Each breed of dog has its own characteristics, so before breeding they must be taken into account in order to avoid mistakes. French bulldogs are considered an elite breed. These are small, cute dogs with a flattened muzzle, protruding ears and a stocky build.
They have a variety of colors, but their types are still prescribed by the international standard. Let's look at the features of breeding French bulldogs and what difficulties breeders may encounter.
Suitable age
Maturity in dogs occurs much earlier than the age when the body is fully formed for mating, pregnancy and childbirth.
Females are considered sexually mature at 6-8 months, and males - at the age of 12-16 months. Although at this time dogs already have sexual desire and a tendency to masturbate, early and accidental mating should not be allowed.
- At what age can pets be bred without harm to health? The dog’s body is completely ready for mating and subsequent whelping from 18-24 months, in males - at 24 months. A female French Bulldog comes into heat every 6 months.
Outwardly, this can be seen by an increase in the size of the external genitalia and bloody discharge from the genital opening. On the 8th-10th day of estrus, the discharge is reddish, and then becomes lighter.
The discharge makes it clear that the bitch is ready to breed, the dog becomes playful and easily excitable. During this period, she should be walked on a short leash and closely monitored to ensure that no accidental contact occurs.
Breeding Features
To obtain purebred individuals, you need to make sure that both French bulldogs are of good blood, have documents and meet breed standards.
Both animals should be moderately well-fed and not overfed.
Because this has a bad effect on the male’s ability to fertilize, and for the female it means a difficult pregnancy and childbirth.
It is believed that for this breed it is good to make a pair of a smaller male and a larger female.
This will help avoid the birth of very large puppies, which often causes problems during childbirth. Bitches have a hereditary tendency to fertility; the ability to bear offspring well and give birth without complications is genetically transmitted to them. And the character of the male is an important factor in the mating process. Mutual sympathy is encouraged in dog couples; if both animals show interest in each other and not aggression, the mating will be calmer.
How to understand that the female is ready to mate:
- Her appetite changes. Wants to eat more or, on the contrary, refuses to eat.
- Flirts with male dogs, takes characteristic poses.
- The loop noticeably increases in size and becomes softer.
What to look for when choosing a mating partner:
- Origin, titles, relatives of the dog.
- His state of health (including the presence of hereditary problems).
- The dog has reached the age of two.
- If the bitch is having her first mating, it is best to use an experienced male.
Knitting process
Mating usually takes place 9-14 days after the start of estrus. Pets must be completely healthy and be examined by a veterinarian. There are two ways to breed French Bulldogs - freestyle or hand-breeding.
Freestyle mating
In this way, dogs that are already familiar and have a clear interest in each other should be bred. It is highly desirable that the male already has experience. The process is extremely simple - the pets just need to be left together in the same room for a certain time.
Hand knitting
In this case, bulldogs receive human assistance. This method is used to breed young bitches who have no experience and behave aggressively and restlessly towards the male.
If the bitch is too aggressive, use a muzzle. During mating, the female must be held by the collar and belly.
The best time for successful sexual intercourse is morning. Bulldogs do not need to be fed and should be given a good walk before mating. Animals must not be separated until sexual intercourse is completed. The second time, for control, mating is carried out after 1-2 days to guarantee fertilization.
Basic rules, instructions
There are two ways to carry out mating: manually, with the help of the owners, or without it, when the dogs do it on their own. Experts recommend turning to the second method more often, and resorting to the help of owners only if the dogs categorically refuse to breed themselves. The animals are introduced to each other and then left alone. You need to periodically check how the process is going. If circumstances go well, the animals will do everything themselves. But if this does not happen, the female is stubborn, aggressive, the male is smaller and cannot get closer, the dogs need help.
Instructions on how to do this:
- The dogs are taken to a place designated for mating and soft collars are put on them.
- The owner of the bitch holds her by the collar with one hand, and with the other under her belly, so that she cannot wriggle out when the dog begins to mount.
- The owner of the male guides the dog; if, due to the difference in size, the male does not reach the female, a stand is placed on him.
- As soon as the castle is formed, the dogs are turned in opposite directions, with their backs facing each other. They hold it so that the bitch does not wriggle out.
- If the dog is caught in a noose, but the lock does not happen, it is necessary to keep the dogs in this position for at least about 15 minutes, after which the dog is allowed to get off the bitch.
- Next, the owners draw up a mating certificate and a payment agreement.
- 1 - 2 days after the main mating, it is recommended to carry out a control mating, sometimes more than one, especially if there were doubts that everything went well. The second control mating takes place 1 - 2 days after the previous one.
Dogs cannot be forcibly pulled in different directions; they must free themselves from the castle on their own. The duration of this period is from 5 to 15 minutes, and sometimes up to an hour.
Mating dates should be entered into the calendar to know the approximate due date. After mating, animals need a walk and rest.
Bitch is not given for mating
The reasons for this behavior are varied. The bitch is not ready for the first contact, is afraid, feels pain, is poorly prepared or is simply spoiled.
- At the beginning of flirting, many French bulldog bitches behave aggressively and allow themselves to growl at the male, this behavior is part of the game. Later, the bitch will approach the male to sniff and get to know each other.
- When first boarding, she may growl and not let the dog near. When playing, dogs stand on their hind legs, hugging, the bitch can tease the dog.
- Having played enough, she usually allows the male to mount. But it often happens that females willingly flirt, but react aggressively to mating.
- If you have correctly calculated the day of heat, further actions will be enough to calm the bitch. Put a muzzle on your pet and sit with the dog's muzzle between your knees. Do not press hard and do not cover her with your legs and body, the male should be able to sniff his girlfriend, he may want to lick her face and ears. Calm the bitch if she is afraid or discipline her if the animal is aggressive.
It happens that before mounting the bulldog bitch is calm and does not show resistance, but when the male tries to go inside, she frees herself.
- This often happens if she has not had sexual intercourse before, the bitch is not prepared, is in pain and is simply afraid.
To calm it down, you need to hold it firmly in front, and put your knee under its stomach or support it with your hand, not allowing the dog to sit down or try to lie on its back. The animal must be held tightly.
- When the penis penetrates inside, it is compressed by the walls of the vagina, and it noticeably increases in size. For the French Bulldog bitch, this is often painful, and she begins to growl and try to escape.
Soon she will calm down - the response to the male’s friction and his orgasm is her own orgasm, after which the penis is clamped by the walls of the vagina. This condition is called gluing and is completely natural. The Bulldogs remain in the clutch position for some time.
Preparing for childbirth
Childbirth in French bulldogs is usually difficult, so it is better to arrange with your veterinarian in advance - a caesarean section may be required.
The onset of labor is accompanied by a decrease in the dog's body temperature to 37 degrees , milk appears, and she begins to spend more time in a pre-prepared box.
If the birth goes without complications, then contractions and pushing will soon begin, and the first puppy will be born. The owner should immediately free it from the membranes, clean the mouth of mucus, and then tie the umbilical cord in two places. Then cut it above the constriction points, treat the edges with an antiseptic.
Under no circumstances should you let your dog chew the umbilical cord. It can injure the puppy.
Each new puppy should be placed in a separate box from the mother with a pre-prepared heating pad so that the dog does not injure the babies during the birth process.
The male shows no interest
This happens if the dog is young and sexual intercourse occurs for the first time. This is normal, the first time he just doesn’t know what to do and needs help. You can’t shame him for his failures; on the contrary, encourage the bulldog.
Help him climb onto the branch by placing his paws on the rump. If the dog does not understand what is required of him and does not mount when jumping off the bitch, separate the pets for an hour or two in different rooms. When the dogs are together again, everything will go better and the male will do the cages himself.
If the male is already mature and experienced, his refusal to cage may mean that the day of estrus is determined incorrectly. The male reacts sharply to the bitch’s readiness for mating and will refuse to mate with her outside the prescribed time.
Female pregnancy
If the mating was successful, the female will become pregnant. The whole process lasts about three months. Childbirth can occur either in the eighth or tenth week.
A pregnant female should be intensively cared for four weeks after mating. During this period, the dog should be taken to the veterinarian and have an ultrasound done. From the fifth week, the diet for the expectant mother should be changed. Walks become more frequent, but not as long as before. In the last days before giving birth, it is necessary to give up games and ensure peace of mind for the expectant mother.
Important! A few days before giving birth, colostrum will begin to secrete from the bulldog's nipples.
@el.sheremetova
Ejaculation outward
This happens when the young male is inexperienced. If the bulldog, after many attempts, is unable to enter the vagina and is overexcited, then ejaculation occurs outward.
Further attempts at mating are impossible; the penis remains swollen for some time. Let the animals calm down, take them to different rooms. Re-mating is carried out on the same day after a few hours.
When is a male ready and when is a female ready?
Bitches reach sexual maturity when they are 7-9 months old, but keep in mind that mating at this age can have disastrous results in the literal sense. Pregnancy may occur, but pregnancy may not be possible for a small dog.
This will affect both the puppies and the health of the mother herself. And no matter how much the owner wants to start breeding bulldogs earlier, it is better to wait. The main criterion for breeding is the birth of healthy puppies with a good pedigree, which means we follow all the rules of mating.
Mating of bulldogs is possible if the future parents are healthy on the day of mating, treated for helminths and vaccinated. Otherwise, you take responsibility for the next generation; why should dogs suffer and get sick due to the owner’s negligence. A true dog lover would never allow this to happen.
So, to set a mating day, carefully study the characteristics of the male dog, pedigree, passport and other documents. The quality of a French bulldog's sperm depends only on the illnesses it has experienced, and the more of them, the worse. But if he is absolutely healthy, then everything depends on the health of the bitch to a greater extent.
The age when a male dog is ready is 24 months, which means you can easily arrange a date for your bitch with a two-year-old male dog. It would be good to look at him shortly before mating; his appearance can speak volumes, especially if you are aware of the signs of illness in the bulldog.
If you notice running eyes or nose, redness on the skin that is visible to the naked eye, it is better to postpone mating for several months. Or refuse a partner, in general, everything is decided by the owner, because he is the one who will not allow mating with a sick dog.
The girl (bitch) must be treated for helminths and also vaccinated. Her first heat is not a reason to immediately run to a male dog, wait, her age - 8 months, does not yet indicate the ability to bear healthy offspring, and the first such litter can be painful.
It is better if dogs engage in masturbation or take harmless drugs to slightly suppress desire, than to allow an organism that is not yet strong enough to become pregnant.
No sticking
Fertilization occurs regardless of whether there is a lock or not. The most important condition for pregnancy is the presence of sperm in the birth canal.
- If mating has not occurred or the penis is pinched in front of the bulbs, the dog should not be allowed to descend from the bitch. Hold the dogs for 10-15 minutes and let the pets disperse, but make sure that no accidental injuries occur due to sudden movements of the animals.
Artificial mating is usually no different in effectiveness from natural mating. However, it's worth thinking about. If there is no lock, perhaps the mating was carried out on the wrong day of estrus, the genitals do not fit together, or there are anomalies in the structure of the vagina. A missing lock is not normal and it is best to re-breed Bulldogs.
Common mistakes made by breeders
To achieve success in the breeding of French bulldogs, it is necessary to follow the rules of keeping and raising animals, starting from the very first days, giving proper nutrition, household and sex education, ensuring the socialization of animals, but without being excessive in these matters. An important role is played by the owners' awareness of the characteristics of the breed, as well as the structure and function of the reproductive system of the female and male, which helps to avoid many problems.
To avoid mistakes and miscalculations during the first mating, it is of course better to ensure the presence of an experienced breeder with extensive positive experience . The advice of such a specialist will help owners in the future, especially when knitting by hand. Even with free mating, the dogs should not be left alone, since the bitch may jerk during entry or mating, which will result in injury to the male’s penis, if she previously favorably accepted his advances.
The nervousness of the owners when the dogs’ efforts are unsuccessful can be transmitted to the pets and nullify all the efforts of the participants in the process. An inexperienced male who does not move from courtship to cages needs encouragement; he can also be allowed to rest for 10-15 minutes, for which the bitch is taken to another room. An experienced male who refuses to mount sometimes makes it clear that the bitch is not yet ready for mating, so instead of forcing him to fulfill his “duties,” it is worth rescheduling the lady’s visit to another, more suitable day.
If a male member is in a loop, but a lock is not formed, this does not mean at all that fertilization will not take place; in this case, it is necessary to help the dogs and hold both of them in this state, simulating a lock, for about 15 minutes. In the end, without allowing sudden movements, let the male get off the bitch's back. If the lock does not work during all mating attempts, you need to seek help from a veterinarian - perhaps not everything is normal with the girl’s reproductive system. Young male dogs may ejaculate before entering the loop if he is overexcited and inexperienced. In this case, the penis most likely swells and can no longer physically enter the bitch’s vagina. There is no point in repeating attempts right away; it is better to reschedule the meeting or give the dogs the opportunity to rest separately for 2-3 hours.
This is interesting! Another serious mistake owners make, which leads to stress for the bitch and, accordingly, to a decrease in the chances of her fertilization, is holding her upside down by her hind legs after intercourse.
With a more serious study of the structure of the female reproductive system, one will be convinced of the uselessness of this procedure for a successful pregnancy, but such manipulations can be harmful to the mental and physical state of the female.
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