How Can I Tell If My Female Is in Heat?
Most of the time, the signs can range from excessive cleaning of the vulva, bleeding from the vulva, drinking extra water, being very clingy, and mounting other dogs of any sex or mounting toys. These all indicate a coming heat or an active heat. Remember, every female is different — just like people. Your female may exhibit all or just some of these signs. Some females hardly bleed at all.
When Do I Let My Female Be Bred?
I like to breed my girls 3 times — on days 10, 12, and 14. The 12th day is usually the day they ovulate, but I like to get in an early and a late breeding to keep a high level of live sperm available in case she ovulates early or late. The female's blood flow will be very dark and heavy, then lighten to a more pinkish color as the flow slows down. That's when you breed her. She will also "flag" her tail from side to side when you tap on the side of her vulva. But some females flag only when ready to breed, while some flag for 2 weeks. The trick to all of this is putting all the signs together to make a complete picture.
Can Eggs Be Fertilized on Different Days?
I always thought that some eggs may have dropped a few days after the majority — because of the birth of extra tiny puppies or puppies that were not quite as developed as others. The reality is that there is only a 24-hour window in which an egg can be fertilized. The outside of the egg is hit with a luteinizing hormone that allows the sperm to enter. This means if you breed too late you can miss the window entirely — being early is better.
If you see an underdeveloped or extremely tiny puppy at birth, it's because of placental location. A placenta in a favorable spot in the uterine horns with good attachment will let that puppy grow and develop well. A puppy with a placenta in a poor location will not get the necessary blood flow to properly grow. This is why you should never put a deposit on a brand new, day-old puppy just because it's tiny — it could be the biggest puppy in the litter by 8 weeks old.
What Do I Do If I Can't Tell When to Breed My Female?
If your female doesn't show clear signs of when to breed and you don't have a male nearby to help you gauge readiness — you need to work with your board-certified veterinarian to do progesterone testing. They will tell you exactly when she will ovulate, taking all of the guesswork out of the equation.
