How to Encourage Dogs to Mate Naturally

Co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: August 8, 2019 References Approved

Breeding dogs naturally is important to many owners who want to see their dogs produce a litter of puppies. Oftentimes, you can get dogs to breed on their own time without artificial insemination or other fertility treatments. Make sure to keep both your breeding dogs healthy for the best results. Dogs in excellent health are more likely to breed successfully. You should also keep track of when the female dog goes into heat so you will know which days she's most likely to conceive. When allowing your dogs to breed, do not intervene unless they need direction. Simply allow the dogs to interact and breed at their own pace.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Encouraging Good Health

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Keep the female at a healthy weight. Females are more likely to conceive, and have healthy pregnancies, if they stay at a healthy weight. An under or overweight female may have problems conceiving and carrying puppies to term. A healthy weight will encourage a healthy pregnancy.^{[1]
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- 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.
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Feed both dogs a balanced diet. Healthier dogs will be better equipped for mating.^{[2]
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Research source} A balanced diet is key to your pet's health. Feed your dog the proper amounts of a healthy dog food to encourage good health overall.^{[3]
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- 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]
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- 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.
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3
Exercise both dogs regularly. Dogs need exercise to maintain good health. Exercise can also keep both dogs at the right weight, promoting overall fertility. Try to get your dog daily exercise in the form of a walk or simply playing around the house.^{[5]
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- 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.
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Make sure the male is clean and groomed. Males need to have clean genitals to prevent yeast infections and other complications during breeding. You should also make sure the hair around a male's genitals is trimmed. This will help the male successfully mount a female, encouraging natural breeding.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Paying Attention to Timing

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Track when the female goes into heat. Female dogs have a natural reproductive cycle. Tracking this cycle each month can help you know when you should allow your dogs to naturally breed.^{[7]
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- 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.
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Count the days in the female's cycle. Remember to start at the day you first notice blood. Your female will be fertile later on in the cycle and not on the first day she bleeds. Usually, around ten days into the cycle, your female will allow a male to mount her. If you want to breed naturally, you should let your female breed during her natural cycle.^{[8]
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Breed your female on the right cycle days. Females are most fertile on days 9, 11, and 13 of their cycles. It's important males and females have a chance to breed on these days, as this will increase the likelihood of your female conceiving a litter.^{[9]
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- 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.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Helping with Mating on the Day

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Keep the male from eating the day of mating. If a male dog is very full, he may not have the energy to breed. You want to make sure your male is as energetic and enthusiastic as possible. Withhold food until your dog has successfully bred with the female on the day you allow the dogs to mate.^{[10]
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- Make sure to feed the male the day before mating and after he finishes mating with the female dog as well.
2
Keep the dogs calm. If you want natural mating, you need both dogs to remain calm. If dogs are agitated or nervous, mating is less likely to occur. If the male and female dogs do not already know each other, make sure they meet a few days prior to the mating day. You should also keep the environment calm.^{[11]
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- Choose an area that's not prone to loud noises or other interruptions. If your dogs get startled or scared, this may halt breeding.
3
Introduce the dogs to each other before the day of mating. It will likely be easier to get your dogs to mate if you introduce them to each other before the mating day. This will help to ensure that they like each other.
4
Help the dogs when necessary. Dogs are capable of breeding naturally. However, males may sometimes be unsure what to do, especially if this is their first time breeding. Do not hesitate to direct the dogs when necessary. Use your hands to gently guide the dog towards the right area when he attempts to mount the female.^{[12]
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Give the dogs some privacy and do not break them up after mating begins. Try to keep your distance and allow the dogs to mate naturally and do not interrupt them or try to break them apart. This will stress them out and may even harm them. A little privacy may also make it easier for your dogs to breed successfully.^{[13]
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- A garage, shed, or basement is a good area to place your dogs so they feel they have some privacy.
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Have patience. It may take the male dog awhile to mount the female, especially if he is inexperienced. Do not be surprised if the dogs do not mate immediately. Try to minimize intervention and allow the dogs to breed on their own time.^{[14]
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Care for the dogs after mating. After the dogs have mated, there are a few things you can do to encourage conception. Care for both the male and female dogs after the mating process.^{[15]
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- 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.