Your female dog is able to have a litter but she is far from being ready to raise them. Breeding and getting your dog pregnant on your dog’s first heat can also pose health risks for both your dog and her pups like bad genes being passed on, and behavioral changes like aggression.

Male dogs can begin breeding between 6 to 12 months of age. Female dogs should be bred later than males, at least after their first heat cycle. Responsible breeders wait for the bitch to be at least 18 months to breed her.

The bitch should not be bred during her first season. The bitch’s cycle is divided into four periods. Proestrus: The bitch attracts males, has a bloody vaginal discharge, and her vulva is swollen. Proestrus lasts approximately nine days; the bitch, however, will not allow breeding at this time.

Can dogs get pregnant without locking? YES! If ejaculation has occurred, your female dog can become pregnant in spite of the male not remaining locked to her. The fertility rate in a slip mating is not quite as good, as there is often some spillage of semen when withdrawal occurs prior to the locking phase.

NO! Female dogs have four stages in their reproductive cycle, which denote their ability to breed, successfully fertilize, and birth puppies. We may be familiar with the term “in heat” or ovulating, but to veterinarians, being in heat or “season” is referred to as the “estrus” cycle.

Most dogs, given the opportunity, will end up mating when the female is in heat. A whopping 40% of female dogs will fall pregnant after just one mating session! That incredibly high number means you are at considerable risk of having a litter of unwanted puppies if you are not careful.