Heat is the period in which the female begins to accept the male, once the bleeding stops. In the small sizes the period of maturity begins around nine months, in the bigger sizes around thirteen and more, they go into heat about twice a year.
The first heat is sometimes invisible, the so-called silent oestrus, where we do not see any leaks and it goes unnoticed by the owner; there are bitches who instead go once a year but almost all are fertile until old age. There are four phases of the reproductive cycle: proestrus, oestrus, diestrus and anestrus. The proestrus usually lasts nine days and the dog bleeds, urinates more often, her genitals swell, she refuses the male and is not fertile; oestrus is the fertile phase, it lasts eight to ten days, the bleeding stops to give way to more yellowish ones, she will try to mate; diestrus is the phase that, if fertilisation has taken place, is the period of pregnancy; anaestrus is the period of about six months of sexual inactivity and not conducive to mating.
During the heat it is good that the owners keep the female away from the males for at least a month. Her smells will attract them and it is necessary to keep an eye on her even when she is out walking or in the garden. Putting on hygienic panties only serves to stop them getting dirty, but is not useful for other purposes such as preventing the male from mounting! Sometimes the bitch in heat refuses to eat and loses her appetite, it’s up to us to stimulate her with a varied diet and something appetising, such as adding a little wet food to the croquettes or a little hot broth.
If we want to plan a pregnancy, the period of oestrus is the right one. Many are convinced that the bitch should always mate between the tenth and thirteenth day after the onset of oestrus, but not all females are the same and it is always best to consult your vet who, with the progesterone dosage and vaginal cytology, will establish the best day for mating, which will usually take place forty-eight hours after ovulation. It is better to plan two couplings twenty-four hours apart to give the sperm time to invigorate.
Do not separate the individuals during the ritual to avoid damage to the genital apparatus of both, they will detach after about twenty minutes. Since the ovulation period lasts a few days, it is better to keep the female away from the males so as not to risk more mating. The breeding ritual consists of courtship, where they sniff each other’s ears and genitals, chase each other, the male rests his head on the female’s back and the female moves her tail to indicate that she is ready and finally mating. Unfortunately, there are also females that do not make themselves “covered” this happens when we are faced with dominant subjects who do not want to submit in the mount or because the male is not to his liking, it is recommended artificial reproduction!
Watch out if your friend becomes hysterical or has a false pregnancy: swollen belly, enlarged breasts, milk production and mastitis, false breastfeeding. The symptoms are usually those of a pregnancy and occur one or two months after the heat. It occurs as a result of hormonal changes and brings us back to the time when, within a wolf pack, this phenomenon was important for the continuation of the species when the alpha female gave birth, if she could not have milk, the female without pups who produced milk guaranteed nourishment for the pups. The duration of the false pregnancy lasts about twenty days after which the progesterone and prolactin levels drop and the animal’s behaviour returns to normal.
If mating does not take place naturally, artificial insemination can always be used. This is a non-invasive method that is also used when the individuals live far away. There are two methods: vaginal insemination and intrauterine insemination. There are three types of seeds for reproduction: fresh semen, refrigerated semen and frozen semen.
Fresh semen, which is injected immediately after being taken into the vagina, is sent to the uterus; frozen semen, which can come from far away, can be kept for long periods of time; refrigerated semen has a shorter shelf life. In all cases, spermatozoa preserve the vitality and integrity of their function, and the donor will be examined beforehand to certify their state of health and that there are no hereditary defects or morphological or character defects. On the other hand, the broodmare must also enjoy excellent health and it is best to cover her with these methods at around two years of age when she has reached full sexual maturity.
It is always a good rule to follow the advice of your vet for whatever technique and procedure you wish to follow!