Anyone who has a dog should know a lot of nuances regarding nutrition, walking, training and caring for the pet. Naturally, you need to inquire about how dogs reproduce, since this is a natural need of the animal. Often it is this stage of a pet’s life that can bring a lot of problems if you don’t know all the nuances. You need to decide right away: mating – what it is, when and how it happens.
Dog mating process
Mating dogs - features of the process
It is important not only to know what mating is, but also to navigate how to carry it out correctly. There are a lot of nuances in this process that need to be taken into account. Otherwise, the process will not produce any results.
Owners must carefully prepare for this procedure. It is advisable for the owner of the female to have her examined and tested 1.5 months before mating. This will help eliminate the presence of infections, which in turn can lead to the death of offspring at any stage of intrauterine development.
How to properly organize and conduct
Reproduction must be done in accordance with a specific “scheme”. It is the person who must organize favorable conditions for animals:
- It is imperative to bring the male to the female. Then the dog will feel more confident, and, therefore, will be more active.
- It is best to breed in the morning, before feeding the pets.
- You must first walk the dogs. Thanks to this action, the animals will be able to defecate, which will significantly simplify the process of penetration and closure.
- For mating, you should choose a secluded place where there will be no strangers or animals.
- First, the animals must “get acquainted” and play a little. But this period should be limited in time so that the dogs do not lose interest in each other.
Helping dogs during the mating process
Additional information. The participation of people in the direct mating process is often simply necessary. Since due to the anatomical features of the structure of the genital organs, mating may not occur.
The mating process itself occurs in this way: the owner of the female holds her in front by the collar, and the owner of the male must guide the male. In this case, you can use Vaseline or cream, which will make penetration painless.
How long does labor last for a dog?
The duration of labor in a dog depends on the number of offspring. Childbirth consists of three periods:
- The preparatory period, during which the cervix opens under the influence of contractions, lasts from 6 to 30 hours.
- Direct birth (removal) of puppies - with the help of contractions and pushing, the puppies are brought out in a pelvic or cephalic presentation, lasts from 3 to 12 hours with an interval between puppies of up to 10-15 minutes.
- The postpartum period lasts 12-15 days, the uterus contracts and returns to normal, the uterine cavity is completely cleansed. The neck closes tightly.
The first puppy must be born independently. The placenta usually comes out immediately after the newborn, but sometimes it can be delayed. After the birth of the last puppy, the placenta may pass within half an hour. Large individuals and females of heavy breeds are recommended to be assisted during the birth process. Small animals usually need help only with small pregnancies (1-2 puppies). Help consists of removing the puppy's amniotic sac, cutting the umbilical cord with sterile scissors, processing it, and wiping the baby with a dry, clean rag or towel. Thus, the question of how long pregnancy in dogs and labor lasts can be answered: pregnancy in a dog lasts on average 2 months and one week (64-71 days), and childbirth lasts from 8 hours to 1.5 days with a postpartum period up to 15 days.
At what age can you start
Mating is a necessary period in the life of any dog. The most important stage is to determine the age of the pet, when the process of mating, pregnancy, bearing and feeding puppies will not harm the dog’s body.
Note! Males also have an optimal age for mating. This data should absolutely not be neglected.
If a male is born prematurely, he may develop accompanying diseases, and not only of the reproductive system. In order to prevent deterioration in the health of a pet of any gender, it is worth knowing exactly at what age you can start breeding.
Crossbreeding for the first time
In fact, both the female and the male are ready for mating at the age of 8-12 months. But, in fact, a dog at this age is still a “child”. The result may of course be positive, but this is a big question.
Copulation process
The most optimal age for the first mating is 20 months for a female, and 24 months for a male. It is better to wait until the dog is 2.5 years old. At this age, the animal’s reproductive system is already formed, and the body is ready for this kind of stress.
Does a male dog need mating and how often?
Many people believe that dogs copulate in nature all the time, and at the same time, almost every male breeds a female dog more than once in his life. In fact, not every male can participate in mating, since the strongest individuals are allowed to participate in the process. If we operate on health and disciplinary facts, then there is no consensus here. A male dog can live without mating throughout his entire life. At the same time, his health condition will not worsen in any way. It is impossible to improve discipline through periodic mating - on the contrary, cases of male dogs leaving in search of a female may increase.
The male's need to mate and find a partner
If the male is used for breeding purposes, then when he reaches 24 months, mating can be done once a month. Periods of rest are also needed - 2 months of rest a year is enough. If this is an ordinary male who lives at home, then it can happen once a year or even less often.
How long does ovulation last, on what day of heat can a bitch be bred
Typically, a female's estrus lasts for 28 days. Moreover, this entire period can be divided into 4 stages:
- Proestrus. The period preceding the estrus itself is when the genitals swell and the dog’s hormonal levels change.
- Estrus. The onset of ovulation, which usually occurs 9-15 days after the onset of proestrus.
- Metestrus. A specific active phase with the release of the corpus luteum and a special secretion.
- Anestrus. Rest period.
Important! The number of days in heat may depend on the age and breed of the pet; this must be taken into account when calculating.
By distinguishing all these phases, you can accurately determine when exactly you need to allow your pet to mate. In this case, you do not need to focus on the fact that the dog wants to mate - it is better to follow the exact instructions.
Determining the optimal mating day
Canine copulation is possible approximately 9-15 days after the female begins to discharge. This is the estrus phase. For some dogs, the timing may be slightly shifted, so it is worth checking the female’s readiness for intercourse.
Determining a dog's readiness for intercourse
You need to stroke the female's back near the tail with your hand. If the dog raises its tail and lies on its front paws, then it is ready for mating. If the owner keeps a diary, then the period of readiness of the bitch can be accurately calculated, based on previous experience with her.
Artificial insemination of dogs
In 1981, the American Kennel Club announced the technology of artificial insemination for dogs and noted the economic benefits of this method. In addition, AKC officials noted that if the required formalities are met, puppies born as a result of in vitro fertilization will be able to obtain club registration. Then most breeders and dog owners around the world perceived this event as a real breakthrough. Especially considering the fact that artificial insemination of female dogs was approved in a country whose territory is comparable to Russia.
Artificial insemination in dog breeding. A bit of economics
The economic feasibility of artificial insemination of dogs is beyond doubt. After all, delivering the dose of sperm required for insemination is several times cheaper than transporting the bitch to the breeding site and back. For example, mating in Germany costs 1,500 €. This amount includes transportation costs and payments to the manufacturer’s owners. At the same time, transportation of frozen sperm will cost no more than 300 €. At the same time, the animal is not exposed to the inevitable stress of travel and the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. In addition, the owners of the bitch can choose the best, in their opinion, father of future puppies, without depending on borders, customs difficulties and veterinary services of different countries.
Consequently, the choice of partner for mating is significantly expanded. Despite the fact that artificial insemination of dogs was approved, there was no sufficiently effective technology for the development of this practice: when sperm was stored for a long time, its quality decreased, and the percentage of pregnancies that occurred was many times lower than if fresh material was used for insemination. The problem turned out to be little studied. For example, cattle semen almost does not lose quality during storage, no matter how long this period is. The American Kennel Club has sponsored research into artificial insemination for dogs.
How artificial insemination technology developed
By the way, for the first time artificial insemination was tested on dogs. This happened in the 18th century. Abbot Spallanzani injected into the uterus of a female Spitz a certain amount of sperm from a sire of the same breed. The experiment turned out to be successful: the bitch gave birth to 3 puppies, very similar to the male from whom the seed was taken for fertilization.
In the USSR, the development of methods for artificial insemination of cattle began in the mid-30s of the last century. Then insemination was carried out with fresh semen, which could be stored for no more than a few days. A qualitative leap occurred in 1951: it was proven that freezing and storage at a temperature of -79 ° C allows the viability of sperm to be preserved for a long time.
Later, liquid hydrogen was used for freezing and the storage temperature dropped to -196 ° C. Even the use of sperm stored for 10 years led to successful fertilization of cows. Experts say that this period is not the storage limit for cattle semen. Unlike farm animal semen, dog semen was not as viable when frozen.
For dog breeders: the advantages of using artificial insemination
However, researchers were optimistic, and in the summer of 1981, the American Kennel Gazzette published an article discussing the benefits of artificial insemination. Here are some of them:
- 1. The use of frozen semen allows you to avoid long, expensive and often hazardous to the health of the bitch in heat. There are many cases where a dog was seriously ill or even died due to stress or injuries received on the road. Another important point is that some airlines have introduced restrictions on the weight of dogs, allowing animals weighing up to 36 kg to be carried on board. This restriction applies during the holiday season, holidays and unfavorable weather conditions.
- 2. Storing frozen sperm is inexpensive. This means that the breeder can rationally plan the costs of reproducing his dog’s offspring.
- 3. Sperm freezing technology is convenient and beneficial for owners of stud dogs as well. They are freed from the hassle of providing conditions for the bitch to stay on their territory and are freed from the need to communicate with someone else’s animal.
- 4. Careful quality control of fresh and frozen semen used for artificial insemination helps prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and brucellosis.
- 5. The number of animals that can produce high-quality offspring increases significantly: even if a male dog has received injuries that make natural mating impossible, his sperm can be successfully used for fertilization. At the same time, the number of bitches inseminated by one sire also increases.
- 6. The use of frozen sperm eliminates geographical obstacles to the insemination of a bitch by a selected male: transportation of sperm is possible even to those areas where it is difficult for the owner of a bitch in heat to reach with his pet.
- . Semen selection and preservation are indispensable in cases where breed champions need time to obtain field test certificates. Obtaining certificates can take several years, while sperm can be collected from a male during his period of best physical condition.
In addition, representatives of the American Kennel Club noted that during the entire period of using frozen sperm, not a single puppy was born with defects that could be associated with the fertilization method
- 8. And finally, the main advantage of artificial insemination using a sperm bank is the possibility of conducting tests for the prepotency of the manufacturer. With natural fertilization, it was much more difficult to conduct research on heritable sire traits. Given this advantage, artificial insemination also opens up new opportunities for inbreeding, facilitating the creation of bloodlines that produce high-quality offspring.
In what cases is artificial insemination necessary?
Summarizing the above, we can identify several situations where artificial insemination is the best or only way to obtain offspring from good sires:
- a bitch, which has a certain set of advantages and is of interest to breeders, has congenital or acquired defects that make physical contact with a male impossible (impaired vaginal structure, injuries, etc.);
- one of the producers is a carrier of a sexually transmitted disease (viral sarcoma, brucellosis and others);
— sires from whom breeders expect very good offspring are located too far from each other.
How does artificial insemination work?
The procedure for artificial insemination of dogs is quite simple, but requires careful adherence to technology. A yolk- or milk-based diluent is added to a portion of the semen (the second part of the ejaculate is retained during collection). The composition proportion is 1:8 and 1:4, respectively. The prepared composition is drawn into a 20-ml syringe.
The bitch's genitals are washed with a solution based on furatsilin, then a catheter is inserted into the cervix, smoothly moving it along the upper wall of the vagina. For the procedure, a flexible polyethylene catheter with a rounded thickening at the end is used. After the catheter is inserted, it is connected to a prepared syringe and the sperm-containing composition is slowly (10-15 minutes) injected into the uterus.
The effectiveness of this method is quite high: full-fledged offspring are born in 89-99 percent of cases. The same method can also be used for insemination with frozen sperm. To date, the maximum storage period for sperm, after defrosting which has allowed successful insemination, is 8 years. A similar experiment was carried out in the USA. It proves the effectiveness of artificial insemination and demonstrates its usefulness in terms of enriching the gene pool. After all, preserving sperm for several years allows you to obtain offspring from the most successful sires, even if at the time of sperm collection the male was in better physical shape and the female was not even born yet.
A little about the technique of artificial insemination
The following methods of artificial insemination techniques are distinguished:
— introduction of sperm vaginally; — implantation directly into the uterus, using surgical methods; - injection of sperm transcervically, directly into the uterus.
The last method of fertilization is called the most effective: when using frozen, chilled or fresh sperm, it provides the best fertility rates. Experts note that the vaginal method does not give very good results, even if insemination is performed with fresh or freshly cooled sperm.
Transcervical fertilization technology
To carry out insemination using the transcervical method, a Norwegian catheter or a rigid endoscope is used. In most cases, an endoscope is used, as it guarantees high accuracy of sperm injection into the uterus, due to the ability to control the process on the monitor.
The use of a catheter also allows one to obtain good results, but working with this instrument requires a highly qualified specialist. If the bitch is overweight, experts recommend avoiding insemination using a catheter. Regardless of the chosen method of transcervical fertilization, the procedure does not require any sedatives and does not use anesthesia.
Features of using freshly collected and frozen sperm
Although semen cooling technologies have improved today, insemination with frozen or chilled semen does not produce as impressive results as insemination with freshly collected semen. The lowest rates are for frozen sperm. The decrease in efficiency occurs due to the fact that after thawing, sperm remain alive and active for 2-12 hours. While in freshly collected seed, sperm live for several days.
This is why frozen sperm must be injected directly into the uterus, for example transcervically. In this case, it is necessary to strictly monitor the timing of ovulation in the bitch in order to introduce semen on time. When using freshly harvested seed, synchronization is not so critical.
Experts in the field of artificial insemination note that if there are no special indicators for freezing, it is best to perform insemination with fresh or chilled sperm.
When can fertilization be performed? Determining the readiness of a bitch
There are plenty of ways and means to help determine a fairly accurate time for artificial insemination:
— any stud dog will unmistakably sense the right moment; — vaginal cytology (a smear taken daily, starting from the 8th day of estrus); - blood test for the presence of progesterone (this is the most reliable way to determine the date of ovulation).
As already mentioned, the more accurately the date of ovulation is determined, the higher the efficiency of fertilization with cooled or frozen semen. If insemination is carried out with fresh semen, then this is done on the day of ovulation and then again every other day. If chilled or frozen sperm is chosen for fertilization, then insemination is performed on days 2 or 3 after ovulation.
There are several objective reasons for collecting and long-term storage of dog sperm:
— to conduct tests and determine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the seed; — for fertilizing a bitch in the future, if mating is currently impossible for any reason; - to accumulate a certain amount of seed; — in cases where it is necessary to comply with quarantine requirements or other legal restrictions.
Features of collecting and storing dog sperm
To collect sperm, a rubber hose is placed on the male dog's penis and connected to a sterile tube. To induce ejaculation, a male dog is stimulated with the smell characteristic of a female dog in heat. In some cases, a female dog in heat is “invited” for these purposes.
The resulting ejaculate has 3 well-defined fractions:
- The first is transparent and has a pronounced odor. This is nothing more than a secret secreted by the musk glands located in the Urerta.
- The second one is translucent. It is this fraction, produced by the testicles, that contains live sperm.
- The third is transparent, the largest in volume. It is a product produced by the prostate gland.
After the seed is collected in a test tube, specialists test it: the ratio of dead and living sperm, their mobility, shape and size are determined. Fresh sperm can be used for fertilization immediately after testing.
If the seed is rated "good" or "excellent" as a result of testing, it can be cooled or frozen. In both cases, in order for the sperm to retain its qualities, a special preservative is used.
The period of preservation of the fertilizing ability of fresh sperm is 24-48 hours. The use of preservatives in combination with low temperatures can significantly increase this period. The longest preservation of sperm viability can be achieved by deep freezing sperm.
Frozen sperm and its benefits
Deep-frozen seed can be transported over long distances. Special containers are used for transportation. An important advantage of using the freezing method is that testing and semen analysis allows the bitch to be fertilized without prior quarantine preparation.
To carry out fertilization, 100-300 million sperm are needed. To determine the amount of sperm required for successful insemination after defrosting, its quality is checked. In order to increase the effectiveness of the procedure, fertilization is carried out in 2 stages with an interval of 24-48 hours.
The benefits of artificial insemination and the use of frozen sperm have already been appreciated by many breeders. The opportunity to save time and money, save animals from tedious travel and expand the choice of producers makes artificial insemination an increasingly common procedure.
The mating process, how fertilization occurs
Many breeders are interested not only in the mating process itself, but also in how dogs are fertilized. If the right time is chosen for mating, then the fertilization procedure is carried out in a certain way.
How does fertilization occur in dogs?
- When the follicles emerge on the surface of the ovary, a hormone begins to be released, which provokes the preparation of the uterus for the maturation of the egg. That is, the period of ovulation begins.
- After mating, many sperm rush to the egg and try to penetrate it, secreting a special enzyme.
- When at least 1 of the many sperm penetrates the egg, fertilization occurs. During this period, several fertilized eggs appear.
- The activated eggs then travel down the fallopian tube to the uterus.
- Around the 3rd week, the eggs begin to mature in the uterine cavity and attach to its walls.
The structure of the dog's reproductive system
After attaching to the walls of the uterus, the eggs begin to grow and develop. This period is the most important in order to get good offspring.
How long does mating last in dogs?
Dog intercourse takes time. It is quite difficult to determine exactly how much time should be allocated for this process. In addition to the process itself, there is also a moment when the partners “stick together” for a while. Much depends on such factors:
- Is the right time chosen for intercourse, and are both partners ready for it?
- The anatomical features of the male or female can also affect the duration of the act.
- External factors and circumstances also influence the duration of the process.
"Closing" in dogs
After the "locking" the dogs are glued to each other for some time. There is no need to speed up this moment or interfere with your pets. On average, the mating process takes no more than an hour, but sometimes the dogs’ stay in the “castle” can last up to 2-3 hours.
Getting to know the partners before mating
Mating in dogs has a lot of features and nuances that must be taken into account in order to get healthy offspring. First you need to take into account both the age and activity of the pets. Determining the optimal time for intercourse is also an important factor to facilitate mating. The mating procedure itself requires some effort on the part of people.
The world's first experiment in artificial insemination in dogs was carried out in Italy in 1780.
Abbot Spallanzani injected a few drops of male sperm into the genital tract of the bitch, who successfully became pregnant and gave birth to six puppies exactly two months later. This experience created a sensation. Indeed, the theory of fertilization had not yet been created, and it was believed that sperm were the microscopic creatures that developed in the mother’s body.
It was only in the mid-twentieth century that scientists resumed research and study of the possibilities of artificial insemination and the prospects it opens for breeding work in animal husbandry. The American scientist Dr. Foote conducted numerous experiments on dogs. In addition, he developed the formulation of solutions intended for sperm preservation.
In the 1970s, the development of dog breeding stimulated research in this area, and in 1973, in Texas, a group of veterinarians led by Dr. Sieger produced the first litter from a female dog that had been artificially inseminated with frozen semen.
In Europe, the first research center for artificial insemination of dogs was created at the Veterinary Institute in Oslo (Norway) on the basis of the laboratory of Professor Andersen. Scandinavian breeders could not breed their bitches with males who lived abroad due to strict sanitary barriers and quarantines in their countries. In order to enrich gene pools and develop breeds, breeders were very interested in importing sperm. In addition, active breeding of fur-bearing foxes in Scandinavia has allowed veterinarians to improve various artificial insemination techniques that are also applicable to dogs.
The idea of Norwegian veterinarians was developed in European countries, and in 1981, Professor of the Veterinary School of Maisons Alfort (France), Dr. Tere, was tasked by the Central Canine Society and the Ministry of Agriculture to begin research on freezing dog sperm and improving artificial insemination techniques. In April 1982, purebred puppies were produced for the first time, born as a result of artificial insemination with frozen sperm - the greyhound Nora de Breheliant gave birth to 9 puppies. The sperm of the male Kara's Ulysses was frozen several months before insemination.
However, knowledge about the reproductive capacity of dogs has been rather fragmented and often empirical compared with knowledge about the reproductive capacity of other domestic animals (for example, cows) or with similar trends in medicine. In the first years of the center's existence in Maisons-Alfort, the main research was aimed at studying the reproductive cycle of the female dog in order to accurately determine the timing of the formation and maturation of eggs, and therefore, select the optimal moment for fertilization. In addition, much attention has been paid to improving methods for preserving canine sperm. It was not until 1985 that a real commercial structure was created to coordinate research and information collection in the field of artificial insemination of dogs, management of a bank of preserved sperm and training of veterinary specialists in this field.
At the Center for Research on Canine Reproduction (CERCA), especially in 1988, all aspects of artificial insemination in dogs were studied in detail, methods and specific recommendations for breeders were developed.
There are three methods of artificial insemination of dogs
1. Insemination with fresh sperm. This most common method involves obtaining sperm from a male dog in the presence of a female dog, determining the quality of this sperm under a microscope and introducing it into the genital tract of a female dog prepared for insemination. This method is used most often in case of refusal of mating by the male or female (the female is too independent or aggressive; the male is too cowardly or has a weak sexual instinct), when mating is impossible. For example, very often the “inexperience” of partners (especially in small breed dogs) leads to complete “collapse”, even if they were left alone for several hours. In other cases, the difference in size between the dog and the bitch can be so significant (the dog is too small and the bitch is too large in toy breeds, or the dog is too large and heavy in large breeds) that the dog simply cannot cover the bitch. It happens that during mating the partners do not have a “lock”, which casts doubt on the success of the entire operation. The listed reasons force owners to resort to artificial insemination. Finally, some bitches have anomalies in the development of the genital organs (vaginal prolapse, stenosis or internal blockages that prevent penetration of the male's penis). Such bitches cannot be mated naturally and will only produce offspring through artificial insemination. Males may also have problems (fractures or other diseases) that prevent them from breeding females.
Artificial insemination with fresh semen provides a remedy to the problem. If you carefully observe the “estrus” bitch and accurately determine the optimal moment for fertilization, then the results of artificial insemination are simply excellent - 85%, in other words, almost identical to those with natural mating.
II. Insemination with frozen sperm. This method involves the use of sperm frozen at a very low temperature (-196'C, liquid nitrogen temperature) for insemination, the shelf life of which is practically unlimited. Because some sperm are destroyed during the freezing process, and dog semen is already relatively low in sperm compared to semen from other domestic animals, this method does not allow the full genetic potential of a male dog to be realized. So, one frozen male ejaculate allows you to impregnate only one or maximum two females.
That is why this technique of artificial insemination is practically not used in cases of impossibility of mating or refusal of it.
Artificial insemination with frozen sperm is used exclusively for genetic purposes. This technique allows the use of reference sperm even if its “owner” is unavailable (dead or sick), if he is too old to breed, if he has been sterilized or sold. This method allows clubs and owners to improve the gene pool of the population and eliminate genetic abnormalities, always having in stock healthy sperm of a valuable male, which can be used if necessary. In addition, this method allows you to save breeds that are on the verge of extinction. It allows breeders to rationally use standard males with females that also have great genetic value in planned combinations. This greatly facilitates the implementation of “grandfather-granddaughter” inbreeding (I-III), which is often used in breeding. Finally, this method greatly facilitates international genetic exchange, especially in the presence of customs or sanitary barriers.
Since during freezing of sperm there is a partial decrease in its concentration and fertilizing ability, the results of such artificial insemination are somewhat lower than with artificial insemination with fresh sperm. The technique of insemination with frozen sperm is quite complex and consists in the fact that the sperm must be injected directly into the uterine cavity of the bitch, and this can only be done by specially trained veterinarians. However, this method has been used quite successfully around the world, and the rate of positive results reaches 70%.
Read the continuation in the magazine “Dobermann” 3. From the magazine “Le Dobermann” of the French Dobermann Club. Translation: E. Pavlova, consultant: Candidate of Biological Sciences T. Mareeva
