Mating Maltese

Question
I have male maltese & my friend has a female that just finished her menstural cycle when can we mate the dogs, and how will we know when the dog is pregnant?

Answer
The bitch should be over 18 mos. and the male over a year (depending on how smart he is about breeding... some are slower maturers than others... as in, "DUH, you want me to do WHAT? How does *that* work?")

Both dogs should be tested for all possible health problems in the breed first, such as genetic eye problems (some of which can cause tear staining), luxating patellas, heart problems, etc., and it would be helpful to know if any of these problems were had or produced by the parents and grandparents of either dog.

Pregnancy can be determined early in the pregnancy by palpation or ultrasound, and later in the pregnancy by X-rays. Otherwise, you should know about nine weeks after the breeding(s) when the bitch decides to deliver.

It is also important for you to know that it is not uncommon for males to start lifting their legs in the house once they have been used at stud. Watch for this so that you can correct it.

Karen