My dog is in heat. When's the best time to mate? What if she refuses?

The most common reason why dogs refuse to mate is that it is the wrong time in the estrous cycle. If mating is attempted too early in the cycle, the bitch may not be receptive. A female raised as a house pet may be a shy breeder because of inadequate social contact with members of her own species. Mate preference, too, can be a determining factor. A bitch may refuse one male dog but may like another. I suggest you give her more time. Make sure you introduce her to the male at the right time in her cycle or, better yet, keep the two together throughout her entire cycle. If she hasn't been well socialized with other dogs then work on that. That may be why she doesn't know how to act around the male. If all else fails you can resort to artificial insemination. You can speak to your vet about how to get that done.

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.

It sounds like she may not be ready to breed yet - the male dog generally knows. Usually, females are ready for breeding somewhere around day 12-15 of their heat cycle, but this will vary depending on the individual female. If you want to know for sure, you can talk to your veterinarian about progesterone testing so that you'll know when she ovulates, and can time your breeding dates appropriately from there.

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.

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.

Hi and thanks for your post. If Murci is not standing for the male, she is likely still in proestrus and not in estrus. Proestrus can last for a couple weeks and is marked with vaginal swelling and vaginal bleeding. You may need to wait a few more days until she will be behaviorally receptive to the male. I hope this helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Usually, the bitch bleeds for about eleven days, after which the discharge turns a straw color. That's when she is ready to be bred. If you are using an inexperienced stud dog, he may very well not know what to do. In any event, do not "let them into the garage or basement" and leave them to do their own thing, as a first-time bitch can seriously injure the male. Someone should stay with the pair until the male disengages himself from her. Do not try to hurry this along. The male is "locked" inside and cannot come out until Nature is ready. They may be tied for about 45 minutes. For further information, you can click on the prompt to initiate a consult. Good luck with this!