such manifestations, the pet is not bred - they do it the second or third time: the bitch reaches the desired weight, she will establish a clear cycle. This rule applies to all breeds.

The emptying lasts from 2 to 3 weeks with an interval of up to 12 months, which depends on the breed and heredity. Small dogs have about 10 cycles during their life.

Choice of male

There are several features when choosing a male dog that you need to pay close attention to:

• external data;
• results of participation in competitions, if any;
• It is advisable to check the health of the prospective male, including the presence of genitourinary tract infections. Having become infected during mating , a bitch can give birth to sick puppies. It is not uncommon to experience postpartum complications in a dog with a sexually transmitted infection;
• matings completed . Some owners simply exploit their dogs until they stop reproducing. You should not expect high quality offspring from such males;
• Most often, breeders of good, purebred dogs belong to clubs. Males are held in special esteem here, and females from outside are invited for mating extremely rarely. The owner of a non-club bitch needs to try hard to find a worthy dog.

The ability to reproduce in dogs appears early - at 8-12 months. But a young, not yet strong animal’s body is not able to withstand the colossal load caused by mating, pregnancy, childbirth and feeding puppies. Early matings also have an adverse effect on male dogs that have not yet completed their formation. In addition to undesirable physiological changes, early matings cause many diseases, the treatment of which in the future is problematic.

Dog breeding practice determines the most favorable timing for the start of breeding for males at the age of 24 months, for females at the age of 20 months. But when planning the first mating of a dog, you should take into account its individual characteristics. Some dogs complete their physiological development relatively early, while others take much longer to develop. An objective indicator of the physiological maturity of a bitch is the onset of her third heat, for which mating should be planned.

Preparing a dog for mating

Mating should be planned in advance, focusing on the timing and course of the previous estrus. An experienced breeder must keep a diary in which he regularly records observations of the health, condition, physical fitness and physiological characteristics of each of his dogs. In females, it is recommended to describe in detail the course of each heat, from the first to the last day, even if mating during this heat is not planned. Everything is important - the timing of the start and end of estrus, the intensity and nature of the discharge, the state of the “loop” and the behavior of the bitch on each of the following days, her reaction to the male. Data on various preventive measures is also entered here. Having such records, in the future you will accurately determine the timing of the next heat and, most importantly, the moment the bitch is ready for mating.

The breeder must begin taking mandatory preventive measures in advance. 1.5 months before the expected estrus, it is recommended to conduct a bacteriological analysis to identify hidden anaerobic infections in the bitch (staphylococcal, streptococcal, herpesvirus, etc.). These infections are currently quite widespread in the dog population, but without appearing externally, they often cause the death of puppies at various stages of development. This simple preventive procedure (tests are done in any veterinary laboratory by taking blood from a vein and swabs from the bitch’s vagina) will save you from possible problems in the future. The cost of tests, and even, if any infection is detected, a full course of treatment for the dog will be much cheaper than the loss of the entire litter. By the way, stud dogs must also regularly undergo this preventive measure, and their owners are required to provide a certificate of absence of anaerobic infections upon the first request of the owners of bitches.

About a month before estrus, mandatory preventive treatment of the bitch against skin parasites (fleas, lice, subcutaneous mites, etc.) is carried out. In this case, the most effective is the use of special, non-toxic sprays and shampoos. Long-acting products are not suitable - in particular, anti-parasitic collars. A few days after this, it is necessary to deworm the bitch with one of the broad-spectrum drugs (for different types of parasites), the dosage of which is calculated strictly in accordance with the instructions.

A week after deworming, the dog should be vaccinated against the most common and dangerous infectious diseases. Before mating, bitches are vaccinated only with imported polyvalent vaccines, which will significantly increase the immunity of puppies at an early age. All these activities are mandatory when preparing a dog for mating and are carried out before the onset of estrus. At the time of mating, the bitch must be absolutely healthy. She should not be thin, weakened, or, conversely, overfed, with flabby muscles. This will inevitably have a negative impact on the course of pregnancy and childbirth.

Estrus (empty)

The first heat in female dogs usually occurs at the age of 8-12 months, and then repeats at approximately the same interval after 6 months, that is, approximately twice a year. Its duration is on average 18-20 days. But some deviations from these norms are possible, which is an individual feature of each individual. Physiological disorders should be considered the onset of the first estrus earlier than 7 and later than 15 months, the interval between estrus is less than 4 and more than 9 months, the duration of estrus is less than 12 and more than 30 days.

About a week before the onset of heat, the dog's behavior may change - it becomes disobedient, excitable, and sometimes loses its appetite. The onset of estrus is characterized by some swelling of the vulva (“loop”), and after some time the appearance of bloody discharge from it. At the beginning of estrus, the “loop” is usually enlarged, but hard, and the discharge is bloody and scanty. After two or three days they become more abundant. Approximately seven to ten days after the start of estrus, the “loop” begins to increase in volume, and the discharge gradually becomes lighter. By the time of ovulation (the release of mature eggs ready for fertilization from the ovaries), the “loop” increases to its maximum size and becomes soft, and the discharge becomes yellowish-pink in color.

The behavior of the bitch changes accordingly - she flirts with the males, and when they “court”, she takes the appropriate position, moving her tail to the side. The bitch often takes the same pose if you stroke her in the croup area or touch the “loop”. This is the most favorable period for breeding a bitch. Most often it occurs 12-15 days after the start of estrus, but some deviations from this period in one direction or another are possible. The duration of ovulation (the number of days during which a female dog can be fertilized) also varies, but on average it is 3-5 days. It is recommended to breed a bitch in the middle of its readiness. The most common mistake breeders make is mating on the first day of the appearance of the above signs, that is, at the very beginning of ovulation. This usually results in an empty female dog or a small number of puppies in the litter.

It happens that not all signs are equally expressed when the bitch is ready for mating. Sometimes the discharge only slightly brightens at the time of ovulation, or, conversely, throughout the entire estrus it is not abundant and bright enough. It is extremely rare, but there are females with so-called “bloodless” estrus, when the discharge is so scarce that it is simply impossible to see it. There are females whose “loop” remains rigid throughout the entire estrus and practically does not increase in size. Some bitches even during the period of ovulation show aggression towards the male. All these deviations can have a wide variety of reasons, but often this does not prevent such bitches from giving birth to normal, healthy puppies.

To ensure that your mating plans are not disrupted and your efforts are not in vain, you need to know the individual characteristics of your dog and be able to determine in advance the days that are optimal for mating. If this is the first mating, this is where the observations and notes you made during the previous heat will help. Based on them, you can easily determine the days that are most favorable for a trip to the dog.

Mating

It is the bitch that is taken to the dog for mating, and not vice versa. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is that male dogs tend to be more active at home. It is best to breed in the morning, before feeding the dogs. Before mating, even before the dogs see or feel each other, each one needs to be given a good walk. Often this is not given much importance, and at the same time, a full intestine in a bitch is the most common reason for mating without a “lock”. A male with a full intestine or bladder is unlikely to recover in the presence of a bitch, and this will turn out to be a serious reason for unsuccessful mountings. Dogs are knitted in a secluded place, in the absence of extraneous irritants nearby and with as few people present as possible. The dogs are given the opportunity to get acquainted, sniff, and play a little. But, it is important that the game does not drag on, as the male may “burn out” and the mating will not work.

Immediately before mating, the bitch’s “loop” should be lubricated with Vaseline or baby cream. The owner of the bitch stands in front of her and holds her by the collar. The owner of the dog sits down on the side of the bitch, supporting her under the belly with one hand, and with the other, directing the “loop” to the male’s genitals during mounting. Such assistance is necessary to save the dog’s strength and prevent possible injuries during mating. An active and healthy male usually mates a bitch without difficulty after several matings. But there are cases when, due to a mismatch in the size of the dogs or the structure of their genitals, mating does not occur for a long time. In this case, the help of an experienced instructor is necessary (sometimes these functions are successfully performed by the owner of the dog), who, depending on the situation, resorts to additional help: using a special stand for the dog, lifting the bitch, pressing the dog closer to the bitch during mounting, etc. .

In any case, it is strictly contraindicated to touch a male dog’s genitals during mating, as this can cause irreparable harm to his health and psyche. Usually, after several cages, a specific coupling of the genital organs of the male and female occurs, the so-called “lock”, during which the dogs, as it were, remain coupled with each other for some time. This happens because the male penis enlarges after entering the vagina, especially at the base, where the “bulbs” are located, and the circular muscles of the female vaginal opening contract, keeping it inside. The “castle” can last from a few minutes to an hour, or even more. The presence and duration of the “lock” depends on both partners, on their physiological compatibility, but it has virtually no effect on the result of the mating. The entry of sperm into the bitch’s vagina occurs at the beginning of mating. Therefore, even if during mating the male “entered” the bitch, ejaculation occurred, but the “lock” did not work out, there is still a possibility that the bitch will be impregnated.

During mounting, the male produces characteristic forward frictions, which do not always reach the goal and end in ejaculation. He can repeat mountings at different intervals, jumping off and climbing back onto the bitch, but if this lasts more than 10 minutes, the dog should be taken away from the bitch for a while and given a short rest. During the cage, it is not recommended to press on the male’s croup and press him closer to the bitch. Experienced instructors sometimes resort to this method, but, firstly, they, as a rule, can accurately determine the moment the clutch begins, and secondly, they know which dog this can be applied to and which it cannot. In some cases, this may cause a reverse reaction in a male dog, and he will refuse to breed a female dog.

The beginning of ejaculation is easy to notice by the change in the nature of the frictions, when the male, in one of the cages, presses closer to the bitch and, rising on his hind legs, lifts them one by one, as if trying to climb onto the bitch. After a few seconds, he stops friction, remaining on the bitch. At this point, you need to make sure whether a “lock” has occurred. This is easy to do by carefully palpating the “bulbs”, which at this moment should be inside the bitch’s vagina. If one or both bulbs are located outward, there is no “lock”, and the next moment the male will probably “come out” of the bitch and for some time, until the outflow of blood from the enlarged “bulbs” occurs, he will not be in a very comfortable position. pose, with a “naked” penis. This is not harmless to his health. Therefore, if this happens, you should periodically moisten the male penis with boiled water at room temperature using a syringe.

If after the next mounting there is a “lock” and the male is on the bitch, you can carefully move one of his front and then the hind legs over the back of the bitch, placing them with their tails facing each other. This is convenient and harmless for both dogs. But this should be done carefully, holding the bitch well. Under no circumstances should you try to separate dogs that are in a “lock” - this will result in very serious damage to the genitals. After mating, the dogs should be immediately separated from each other. The male dog should rinse the preputial sac with chlorhexidine solution. The widespread belief that repeated (control) mating is necessary to guarantee fertilization is groundless. It is more necessary for the owner's complacency than for the bitch herself. If the bitch is healthy and mated during the period of ovulation, fertilization is guaranteed. Owners simply should not allow unprepared bitches to breed, so as not to waste the dog’s strength in vain.

Pekingese mating

As the puppy grows, it changes, becoming more and more like an adult dog every day. But many owners note changes in the dog’s appearance also in the postpartum period. With the end of the lactation period, the bitch changes her coat: it becomes thicker, shiny and beautiful. The musculoskeletal system also changes, the dog becomes larger, the gait acquires a stately character. The dog, as they say, “blooms.”

Typically, the Pekingese's first heat occurs in the first year of life. At this time it is forbidden to breed a bitch. All organs and systems of her body should become stronger and grow to normal sizes. Taking a risk, you can get premature puppies with a lot of diseases.

the best time for the first crossing the age of 1.5 -2 years, but preferably no later than 3 years. Late mating has its complications. These include false (phantom) pregnancy. This pathology is hereditary. The dog behaves as if pregnant, sometimes milk is released. The bitch can even set up a nest using various objects as puppies. When such a situation develops, the dog is given an injection of hormones, and if symptoms recur frequently, the dog is sterilized.

Signs of heat

How does estrus manifest itself? You can determine when a dog is in heat by its behavior, and it changes significantly. The female becomes more active, becomes overly playful and may ignore commands. This is all the result of a hormonal surge. Among the main signs of estrus are:

• The dog begins to sit down to urinate more often (it marks its territory so that potential suitors are aware that it is ready to accept advances);
• Bloody discharge oozes from the noose;
• She often licks the area under her tail;
• The bitch begins to flirt with the males, they show active interest;
• Estrus is preceded by molting.

At first, dogs do not allow members of the opposite sex to approach; they may even show aggression when courtship is too intrusive; their body is not yet ready for mating.

After one and a half to 2 weeks, the structure of the dog’s discharge changes; it will look like yellowish mucus. During this period, the female feels a strong sexual desire, especially if she notices males nearby, her tail moves to the side, and her body takes the stance necessary for sexual intercourse. The loop increases significantly in size.

The bitch can remain in this excited state for 5 to 7 days. If the owner wants to breed a dog, then he must mark these days. The right time for mating animals is between the 9th and 17th days, less often on the 21st. Everything is individual and depends on the breed of the pet.

Mating day action plan

• 12 hours before mating it is recommended not to feed the dog;
• You should not wash your Pekingese as it will leave the smell of the anal glands. Without such a smell, a male may not regard the bitch as a mating partner ;
• Before the trip, you need to give the dog plenty of time to walk outside. The owner needs to ensure that his pet takes care of all natural needs.
• To consolidate the result, coating is usually carried out twice , with an interval of 1-2 days;
• Sometimes the dog becomes aggressive in unfamiliar surroundings. It is necessary to bring the Pekingese to the dog extremely carefully. We must not forget about possible eye damage, a bite or scratch;
• It is better not to carry out the so-called “dating ritual”. The male Pekingese wastes his strength, which may be needed during mating . The crossing process requires a lot of energy. Pekingese can sometimes faint. Therefore, during mating it is necessary to monitor the condition of the pet. If possible, it is better to interrupt dogs for a while;
• usually bred on high, flat surfaces such as a table. The owner of a female Pekingese must restrain her during covering;
• mating time does not affect the result. More important is the precise definition of the day for breeding dogs;
• The process of fertilization in the language of breeders is called a lock. During this process, owners need to monitor the dogs' behavior to avoid genital injury. The key point is getting the sperm into the bitch’s vagina. After some time, the vaginal muscles relax and the male can be removed;
• after one or two days mating repeated for a more reliable result.

By carefully selecting a male dog and thinking through the mating process, the Pekingese owner will receive a beautiful and healthy generation of puppies, an easy pregnancy and childbirth.

• health
• Pekingese

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Main phases

Proestrus or precursor

There is a flow of blood to the genitals of the Spitz, and spotting appears. The loop swells and becomes soft. The duration of this phase is 5-7 days. The dog changes its behavior dramatically, gets easily excited, takes a long time to look for a place to sleep, leaves marks on walks and sniffs a lot, exploring the territory. Body temperature may be elevated during this period.

Sexual heat, rut or estrus

Ovulation occurs approximately on the 10th day from the start of discharge. The Spitz girl allows male dogs to approach her for several days. Body temperature drops to 37.2 degrees. The discharge becomes light. When you press on the withers, the dog freezes and moves its tail.

Metaextrus

The pet shows interest in male dogs, but no longer lets them approach her. The discharge stops, and the loop becomes normal size. This period lasts 10 days. The dog's behavior becomes the same.

During such days, the bitch shows increased interest in males.

If fertilization does not occur, the body returns to the resting period. But after two months, against the background of the release of the hormone progesterone, some animals experience false pregnancy.

When does the first heat occur?

The smaller the dog breed, the earlier the bitches go into their first heat . In pugs, this usually occurs between 6 and 10 months of age, depending on your dog's personality. But the presence of heat does not mean that the pug bitch is ready to bear and feed healthy offspring at such an early age. This is due to the fact that the dog is not ready, both physically and psychologically, to bear and feed offspring. She simply does not understand the changes happening to her.

If you are planning to breed your dog, it is better to do this no earlier than 15 months of age, that is, approximately after the third heat. It is after this age that the psyche and physical parameters of the body are finally formed in pug dogs.

This is interesting! It is extremely undesirable to breed a pug female earlier than 15 months, since the risk of giving birth to either defective or even dead offspring is very high. Males are ready for mating at the age of 12 months.

If you do not plan to breed pug dogs, then it would be more advisable to spay the female dog after her first heat. This may cause discomfort for your pet at first, but will make life much easier for both you and your dog. This will save you from unnecessary worries, and the dog from suffering and worry. The most important thing is that if a bitch does not mate from year to year, then there is a high risk of various diseases, primarily cancer. Sterilizing a dog significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer.

You don’t have to resort to such radical measures, but use special tablets that reduce the dog’s libido. However, such measures will not scare away male dogs, who will still smell it. Many veterinarians do not recommend using tablets as they can be harmful to your dog.

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