If you’re a dog owner, you’ve probably noticed that, during mating, dogs usually stay “stuck” for a few minutes. So how to get dogs unstuck?
Even though it may seem scary, it’s important to know that there’s no need to panic since it is a completely normal and natural thing.
Them being in “tie” is the normal part of breeding, and it’s the only way to mate successfully, so you don’t have to worry about “how to get dogs unstuck?”
While it can sometimes seem and be painful for them, especially when it comes to dogs that are mating for the first time, it’s crucial not to panic and try and calm the dogs down patiently.
This part can last from 5 to up to 20 minutes.
However, sometimes, when dogs are particularly nervous or anxious, it could last even longer.
What to do when the dogs get stuck and how to get dogs unstuck?
Simply put, leave them be. It’s a natural process, and it needs time. But if you notice that the dogs are tied for too long and that it’s really too painful for them, stay calm and pet the female dog gently on the head.
This will help the dog to calm down and relax all the muscles so that the male dog can slowly separate from the female dog.
Do not try to separate them by force because you’ll risk hurting them.
Talk to your dog and pet her slowly, while showing that everything will be alright.
How long does a dog stay in heat?
The simple answer to this question would be 2 weeks, but I’m sure you want to know a bit more about this matter, don’t you?
Well, the first thing you should know is that female dogs have periods, too.
As soon as your dog reaches puberty, you can expect cycles of fertility, and that’s when your pet will be in heat and ready to mate.
More so, your doggy will probably be in heat for the first time very early.
The first time for smaller dogs is around the 6th month, while for larger ones, it usually happens after 18 months old.
Your dog will be in heat once every six months unless it’s the Basenji breed, which is in heat only once a year.
Make sure, though, to avoid letting your dog mate during the first two cycles since the eggs won’t be ready.
When you decide to let your dog mate, make sure to talk to your vet and consult her/him about it.
While the bleeding during this part of the cycle may last for only two weeks, your female dog will still be fertile and in heat for at least one more week.
How many times do dogs have to mate to get pregnant?
If the “tie” happens at the right moment during the cycle, and if it lasts for the right amount of time, it’s enough to let the dogs mate just once, and the female dog will stay pregnant even if you know “how to get dogs unstuck”.
It’s important to know that female dogs know when their eggs are ready, and they reject male dogs if they try to mate too early.
As soon as the female dog knows she’s ready, she will show it to the males and allow mating.
Even though only one mating is almost always enough for the female dog to get pregnant (and the fertile period usually lasts for up to 5 days), professional breeders will keep both male and female dogs together during that period of time and allow them to mate a couple of times a day while they’re together, to ensure success.
Do dogs automatically get pregnant?
As said before, if the timing is right, your doggy will most likely stay pregnant right away.
However, if the female dog isn’t in heat, the chances of her getting pregnant are non-existent.
While the cycle is happening twice a year, not every day of this period will be suitable for getting pregnant.
That’s most likely to occur between the 10th and 14th day of heat.
To understand all of this a bit better, we should talk about the stages of every heat cycle.
Stages of heat cycles
The first stage of a dog being in heat is called proestrus, and that’s when the bleeding and other symptoms (such as the swollen vulva and frequent urination that releases hormones) happen.
This first stage usually lasts for ten days, and though your dog will attract males, she won’t be ready for fertilization just yet.
The next stage, when the fertilization happens, is known as estrus and this means that the ovulation occurs.
It’s essential that mating happens in those few days because the dog’s sperm stays vital a couple of days after the mating.
That’s why it should be done while the female dog is ovulating.
How can I stop my dog from getting pregnant?
If you aren’t able to take care of potential puppies because you don’t have a lot of space, time or resources (let’s face it, although incredibly adorable, puppies require a lot of attention!), and you don’t want to leave them in a shelter, the only solution is to stop your female dog from getting pregnant.
How?
Well, there’s more than one way.
- Isolation & Monitoring
This will require you to know your dog’s heat cycle in order to be able to pay closer attention to male dogs in the vicinity. The easiest way of keeping up with your dog’s cycle is to have a while piece of fabric or paper under your pet’s bed or place where she spends a lot of time. In that way, you’ll be able to see as soon as the first stage of heat starts and be ready to stop the unwanted mating.
One of the ways of making sure your dog doesn’t come in contact with male dogs is to keep her isolated, and, unfortunately, locked inside your home or garden, while making sure other dogs don’t have access to it.
If you’re worried about taking her out for a walk, you will need to be hyper-vigilant and keep your dog close to you, on a leash, if you want to avoid her escaping and mating with male dogs.
It’s always smart to keep your dog in a crate while your dog’s heat cycle is active.
- Dog Panties
I can imagine this sounding so funny, but trust me, it works, especially if your dog is very often near other dogs.
You can easily find these in a pet store.
Many dog owners actually used them as a way of making sure blood doesn’t end up on the furniture or anywhere else inside the house. However, these panties can be a practical solution for stopping the males from mating with your pet.
Be aware that even though the panties may be a simple solution, they aren’t the most secure thing and can be easily ripped by a stubborn male dog.
- Surgery (Spaying)
If you’re looking for a permanent solution, go with the ovariohysterectomy.
This involves the removal of all reproductive organs in a female dog, ovaries included.
Wondering why female dogs need to have the ovaries removed?
Well, you may be confused by the fact that, when a woman undergoes the hysterectomy, the ovaries stay intact.
This, however, isn’t the case with dogs.
Other than the obvious reason, which is two completely different reproductive cycles, there are risks that leaving your dog with ovaries while infertile can bring.
You surely want to avoid your pet having an ovarian or breast cancer and many other health-related complications.
That’s why it’s crucial to do spaying for your beloved pet to stay healthy.
Make sure to avoid doing it while your dog is already in heat and wait until the cycle passes.
- Chemical Castration
If you’re an owner of both female and male dogs, and you want them to mate at some point in the future and need a short-term solution, you can have the chemical castration performed on your male pet.
This procedure will ensure that your dog is infertile for up to six months.
This is great when your female dog is still young, and you want to wait for at least one more heat cycle before breeding.
- Contraceptive Drugs
this solution is controversial because of the increased risk of pyometra (an infection of the female’s reproductive tract due to hormonal changes, in this case, progesterone).
Some dog owners decide to give the female dog an injection of progesterone derivative.
The goal is to postpone the heat cycle.
This, of course, isn’t a permanent solution and can be considered risky and harmful for your pet.
Read Also: Why Are My Dog’s Balls Red
Bottom Line
The “morning-after pill”, but for dogs – Yes, you read it right, your dog can have the morning-after pill in the injectable form.
Anyway, you don’t have to think about how to get dogs unstuck at all.
If you notice that your dog has been mating and you’re too late to stop it, you can consult your vet 24-48 hours after the mating.
He/she will give your pet two injections that will stop the pregnancy.
As you can imagine, this isn’t the ideal solution because of all of the hormonal disbalance that may happen.
Still, it’s surely better than leaving unwanted puppies in the shelter.
