Tips For Breeding Your Dog

Armen Hareyan's picture

Choosing to breed your dog is a big decision and it is natural to feel a little uneasy about the process. These dog breeding tips will help things go smoothly and help you enjoy the entire process.


One of the most important steps is choosing the right mate for your dog. The mate you choose should possess the qualities you want to see carried on in the puppies. Both male and female should be healthy and possess no genetic faults that could jeopardize the health of the puppies.

Make sure the female is very healthy so that her pregnancy and birth are easier. Support her prior to breeding with excellent nutrition and supplements. Of course she should always have excellent nutrition, but a boost will help her energy and help her stay healthy during her pregnancy.

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Good record keeping on both the male and female can help increase your breeding success, but it is especially important with the female. You should keep a history folder on your female which records important dates such as when you first see signs of the bitch going into heat, any changes in behavior, and any medical issues.

You should also have a good working relationship with your veterinarian who can be a very helpful resource throughout the breeding process, during the pregnancy, during labor and of course once the pups are born.

Male dogs have less reproductive problems than female dogs but they can be more difficult to correct. Anatomical defects, low sperm, and infection of the reproductive organs are the most common problems to watch for in a male dog. Hypothyroidism, arthritis of the spine, and Brucellosis should also be checked for in males that show no interest in breeding.


With the female, the main reason for failed breeding is wrong timing. Because of the length of time a female is in heat, without hormone tests it can be difficult to tell when the "right" time really is. Your vet has a variety of ways to test hormone levels to try to narrow down the best breading time, but at the end of the day it still really is hit and miss.

Female dogs usually go into heat every 6 months starting at around the age of one year. It is important to allow your female to become full-grown and developed before you decide to breed her as she is more likely to have a pregnancy with fewer complications. In some of the larger breeds this doesn't occur until the age of 2.

At around 10 to 12 days after going into heat the bitch will be ready to stand and hold. You start to count the days at the first signs of blood discharge. Each dog is different; therefore, get to know your dog, how she acts, changes in temperament, and the amount of discharge because day one might actually be day three. You will know your timing is right by the willingness of the bitch. When the bitch is ready the discharge will often change from a dark red to more of a tan color so you can watch for this signal as well. Try to place the bitch and stud together several days and several times throughout the heat period up to about the tenth day.

If you want to be safe then put the bitch and the stud together early and try and try again. It's better than being late because you will have to wait another 6 months.

If impregnation occurs your vet will be able to tell around the 22nd day after breeding. Now is the time to start calling those parents to be, congratulating them, and letting them know their new bundle of joy will arrive in a couple of months.

The act of breeding is rather a natural one that requires little intervention from you other than placing the male and female in a safe and secure environment together. If the time is right you will be the proud owner of a beautiful litter of pups in no time at all. If the timing is wrong wait for the female to go into heat again in about 6 months.

These breeding tips should help you find success in breeding your dog.

By Gray Rollins




This is false. A dog does not need to tie in order to get a dog pregnant.
no they do not i breed poodles nd i have had more luck with pregnancy by them not locking then locking. the male just has to ejaculate in her.
hi dont no if you can help me but i do no no the dates of the heat of my poodle but she tied with a male yesterday 6 times but i dont no if shes still in heat because when they were together she kept running behind him smelling him and he smelling her then when he did mount her and they tied she tried to bite him but she wasnt interested in mating with him but they did tie but like i said i dont no if shes still in heat it is her first time mating but her 2nd heat she is 1yr and 5 months thanks
I'm sorry to disagree with others BUT YES your female CAN get pregnant without a tie. And Viable Sperm can live in a female for a week, so if she is ovalating the sperm could reach an egg and then 9 wks (63 days ish) you might see pups.. Best thing to do is check a few ppl for your answer and I think you will find I am correct.. I'm a Veterinarian Tech, so pretty much seen it all.
What are the times of year or seasons when most breeders getthere bitches pregnant ?
your bitch can breed on her heat! and all does go into heat at all times of the year, cause not everyone has the same age dog, you should wait until the 3rd to 4th heat? if your bitch is 6 months old and just got her first heat , chances are she will be on her second at 12 months WAY TO YOUNG STILL! at 12 months they just stopped being called a puppy! but are not ready if your female goes into her third heat then at 18 months she is still under two years of age, you want to wait until she is two years in most cases , in only some breeds of dogs mature faster than others and can be breed on the third heat if at 18 months, just remember just cause your 6 month old bitch is just a puppy doesn't mean it cant get Pregnant you never want a puppy to have puppies your bitch could die because of the stress and health problems from the pregnancy be a good breeder or no breeder
when do i mate my bitch how far into her season?
My puppy is 13 months an is n heat is she ready
NO. do not breed under at least the age of 18 months. preferably after 2 years.
I Have Bote tow sires that Look To Be 4 years and 6 month the Vet Said here was sperm was ok they are wonting to breed but the peaness is soft at the end and they tier very fast what can I Do ??
My one and a half year old chihuahua is in heat and I was wondering if her humping is a sign she is ready for a male? She is humping her little sister (which is a rat terrier mix and 14.9 pounds) so I was wondering if this is normal, also the other dog is in heat as well.
Sometimes that behavior is just a sign of dominance.
my bitch is 2 years old and was on heat at 6 months old and was bleeding but now that she is 2 ever since the first bleeding when she was on heat she does not bleed any more help?
bout to get 2 border collies getting a puppy and we r going to raise it i heard it is best to get a female first and then wait till her second heat to breed her... is this true . Also if u get 2 black and white border collies will there still be a chance of them having merel or sable colored puppies? or 2 Merels haveing black and white pups !!!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes it is best cause if you wait then she will be fully developed and grown, some dogs can start their first heat cycle around 4 months so waiting is best.When you are looking for a breeding pair also look at the parents of the puppy cause even if you have a red/brown you could also just get black and white puppieits what the dominant gene is. The black and white is the dominant gene so you most likely will not get other colors, it is possible but less likely. The only way you will get a merel is if one of the parents are a merel (NEVER BREED 2 MERELS) the reason is the puppies could end up with a double merel gene and that will usually make them blind or deaf. If you are planning on breeding the best thing is get a pair of papered puppies. Then you will know if you have a pure breed dog. I have breed many border collies so if you have any other questions then just ask.
Thanks for your help also, which color parents would i have most luck with getting a yellow border collie puppy?
My male collie is 2 1/2yrs, the bitch 1yr. She's ready to mate, showing all the signs but he just isn't interested. Any tips?
My 2 1/2yr old dog won't mate with the bitch, in her 4th heat and very keen. Why is this and what can I do to encourage him?
Is best to wait until both dogs are at least 2 years old. Next, yes, even if you breed with 2 black and white, depending on breed line, you can still get the Merle's, tried-colors and sables along with the black and white. This will cause the offspring to have the more black and white dominant genes for their litters but again, it's all in the genetics and whether there are more of a certain trait than the other on what they turn out to be. Good luck and good researching!
im trying to breed my rottweiler bitch with another she is nw 4 days in heat well so we think,i have put them nxt 2 each other an all she wants to do is fight him,an same with him.what could i do? thanks
Do not worry. This is only because she is not ready to matting. Wait till the 9th day comes. Then you will find no fight at all.
i'm currently trying to breed my dogue de bordeaux, my male dog is mounting correctly but isnt pulling her back enough to actually get his penis in, any tips on how to help or guide him as this is my first attempt at breeding and not sure on what to do.
i have been trying to breed my 4 year old german shepherd with a 2 and a half year old german shepherd bitch for the last 3 days but have been unsuccessfull she is willing and he is trying but afer an hour he is really tired and falling off her any tips as there is only a cou[le of days of her season left.
maybe he cant get the right angle, a little KY jelly may help.
I have a breeding pair that have already coupled...Does that mean she will automatically be pregnant.?...They are both still keen to couple again so could that mean if this happens it will increase the size (number)of her litter.She is a 4yr old Jack Russell /foxie cross with short -legs and as this is her first time I don't want her to have too many pups .
I have a 3 year old female sheltie and 1.5 yr old male sheltie. The female has shown interest by freezing and moving her tail, but my male never actually mounts her. He is VERY interested (smells, licks and all that jazz under her, she looks thrilled (not)). I've kept them together the whole time and actually left them alone together over a few nights, since I was told that sometimes they won't mount if you are there. Any tips? Thanks so much
hi my 3 yr old labradoodle is in heat and we took her to stud they tied the 1st time but took her back and they didnt tie but she was receptive could she b pregnant?
How long can a female stay in heat if she is not bred please? This is my Yorkies break heat as she had a litter last heat and it seems to be lasting forever!! My male is VERY unhappy!!!!!
my lab is a 9 months old n iv been trying to breed him with a 1 n half year old female lab.but he is quite jealous of her n reacts aggressively if we love the female...m quite stressed n dont know what to do...please help since its my first time! thank u!
personally i think there both a little young. i would wait till the female was around 2yrs