Dog owners: how do you know it’s time to mate your dog?
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Dog owners: how do you know it’s time to mate your dog?
There is really no set time. Females come into heat every 6–8 months, depending on the breed and size. Typically most female dogs will have their first heat cycle at the age of 9 months to a year. It is the female’s heat cycle that determines when they will breed. The first 8 days of the cycle she is not as fertile. Between days 9 and 15 is when her eggs are descending and she is her most fertile. Total typically a female is in heat approximately 23–25 day and out of those days she can bleed or spot bleed for 15–18 of those days. The male has no determination as to when she comes into heat.
Mating a female dog is done only every 18 months to 2 years. Breeding your female once a year is probably a bad idea. Responsible breeders don’t think about how many litters can a dog have in a year, but how well their dogs do during and after the pregnancy. Generally speaking, however, it is never wise to mate a dog for the first time under 1 year of age and over 7. For most dogs, however, 2 years of age is the safe minimum.