Chapter 15 - Dog Breeding Part III

COPULATION
Normally when the actual breeding takes place the bitch is sent to the dog. The animals should not be fed or heavily watered before mating. When brought into the room with the bitch, the experienced stud knows exactly when and what to do. if by chance he should drop to the floor and show no interest, it is probably because she has caught his eye and said some- thing like, "OK, Big Boy, one step closer and I'll bite your head off!" it is probable that the animals know more about the timing than the humans involved.

There should be at least three people present to assist with the mating: one to control the bitch, which should always be muzzled; one to assist the dog; a third person for general help or emergencies. The person who assists the dog must be known to the animal and the dog should be trained to accept help, usually by having the helper manipulate the vulva and getting the dog "on target." if a lubricant is to be used to facilitate the breeding, it should obviously not be a spermicide.

With an inexperienced or young dog, a short time may be allowed for flirting. The dog mounts the bitch from the rear and positions himself high on the back and starts slow, probing thrusts. When he has found the entrance, he begins thrusting more rapidly and treads with his back feet. Usually this is accompanied by a much stronger thrust, or even a jump, at which time, the penis is pushed entirely inside the vagina. The bulbous glandis swells quickly, locking the two in the act. The dog will stop thrusting at this point and will ejaculate.

As the tie can last from as short as a few to more than twenty or thirty minutes, the breeding pair should be controlled. Soon after the tie the dog will probably try to turn himself by lifting one leg over the bitch's back, leaving them with their rears facing each other. It is perfectly acceptable to help the dog to turn.This is nature's way of giving the animals protection while they cannot separate.

The bitch should be supported at all times so that she cannot sit down and injure the stud. Small dogs can be bred on a table, if they are accustomed to standing in this way, while medium to large-sized dogs are usually bred on the ground or floor. if there is a height discrepancy, rolled-up rugs, mats or towels or even risers or boxes may be used under the shorter animal. The footing should be secure and not slippery, so that the dog has good traction. While they are tied, mating dogs should never be forcibly separated. This could cause severe injury and it could wreck the stud's career.

AFTER THE COUPLING
Seminal fluid is made up of three fractions - the first helps to lubricate and contains some sperm, the second is rich with sperm and the third also contains sperm but mainly acts as a life support and swimming medium for the sperm. Sperm are probably only effective during the first twenty-four to thirty-six hours.

After the tie is broken, one of the attendants should monitor the stud and make sure that the penis slips back into the sheath correctly. Occasionally it is too enlarged. Cold, damp or wet towels should be placed around it so that the mucous membrane does not dry out. Sometimes the sheath or prepuce will turn inward and catch as the penis is returning to the sheath. This can be very painful for the dog in future breeding. Care should always be taken that the penis is not injured while it is engorged as consequent bleeding would be profuse and even life threatening. Similarly, while the breeding process is not a completely sterile acitivity, any human intervention should be as clean or sterile as possible. After breeding the dog should be returned to his box and allowed to calm down.

Sometimes the bulbous glandis swells before the tie is complete. if the manipulator is quick enough the dogs can be held together tightly until the ejaculation is finished. In that case the bitch's hindquarters should be raised and held up for at least ten minutes giving the sperm time to start their journey. At this time, a gloved finger inserted in the vagina will stimulate the bitch to have a series of contractions further aiding the seminal fluid on its way.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
If the natural act does not work out, the vet can artificially inseminate the bitch. With both animals present, the ejaculate is collected by the vet with special equipment. The vet collects the fluid and with special tubes deposits the sperm in the bitch near the cervix.

If it is impossible for the bitch and stud to be together then modern science has made it possible for a vet to breed dogs using chilled or frozen semen. With the help of overnight shipping systems, semen can now be flown worldwide. Frozen semen is viable twenty years after the collection and freezing period. Each year a new record is being set for increasing lengths of potency. Before these methods are employed, breeders should check with the ruling kennel club as to what is allowed and how to keep proper records. Some kennel clubs do not yet allow this type of breeding.

WATCHING FOR WHELPING
The average time for a bitch to whelp is nine weeks (sixty-three days). The exact time can be fairly accurately determined by keeping running vaginal smears and to note the date that diestrus started. Whelping should occur fifty-seven days after this, based on the fact that ovulation usually occurs six days before diestrus begins. There are several ways to determine whether the bitch is in whelp. The first is by watching behavioral symptoms. it is possible that the bitch will develop symptoms of morning sickness between the third and fourth weeks. She may go off her food for a while. This can be a fairly reliable indication of pregnancy. Some believe that this nausea and occasional vomiting is caused by a hormonal release of encysted worms in the body tissue and the migration of these through the blood stream.

Another sign is when a mucous plug develops in the vagina or by palpation of the abdomen. Palpation should be done on about the twenty eighth day of the supposed pregnancy. Only a vet should carry out the procedure as fetuses can be injured if it is done incorrectly.

Ultrasound is another reliable option. Ultrasound can provide early confirmation of a pregnancy and has no known effects on the fetus. Like all the other pregnancy-testing options, it is not a reliable way to establish when the bitch will actually give birth.

The fourth method involves radiography. Early use of this could cause damage to a fetus, although, in theory, it is safer late in the pregnancy (after the forty-second day). X-rays are particularly helpful in revealing possible delivery problems and to check after whelping that there are no late arrivals or whelps left unborn.

DIET IN PREGNANCY
After it has been established that the bitch is pregnant, her food should be increased gradually to twice the normal amount. All this time she should be fed a high-quality puppy food. Avoid giving the pregnant bitch medications if possible, with the exception of heartworm medication which should not be stopped. The vet should have the final word about what should or should not be administered.

As the gestation period advances and the bitch becomes heavier, it is wise to split her meals into smaller ones provided more often, to make her feel comfortable. The bitch needs moderate exercise at this time, but she should be prevented from jumping. If she must be lifted, her abdomen should be supported without hands or fingers digging into her sides. Longhaired breeds should be trimmed and bathed earlier than scheduled.

As early as possible, plans should be made for a possible Caesarean birth in brachycephalic and some Toy breeds, where the head is often too large to pass though the birth canal. Any breed that has been developed into an abnormal size or shape can easily run into problems in delivery and all care should be taken to protect the bitch. Advance planning is the first step. The bitch should be checked daily for any signs of vaginal discharge which could indicate an impending problem. A close watch should also be kept for any abnormal behavior that indicates illness of any sort. The breeder should also keep a count of the days because, although a normal pregnancy is sixty-three days to term, a pregnancy of fifty-nine days is not unusual.

USEFUL EQUIPMENT
When it is certain that the bitch is carrying pups, the breeder should begin preparing. The first thing is to prepare a whelping box and plan the best place to locate it. Ideally, it should be put in a quiet, draft-free and warm place, conveniently located to be well supervised. It should also be somewhere that offers a few human comforts too, as someone will be spending many hours nearby. The chosen spot must be large enough for a box that will allow both the bitch and whelps to move around and must have space for human intervention.

Whelping boxes can be bought ready made but it is not difficult to construct one. It must have a removable pig-rail. This is a railing that runs around the interior of the whelping box. This will provide a safe place for the newborn so that the mother cannot inadvertently press them against the sides of the whelping box. The sides should be high enough to contain the pups and protect against drafts and yet be low enough to allow the bitch to escape from the puppies from time to time. Newspaper can be used in the box when the bitch is whelping and for a day or so afterwards, while she still has a heavier discharge. In time the paper should be replaced with flooring that gives better traction to the pups while they nurse, crawl around and eventually start to walk. A piece of plywood with a large towel or bed pad wrapped around it is a perfect solution. The bitch will try to scratch up the towel but the plywood will hold it down and she will soon give up.

SOURCES OF HEAT
Whelps need an environment of around 85'F/ 30'C or even as high as 90'F/32'C because they are unable to maintain their own body heat until they are about seven to ten days old so a heat source should be arranged. One possibility is an infra-red heat lamp with a reflector. If a heat lamp is used, great care must be taken to ensure that it is securely fastened or it may become a fire hazard. Wires should kept out of the reach of both bitch and pups. A heating pad made specifically for animals can be used. It should be encased in a hard cover, with all wires shielded, so that it cannot be scratched or chewed. Another fairly safe heating device is an oil radiator. Whatever method of heating used, it is important that the bitch and whelps have an area to which they can move to prevent them from becoming too warm and risking dehydration. The box must be protected from drafts.

Other items that will be needed include plenty of clean, rough towels and baby or food scales for weighing the pups. A cardboard box to hold the pups while the bitch is delivering, when the whelping box is being cleaned or while traveling to the vet's is very useful. A "birthing kit" should be prepared and contain scissors, a hemostat, cotton thread, dental floss, a clock, a notebook and pen, an ear syringe, sterile gloves, an eye dropper, a rectal thermometer, milk replacer, a nursing kit, absorbent cotton, hydrogen peroxide (3 percent), alcohol, feeding tubes, petroleum jelly, the vet's phone numher and Pedialyte. Pedialyte is the brand name for a liquid used to supply water and electrolytes to young animals with diarrhea.

WHELPING
One week before the bitch is due to whelp it is wise to take her to the whelping box so that she can estaIish residence and become familiar with it. At this time, she should be cleaned up by scissoring or clipping off long hair around the vulva and around the teats. It is also important to keep an eye on her outdoor activities. As a dog is naturally a den animal, she may he secrctly building her own house underground or in a corner out of the way. Thebitch should be encouraged to nest, but only in the clean whelping box, padded with newspaper that she can shred to her heart's content.

The bitch's temperature should also be monitored twice a day as she pproaches whelping, if her temperature rises ,above 103'F/ 39'C, the vet should be consulted. If it drops to 99'F/37'C or below it is time to prepare for the exciting event. If her temperature drops a full degree and remains constant until the next reading, she is likely to start whelping within the next twenty-four hours, so the vet should be notified and put on call to aid in an emergency. It is imperative that the novice breeder have an experienced helper to give assistance. Extreme restlessness, nesting in her box, shivering when her temperature drops, wanting human company, rejecting food, tearing her bed, panting, concern with the area of the vulva, clear mucous discharge and ultimately pushing with the abdomen or visible contractions are all signs that whelping time is close.

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