Canine Reproduction

Canine Reproduction
Contents
Introduction
Female reproductive system
Male reproductive system
Female dog’s reproductive cycle
Estrous cycle in Female Dogs
Male Dog’s Reproductive Cycle
Mating
Pregnancy
Whelping
Conclusion

Introduction

Dogs are the best creature in the universe who loves unconditionally, and having pups after letting the female dog (bitch) give birth may be a lovely experience. However, given that overpopulation is a major issue, dog owners must understand the responsibility of breeding. Each year, pure dog breeders import dog semen to do AI in dogs to get the progeny. Therefore, AI is becoming popular nowadays, and a famous company in the UK is selling dog semen. This article will discuss canine reproduction and tell you some important tips about breeding and reproduction.

Female reproductive system

Ovaries: These organs produce a few reproductive hormones and ova (eggs).
Follicles are sacs filled with fluid where the eggs in the ovaries grow.
Ovarian ducts. In around two days, these tubes transport the ovulated and released eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. The oviducts also serve as the locations for fertilization and egg maturation. Dog sperm and eggs are fertilized in this part.
Uterus: This instrument has a small body and two long horns. Placental and fetal development and implantation all take place within the uterus.
Cervix: This structure, a narrow opening, acts as a passageway from the uterus to the vagina. The cervix seals the birth canal and acts as a barrier to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus during pregnancy.
Vagina: This hollow structure connects the vulva to the cervix. The cells that make up the inner lining of the vagina go through certain alterations throughout the estrous cycle.

Male reproductive system

Testicles: These clumps of seminiferous tubules produce dog sperm cells and the male sex hormone testosterone. The seminiferous tubules’ lining cells make sperm, while the cells in the spaces between them make testosterone.
Epididymis: The maturation of dog sperm takes place in these ductules.
Vas Deferens: This is the ductus deferens, often known as the ejaculatory sperm duct.
Prostate: This auxiliary sex gland is in charge of creating the fluid component of dog semen.
Urethra: Urine is transported by this hollow tube, which starts at the bladder’s neck and passes through the penis. Semen is transported during mating.
Penis: The penis of the dog has two pretty distinctive features:
Os Penis. During the first phases of mating, the male’s non-erect penis is meant to be directed into the female’s vulva and vagina by this little bone inside the free extremity of the penis (glans penis).
Bulbus Glandis: The back of the os penis is where this penile swelling is found. The bulbus glandis grows to a hard, spherical form as soon as the male dog enters his penis into the bitch’s vagina and starts to push, creating the so-called “coital tie.” This connection, which may last anywhere from five to sixty minutes, keeps the male dog and the bitch from parting immediately after ejaculation.
Prepuce: In most cases, the external entrance of the penis is located in this foreskin or outer coating.
Scrotum: The testicles are suspended in this skin sac outside the peritoneal cavity.

AVAILABLE DOG SEMEN

Female dog’s reproductive cycle

There are four stages to the female dog’s reproductive cycle. Unspayed female dogs, known as “bitches,” normally have two estruses or “heat” cycles yearly, spaced around six months apart and lasting two to three weeks each. The periods between estrus might vary greatly amongst dogs. Depending on the dog’s size, the first heat occurs between 6 and 15 months of age (later in larger breeds). The initial heat cycle or any subsequent heat cycle might result in female pregnancy.
Oestrous cycle in Female Dogs
Proestrus: The beginning of heat. 7 to 10 days long. Blood circulates, and the vulva expands. Males are attracted to females, yet they won’t let them mount.
Estrus: The time before sex. 5 to 10 days long. Blood flow starts to decline and then ceases. This is the period of ovulation, which typically happens 2 to 3 days after mating.
Diestrus: When the dog is either pregnant or in a resting phase, which may last anywhere between 10 and 140 days following heat.
Anestrus: is the time between diestrus and the next heat cycle.
Male canines don’t go through a sexual “cycle.” Instead, they react whenever a female is in heat. When fully grown, males are at their most reproductive.

Male Dog’s Reproductive Cycle

Depending on the breed and size of the dog, males mature sexually at different ages.
At about ten months of age, most boys are sexually mature and able to produce dog sperm. The pituitary gland’s chemicals FSH and LH drive the testicles’ synthesis of testosterone and sperm (spermatogenesis). Male sex traits, sexual behaviour, and spermatogenesis—which occur throughout the year and last 62 days—all need testosterone for development and maintenance.

Mating

Make sure your canines are physically mature before breeding them; this is the ideal tip. This implies that the bitch and the male dog should be between 18 and 24 months old, at which point the bitch should be in the middle of her second or third cycle of the period. Since ovulation often happens on the second day of estrus, breeding the bitch as soon as she becomes sexually receptive to the male dog and again two days later is quite efficient.
Artificial insemination (AI) in dogs may provide conception rates on par with natural breeding when done correctly. So, before using this method, find out more knowledge about AI techniques and dog sperm qualities in a dog

Dogs Mating

Pregnancy

When a successful mating occurs, and parturition occurs, the pregnancy begins. Within 30 seconds of ejaculation, sperm cells will arrive at the eggs in the bitch’s oviducts and have a viable life expectancy of up to seven days. After mating, sperm and eggs are united during fertilization, which takes place in the distal part of the oviducts.
When the fertilized eggs divide via cell division, the resultant zygotes (fertilized eggs) become what is known as embryos. Six to ten days after conception, the growing embryos leave the oviducts and enter the uterus. Seventeen to twenty-one days after fertilization, the developing embryos implant or connect to the uterine walls. Embryos are subsequently referred to be fetuses after they have been implanted and begun to create a placenta.

Whelping

The bitch should be introduced to the whelping area and the whelping box about a week before the expected date of parturition. The whelping location has to be a place that is peaceful, isolated, dry, warm, and free from draughts.
The whelping or nesting box may be made of various materials, but it must be sized to comfortably fit the bitch lying on her side and provide space for the puppies. Although the puppies shouldn’t be able to climb out, the bitch should be able to enter it. To avoid the bitch smothering or crushing a puppy, the whelping box should include an internal shelf around the perimeter. This shelf has to be high and low to accommodate puppies without the bitch accidentally stepping or rolling on them. A fresh, flat newspaper should be placed at the bottom of the box’s bedding to absorb liquids, and thick towels, mattress toppers, or pieces of carpeting should be placed on top of the newspaper to provide adequate grip.
Most of the time, assistance is not needed throughout the whelping process. The following materials should be maintained on hand nevertheless, just in case:
A sterile, little plastic syringe to aspirate nasal and oral secretions.
An umbilical cord-tying spool of dental floss.
Just in case you need to cut the umbilical cords, a pair of sterile, blunt-tipped, straight scissors.
A little vial of iodine solution for rubbing on the umbilical cords.
Many freshly cleaned, clean towels for drying the pups.
Dogs typically go through three phases of labour and birth without human assistance.
Stage I lasts between 6 and 12 hours and is characterized by modest uterine contractions and cervical dilatation. The bitch is now exhibiting outward indications like intensive nesting and persistent lying and standing.
Stage II: Intense uterine contractions. Bitches often give birth while laying down; however, some may squat. The majority of pups are born head first and feet first. The bitch should naturally begin to lick the fetal membranes from the puppy’s face before biting off the umbilical cord.
Stage III: The placenta is expelled during pregnancy. After each kid is ejected, the bitch often expels a placenta within a short period. The bitch’s inclination to consume the placentas is natural. However, to prevent unfavourable side effects, you may wish to reach out and grab some of them from her.
Check whether the bitch has thrown up a placenta for every puppy. If she does, she may get postpartum metritis and need veterinarian care. The bitch will often give birth to her whole brood over several hours. After whelping, the uterus often involutes within 12 weeks, returning to its pre-pregnancy size.

Conclusion

If you want to breed dogs, it is beneficial to understand the anatomy and physiology of canine reproduction, the oestrous cycle of the female dog, mating, pregnancy, whelping, and postnatal care of puppies. Furthermore, your purpose should be to improve the dog’s semen quality, and there should be a dog sperm bank to save the semen of pure breeds. Dog semen bank should maintain the record of every breed.

Canine Reproduction on Wikipedia

Artificial insemination in dogs

 Prospective purchaser responsible for successful implantation.
There is no implied warranty.