Dog Mating

Dog Mating and if you are getting started with dog breeding, it is normal to wonder how long dogs take to mate. To breed dogs in a responsible manner, it is important to conduct plenty of research on the matter. Using your dog for stud services or taking on a dog litter is a big responsibility, and you must ensure that your dog’s remain healthy and are handled properly throughout the whole process.

So, how long does dog mating take? This question, along with several other related queries, will be answered in this blog.

How Long Do Dogs Take to Mate?

The dog mating process can take anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour. Even though the ejaculation occurs fairly quickly, the ‘tie’ between two mating dogs can last significantly longer. The exact mating time will also depend upon the dogs’ experience and emotional condition.

Frenzied or inexperienced males may have to mount a female multiple times before intromission can be achieved. Anxious pairs also take longer to mate, specifically if the anxiety prolongs the ‘tie’ period. Sometimes, dogs may refuse to breed. In such cases, certain breeders use mating stands. The use of these stands is ethically questionable, since it restrains the female dog and forces her to mate.

What Are the Stages Involved in the dog Mating Process:

Stage 1 – Prep:

The prep stage (also called ‘courtship’) consists of several distinctive behaviors which eventually lead to mating. Receptive females often roam around in their search for male dogs. The females also express their sexual desires by urinating more frequently. During this stage, the dogs will often interact playfully – they will bow and generally display increased physical activity. The male will sometimes nose the female’s neck and ears.

If the male wants to mount the female, he will sniff her vulva. If the female is not receptive, she will move away, snap, lie down, or sit. Receptive females, on the other hand, will stand in position with her tail tilted to a side. This stance is known as ‘flagging’, and lets the male know that it is safe to mount the female.

Stage 2 – Initiation:

The dog may mount a single time or more than once. Once the male has mounted successfully, he will ‘clasp’ the female by caudally pulling his forelimbs. This ensures that the female is unable to move away or crouch. Sometimes, this action is coupled with an inhibited bite on the female’s neck. Once the female has been secured, the male initiates the pelvic thrust. Intromission is achieved in approximately 60% of the cases. At the intromission stage, the male dog’s penis is not erect; penetration is only achieved due to a narrow bone called ‘baculum’.

After intromission, the thrusting rate goes up until the penis penetrates the vagina and erects the bulbous. Simultaneously, the constrictive vestibular muscle of the female shrinks around the bulbus glandis. In other words, the two dogs are physically joined in what is known as a ‘lock’ or ‘copulatory’ tie. Once this tie is successful, the male stops thrusting, and ejaculation follows.

Stage 3 – Dog Mating ,The Tie:

Within a couple of minutes of stopping the pelvic thrust, the male swings one of the rear legs over the female’s back, and dismounts to a certain side. He faces the opposite direction since this twists his penis and helps him maintain an erection for longer – an effect of venous constriction. This tie can last anywhere between 10 and 40 minutes, during which time the pair must stand quietly. Should the female attempt to move during this time, the breeder must stop her – else, she might end up injuring the male.

Once this period has lapsed, the two dogs will split up naturally. The owner must allow the dogs to separate naturally: physically forcing the dogs to separate before they are ready can cause significant harm to their reproductive tracts. It is understandable to want to forcefully separate the pair if you feel that the female is in pain or that the pair may prevent pregnancy. However, by the end of the copulation tie, the ejaculation has already occurred and a bit of discomfort is also normal.

How to Know if a Dog Has Mated?

Even though owners can avoid accidental mating instances in most cases, there are times when a male and female can be left together due to a lack of attention or a simple error. In such cases, it can be hard to deduce if the pair has mated or not.

The post-mating signs can be both nonspecific and subtle. Both the female and male may exhibit an abnormal gait. A commoner indication is both the dogs cleaning themselves by licking their genitals. After mating, the male may roll around on his back. Also, check if the female is damp in the head and neck region – if she is, it could be a sign that a male has just mounted her. This is because, like we mentioned, males sometimes bite the female’s neck during mating.

Can a Dog Become Pregnant Without the Tie?

Yes, in case the ejaculation happens prior to the tie, the female can get pregnant even without being locked with the male. This is called ‘slip mating’ and, since there is usually some semen spillage at the time of withdrawal prior to the locking phase, the fertility rates are considerably lower. That said, as long as ejaculation occurred before the locking, pregnancy is not just possible but also likely.

Final Word on Dog Mating

To sum up, the mating period in dogs is variable, and can take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour or more. The process involves a preparatory stage, initiation, and finally the copulatory tie with the ejaculation happening within a minute or two of this stage. The breeding frequency is decided by the owner; the AKC (American Kennel Club) recommends two to three mating sessions with one-day gaps in between. Once mating is completed you will need to look at whelping supplies