How do dogs mate?

If you are a new dog owner and you have never witnessed dogs mating you will probably be apprehensive if you see your little Poochie being mated by the neighbor’s dog.  A dog that is mated for the first time would seem to be greatly distressed. The dog would whine and growl as if it is hurting.  Chill! Everything is happening the way nature intends it to. From this mating adorable and cuddly little puppies that look like your beloved Poochie will result.

In the canine world, males are called dogs and females are commonly referred to as bitches. Most dogs mature sexually at a very young age. Dogs produce sperm at approximately 5 to 6 months old but even before reaching this age the dog would exhibit the mounting behavior. Generally, bitches reach sexual maturity at 6 to 12 months of age. Large breeds are slow to mature. It would take at least 2 years for these breeds to attain sexual maturity. The reproductive cycle of dogs differ from breed to breed although a bitch would commonly have a 7 month reproductive cycle. There are four stages in a reproductive cycle – the proestrus, estrus, deistrus and anestrus. Bitches in the proestrus and estrus stage are commonly referred to as in heat. Pregnancy is only possible if the bitch is mated during the estrus stage.

Dogs are ready to copulate anytime but this is not so with female dogs. A bitch will only be receptive of the attention of the dog if it is on the estrus stage. The bitch will exhibit flagging wherein the tail is held on one side to allow the dog to mount from behind. Canine copulation is different from human copulation. A dog’s slender penis is limp. A small bone inside the penis called baculum makes the penis rigid to allow the dog to penetrate the bitch’s vagina. After penetration is achieved the penis will be engorged with blood basically trapping the penis inside the vagina. This is known as the tie. The tie makes sure that the bitch will be impregnated. The dogs will separate after the dog has ejaculated. Dogs in this position must never be separated even if they are whining and appear to be distressed or extremely uncomfortable. Attempts to separate the dogs can result to injuries. Dogs that are mated for the first time may try to pull away. This is why it is very necessary to supervise the mating. It would help a lot if the owner would talk to the dog. The presence of the owner will reassure and calm the dog.