How do I know the best time to breed my female dog to get pregnant?

Once you see blood and vulvar swelling, count about 7-10 days after. That is the best time to mate her. Ideally, she should be examined by your veterinarian. Progesterone blood levels and vaginal cytology can give a more accurate time to breed her.

This is difficult to say but, on average, most dogs ovulate and are receptive around day 11 of the heat cycle. The discharge from the vulva is usually less bloody and the female will be actively looking for a male.

Hello, it is recommended that dogs are older than a year of age and have had at least one heat cycle before they are bred to have puppies. This to ensure the bitch has developed fully in growth and breeding capacity. I would recommend having a pre-breeding exam with your veterinarian to ensure she is a good candidate for breeding and to determine when the best time for her to be bred is. This will maximize her chances of becoming pregnant. After being bred, you should follow up with your veterinarian 3-4 weeks later to confirm pregnancy. Best of luck and hope this helps.

The ovulation in dogs usually happens between 8 and 12 day from the beginning of the season (so from the day you noticed that she is bleeding). At that time the discharge becomes light red or pink. If this is day 10 for Daisy, you should take her to the stud dog and see if she will be receptive. If not, repeat the visit in 2 days time.

After 14 days of what? Heat usually lasts between 2-4 weeks. There is a relatively small window when your dog is most fertile during the heat cycle; it may begin about nine or ten days after she goes into heat and lasts about five days. However, she can become pregnant until the end of the cycle. Hope this answers your question. As a side note, there is a huge spay/neuter campaign going on in February in Puerto Rico - it is free. You should consider taking your vet to one of the clinics to have it done if finances is the reason you have not done it yet. You can try contacting this person for more information: Shayna McClelland 202-253-6953 smcclelland@humanesociety.org

You have some great questions! When Luna goes into heat, keep her and your make completely separate at all times until it passes. You are right that she shouldn’t be bred until closer to two years of age. No, they will not mate when she’s not in heat. Signs of heat include a swollen vulva, bleeding, and mounting behavior. A dog goes into heat once every six months, and it lasts 3-4 weeks. I hope this helps!

Continue to monitor her progesterone levels every couple days. Ovulation occurs when the progesterone level reaches 5ng/ml. Evaluation of vaginal cytology will also help to determine the best time to breed her.