Dogs mating - Mating in dogs

Dogs mating

Traditionally, female owners have their bitches mated twice, 11 and 13 days after the onset of pro-oestrus, to try and ensure that spermatozoa are present in the female reproductive tract at around the time of ovulation. This rule of thumb method is generally successful due to the unusual longevity of dog spermatozoa (up to 7 days) in the female genital tract.

Much time is lost if matings in dogs are ineffectual, thus there is an urgent need to get it right on each occasion. This has led to the development and employment of more scientific dog mating techniques. Such methods are particularly apposite when, as is possible with modern transportation methods, a visit to the stud dog of choice necessitates a protracted and expensive journey.

There is no doubt that many fertility problems result from being arranged at a convenient time rather than on the most appropriate day. If the timing of ovulation can be more precisely determined, fertility rates are likely to increase and the expected whelping date can be predicted more accurately. Thus, if the timing of ovulation can be predicted, conception failures are less likely and the reproductive management of the bitch can be simplified.