The Female Dogs' Reproduction Cycle: Bleeding, Stages, Behaviour, Mating and Pregnancy

Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle – Everything You Need to Know

What’s the best age to breed a dog?

dogheatcyclemating — Dog Breeding 101 – The female dogs’ reproduction cycle

Please include attribution to https://studdogsonline.com/ with this graphic. <a href=’https://studdogsonline.com/the-female-dogs-reproduction-cycle-bleeding-stages-behaviour-mating-and-pregnancy/’><img src=’https://studdogsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/dogheatcyclemating.jpg’ alt=’Dog Reproduction Heat Stages Mating Pregnancy’ 540px /></a>

The first sign owners will notice when a female dog is coming into season, is that her vulva will start to swell. This isn’t always the case but for most bitches this is common. Sometimes females will start eating grass and scooting their bottom along the ground before bleeding starts. You might notice that your dog is licking her vulva more than usual and some girls will keep themselves very clean, to the point of covering up any sign of bleeding.

This is why we recommend our clients, use a white tissue to check their female for blood after she pees.

The first day of a Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle is the first day of bleeding

Common behaviours of a female dog in heat – Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle

The Effect of Progesterone on Behavior – Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle

Having observed more than 100 of our clients’ dogs’ cycles I can say this; they are all different, some more than others. While most bitches will swell before bleeding, bleed, bleeding will turn a straw colour, they will get extra swollen and be fertile from day 9-12. Around 10% will show some variation in these normal symptoms with some of the variation I’ve observed including –

No swelling – some bitches don’t swell at all, making it very hard to identify when their cycle started.
No bleeding – owner only knows their dog is on heat because another dog shows interest.
Bleeding for a full 21 days – if owners had waited till they had stopped bleeding, they would have missed their girl’s fertile window.
Varying levels of sexual behaviour from the female – sometimes clients wait till their female is receptive or showing obvious signs that she is keen to breed (flagging tail, humping of toys or human legs for example). I have observed females that are receptive in the proestrus phase (day 1 of bleeding for example) and will allow a male to mate with them. Some girls are not receptive despite having ovulated (in the estrus phase of their cycle); showing aggression towards the male despite it being the optimum time to mate. Behaviour is often not a good indicator of when to breed the female dog.
Split heats – 2022 has seen an increased number of bitches having split heats. A split heat occurs when a female starts her cycle but goes back out. Many clients have had females getting close to the point of ovulation but going back out and either rising back up quickly or slowly in the days that follow. We only know the bitch has had a split heat because we have progesterone tested the female, observing her level going up to around 14-17 nanomoles and dropping back down to 3-5 nanomoles. These females ended up ovulating at around day 17 of their cycle and some even go back out of season, coming back in a few weeks later. Many breeders think that the increased incidence of split cycles, is due to the wet weather we’ve observed in 2022.

For all these reasons, we strongly recommend that our clients get their dogs progesterone tested to accurately pin-point the time of ovulation and subsequently when to mate or inseminate.

Dog Reproduction Cycle Chart – When can a dog get pregnant?

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The Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle usually lasts 2-3 weeks and is characterised by swelling of the vulva and varying levels of period like bleeding. Bleeding is usually heaviest during the Proestrus stage (the first 9 days). A spike in the hormone ‘Estrogen’ marks the beginning of the ‘Estrus’ stage. The declining level of Estrogen is met with a rapidly increasing level of LH or Luteinising Hormone. The rapid spike in LH triggers ovulation 2 days later.

Dog eggs are unique in that they need to go through a maturation phase, meaning their eggs are ready to be fertilised 2 days after ovulation occurs.

Some female dogs will allow a male to mount as early as day 1 of bleeding. I have observed female dogs being receptive at day 1 and males being so interested that they will mate naturally with the female on day 1. Any experienced breeder would understand that day 1 is very often way too early for a pregnancy to occur. Most females will let a male mount in the lead up to and once they have ovulated; for around 7-9 days during the Estrus stage.

Dog heat cycle calculator – Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle

The best way to calculate and navigate a Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle is with progesterone testing. This is a simple blood test that some vets will send away to a pathologist and have the result back in 12 hours or so. Reproduction specialists vets offer in-house progesterone testing with the result ready in 1.5-2 hours, this can be invaluable if she is nearing the end of her fertile window. Sometimes you don’t have 12 – 24 hours spare to wait for the result to come back from a pathologist.

Finding a reproduction specialist vet that does in-house progesterone testing is key.

What are the 4 stages of a Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle?

When female dogs get their period, they go through four stages in their cycle. These are called proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. They are most fertile during the 3 days of the estrus phase, approximately 2 days post ovulation.

Breeders that don’t do progesterone testing or those that don’t start progesterone testing early enough in their dog’s cycle, risk mating or inseminating their dog during the diestrus stage.

During diestrus the bitch might still be receptive to the male but she will have a dwindling number of ageing eggs, if any at all. Breeding during diestrus is not recommended because you risk having a small litter; potentially one puppy which is not ideal and can cause problems during birth.

How long do stages of dog heat last?

The proestrus phase of a Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle usually lasts around 9 days. The estrus phase, another 9 days and diestrus is around 4 days. Anestrus is the longest phase of the heat cycle and is the time between estrus and the next proestrus, which is usually around 5 months. Bitches in anestrus are usually not receptive to males mounting them; their ovaries are inactive and their uterus is small.

If the quality and motility of the stud’s semen is acceptable and the mating is performed at correct time: the number of eggs a bitch releases determines the litter size.

Larger dogs are able to carry more puppies, they tend to have larger litters. By utilising AI, our poodle studs have produced litters consisting of as many as 12 to 15 puppies with breeds like labradors, labradoodles, groodles, spaniels and standard poodles.

Does AI produce smaller litters than natural matings?

It is a myth that artificial insemination produces less puppies than a natural mating. Our biggest litters have been with larger dogs, that we have inseminated on-site or at our local reproduction specialist vet. An artificial insemination done by an experienced vet or breeder emulates the natural mating process and offers the added advantage of examining the semen for any abnormalities or poor quality before inseminating.

How do the dogs mate?

What is the best way to mate a dog?

Size

The best way to mate a dog will depend on the features and traits of the female and male you are intending to breed. Compatibility in terms of size is perhaps the most important predictor of whether or not you will be able to attempt a natural mating.

You should never breed a female to a male that is significantly larger than her; doing so might result in birthing difficulties, ultimately requiring an emergency caesarean.

Temperament

Secondly, consider the temperament of the female. Some females become aggressive during their cycle (due to raised progesterone levels). About 5% of females will not allow a male near them, let alone to mount them. These females find artificial insemination less stressful but for a small proportion of females, they need to be sedated by a vet to perform the insemination.

Safety

When mating dogs, it is important to supervise them and to hold them during the tie, to prevent injury to either dog.

Dogs can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to mate. Sometimes maiden bitches take time to feel comfortable and to relax enough to stand for the male to mount. We have a large outdoor area, where the dogs can play and get to know each other, before mating.

Does a dog get pregnant right away after mating?

When a dog falls pregnant after a mating, depends on when the dog is mated in her cycle and what stage she is at. Sperm has been found alive in the female dog’s reproductive tract for up to 10 days post mating. Therefore, she could fall pregnant as late as 10 days after the mating.

Progesterone testing allows us to determine when ovulation occurs. We can then ensure we are delivering the maximum amount of fresh, quality sperm to the cervix, when the eggs are mature, approximately 48 hours after ovulation occurs.

Putting sperm in too early, means the sperm is waiting around for the eggs to ripen and some will be tired and dead as time passes. Putting semen in too late, means the sperm might not have enough time to swim to the ripe and ageing eggs before they decline in number and quality.

Can dogs be asexual?

Not all stud dogs are made equal and some have a very low libido. Other studs have a great libido and a poor sperm count. Female dogs can be uninterested and even aggressive toward the stud dog. Studs with low libido and bitches that aren’t interested in mating, could be considered asexual.

What to do when your dog is pregnant for the first time?

When your dog is pregnant for the first time, make sure they are being fed a premium quality diet. Some breeders also give a folic acid supplement to prevent birth defects – 400 mcg for large dogs, 200 mcg for medium dogs and 50 mcg for smaller breeds.

If the bitch is fed a premium diet prior to mating, no major changes to the dog’s diet need to happen before 4 weeks of pregnancy. From week 5, it’s important to ensure your dog is getting sufficient calcium for the developing skeletal system of the puppies. If feeding adult kibble, change her to a puppy kibble; for extra calcium.

How many puppies do Cavoodles have?

From my experience, determinants of cavoodle litter size tend to be associated with the genetics of the bitch. If her mother carried 7 puppies, her daughters will likely carry around the same. I have found this to be true in most cases, however if the females in the litter are particularly small, they are unlikely to carry as many puppies as their mum did.

Cavoodles normally have anywhere from 3 to 8 puppies on average. Toy cavoodles tend to have 2-4 puppies while the larger of the two varieties; miniature cavoodles can have up to 10 puppies. Teacup toy cavoodles are tiny, tend to have problems birthing their puppies and only have 1-3 pups in a litter.

Feeding a pregnant dog

Good nutrition is also vital to a bitch being able to carry a large litter. Large litters are draining on the mother during pregnancy and when breast-feeding. If her body thinks she’s not up to nourishing lots of puppies, she won’t carry them full term and might reabsorb some of the pups while she is pregnant.

The Raw Fed Pregnant and Lactating Dog

If you’re feeding a raw food diet, include a variety of human-grade animal proteins, raw meaty bones (brisket bones, chicken necks etc), offal (heart, liver, eggs), vegetables, sardines etc.

Dr Ian Billinghurst, creator of the BARF diet, has some great suggestions and insight on feeding the pregnant and lactating bitch.

How to tell if a dog is pregnant?

A reproduction specialist vet can do an ultrasound at 28 days post mating or insemination to ascertain if the bitch is pregnant. At 8 weeks, an X ray can be done to count the number of puppies. It’s handy to know how many puppies you’re expecting for the birth, in case of retained puppies that need help to be removed.

Dog pregnancy symptoms week 1

Pregnant and non-pregnant dogs have the same hormone profile during the fourth stage of their cycle (anestrus). Post ovulation, progesterone levels remain elevated for 9 weeks regardless of whether the bitch is pregnant or not. Therefore, dogs rarely show signs of pregnancy at 1-3 weeks post mating.

Some bitches will vomit occasionally and others will go off their food, becoming quite fussy. Some breeders can tell if a dog is pregnant by their nipples, which become very pink and swollen at around 3-4 weeks and by around 5 weeks pregnancy, a small belly can be noticeable. Bitches that are having a phantom pregnancy can also show these symptoms including the belly!

Ultrasound (4 weeks) and X ray (8 weeks) are the best determinants of pregnancy.

How long is a Cavoodle pregnant for?

Dogs including cavoodles are pregnant for 63 days or 9 weeks.

In NSW the minimum age a female dog can legally get pregnant is 12 months. Before breeding with your dog. consult a reproduction specialist vet; they will be able to advise if your bitch is sufficiently physically and mentally mature to carry and raise a litter of puppies.

Breeding dogs at home

Dogs can be bred at home and house raised puppies are some of the most well adjusted, mentally sound puppies that are produced. You will need a quiet space for the whelping box to go. This location should be quiet and cosy and if you have small children, a secure pen should surround the whelping box, to keep children and other pets at a safe distance.

New mums can be very protective of their young and rightfully so, newborn puppies are extremely vulnerable; it is not uncommon for the mother to growl and potentially bite someone invading their space.

Final thoughts – Female Dogs’ Reproduction Cycle

Dogs’ heat cycles vary between females and from cycle to cycle. Having an understanding of the stages of a dog’s season can help to time when breeding should occur; whether you are doing a natural mating, AI, TCI or surgical implant. The timing of the insemination or mating will vary according to how rapidly a bitch moves through the various stages.

For some females, their progesterone level will spike quickly and they can ovulate as early as day 5. Conversely, some bitches will rise slowly, have a split heat and not ovulate until day 17 of their cycle.

Therefore, it’s important to be flexible in your approach; our clients’ success including the large litters they tend to have is largely due to the progesterone testing that they do.

Timing is a major predictor of success in dog breeding!

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