A number of non-infectious causes can result in diarrhea. These include lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, and a number of medications. In most cases, stool cultures to confirm the exact cause are not required.
Most dogs are first bred between the 10th and 14th day after the onset of proestrus. As long as the bitch will accept the male, mating every other day for a total of two or three matings is generally considered sufficient. However, signs of proestrus are not obvious in some bitches.
A female dog is bred for the first time during her second heat cycle or after, provided that she is no older than 12 years of age. A male dog is ready to breed by about 15 months of age.