Talk to your vet about your dog’s weight. Your vet can recommend a feeding and exercise routine that will keep your female at a healthy weight for her age and breed. If your female is over or underweight, you may want to get her to a healthy weight before attempting to breed her.
Dogs have different dietary needs depending on breed and age. Talk to your vet about a healthy diet for your dog. Most dogs do better with scheduled feeding than they do with free feeding. Offer your dogs healthy treats to reward them for good behavior, while also keeping their weight under control. Try offering your dog veggies and fruits as a treat, such as a baby carrot, a green bean, or a couple of banana or apple slices. [4] X Research source Fish oils are often used to supplement a dog’s diet, as it may prevent things like kidney disease. Talk to your vet about supplementing your dog’s diet with fish oils to promote good overall health.
Bigger, higher energy dogs may need more physical activity than smaller breeds. Talk to your vet about how much exercise your dog needs each day. If your dog is very high energy, you may want to invest in a fenced in yard so your dog can run around outside during the day.
The first day of a female’s cycle begins when you see bloody discharge coming from the dog’s vulva. You may not always notice the precise first day of your dog’s cycle, especially if bleeding starts out somewhat light. You may think it’s day 1 when, really, it’s day 3. There may be other changes, like behavioral changes, that indicate your female is going into heat. It may take a few months of tracking your female’s cycle before you recognize the true start day. Take note of any unusual changes in behavior, energy levels, or eating habits around the time your dog typically begins to bleed to try to identify the most accurate start date. Avoid breeding on your female dog’s first heat cycle. It is best to wait until your female dog is 2 years old to begin breeding. This will give you some time to learn her cycles, figure out the average number of days that they last, and identify signs that she is going into heat.
Remember, you may not know the exact start day for your females cycle. You should put the male and female together the days before and after your dog’s estimated fertile days.
Make sure to feed the male the day before mating and after he finishes mating with the female dog as well.
Choose an area that’s not prone to loud noises or other interruptions. If your dogs get startled or scared, this may halt breeding.
A garage, shed, or basement is a good area to place your dogs so they feel they have some privacy.
You may have to confine the female to a cage for half an hour after she mates. You want to prevent urination, as this will help with conception. Make sure the male’s penis retracts after mating. In most cases, it will retract naturally after 30 minutes. If this does not happen, you may have to try to retract the penis yourself.
