How Often Do Dogs Go Into Heat?
Bitches should have an obvious heat cycle by 24 months of age. Although bitches vary in the frequency of their heat cycles, an average female goes through heat about every seven months. A bitch is not considered abnormal unless she has not had an obvious heat cycle for one year.
Is It Okay to Breed a Bitch in Back-to-Back Heat Seasons?
That depends on how many puppies she whelped the first season and how well she maintained her body condition during pregnancy, whelping, and lactation. If she had several puppies and was thin by the time they were weaned, she probably cannot regain normal body condition before she is in heat again and thus should not be bred. If she had few puppies at the first breeding and is in excellent body condition, she potentially could be bred again. Every circumstance and every bitch should be evaluated individually.
Paying Attention to Timing
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While breeding dogs naturally isnt as easy as artificial insemination, you can encourage your dogs to mate by getting the timing right and keeping them relaxed. To know when your female dog is ready to mate, wait until she is 2 years old, then track her cycle and let her breed 9, 11, or 13 days after you first notice menstrual bleeding. Make sure your female dog is at least 2 years old, as this will give you enough time to figure out her cycle and know the best days for mating. When your dogs are ready to mate, keep the male from eating until after it breeds since he might not have enough energy to mate with a full stomach. As your dogs mate, keep your distance and don’t interrupt them, or they might get too stressed. Most importantly, have patience and give your dogs plenty of time to get comfortable with each other. For more help from our Veterinary co-author, like how to keep your dogs healthy enough to mate, read on.
Suhasa Sj “Thanks a lot for the article. Came to know why mating didnt occur between my dogs.”