4 HANDLING THE MATING OF DOGS 



study of pedigrees and of the prepotent ancestors in the pedigrees, 

 of both stud and dam. This study properly requires time and effort, 

 comparison and research. This is the most important task — it is the 

 secret — of the successful breeder. It is to be done long before the 

 bitch comes into heat. 



How then can the owner of the bitch mate her scientifically 

 (by selective breeding), if he does not choose the stud until the bitch 

 is already in heat? As long as this condition of last-minute attention 

 exists, the majority of matings will be hit-and-miss from the breeding 

 standpoint, with good type offspring a matter of accident .rather than 

 planned schedule. 



Choose the stud and make all arrangements with his owner at 

 least thirty days before the bitch is due in season or heat. Remind the 

 owner of the stud about ten days in advance of the expected heat so 

 that he can plan accordingly. At least two days before the bitch is 

 shipped to him, write or wire the scheduled hour of arrival at 

 his kennels. 



What Day of Heat is Best for Mating? 



The present discussion does not concern itself with days of heat 

 to be taken advantage of to secure certain alleged results such as 

 determination of sex, sure pregnancy, size of litter and so forth. 



We are now concerned only with the particular day or days of 

 heat when the bitch accepts intercourse with the stud most readily. 



We may set the total period of heat (season, oestrum) at nineteen 

 to twenty-one days with twenty days as a set figure. The lengh of the 

 period varies with breeds and with individuals of a breed. Larger 

 breeds tend toward a longer period of heat than do the smaller breeds. 

 The first heat (which may occur anywhere from 8 to 9^2 months of 

 age, usually 8^2 months) may be of shorter duration and not 

 strongly noticeable. 



A few bitches will receive the stud on the twentieth day. Some 

 bitches, being shy breeders, will receive or admit the stud only during 

 a few hours. Some will admit the stud over a period of two weeks. 



No general rule is to be set forth but in most cases, the tenth to 

 the fifteenth day of season, is advisable for the mating. And there are 

 so many exceptions that the rule is well proved. 



A bitch will continue to accept a male after a mating and until 

 she goes out of heat, altho after being mated, she is not as receptive 

 during ihe ■ re^mainmg portion of the heat period. Consequently 

 caie must; be had lest. she mate to another male. It is possible to carry 



