breeding my Shih Tzu

Question
I have been trying to breed my female Shih Tzu (1-1/2yr.old) with a male 8yr. old same breed.  Both have been willing and participating vigorously but have not tied.  What could be the problem?  My female is now ending her cycle and losing interest. I can see the male has been successful and has been eager to continue.  Do I need to wait for the next season with a different male?  I'm sure by now the window of opportunity is closing.  Could there be a possibility that she can have puppies without the tie?
Warmest Regards, Babes Johnson

Answer
Hello Babes:

There is a small possibility of a successful breeding even if no tie is achieved. Personally I've never had it occur but know of others who have. Some males seem to manage quite regularly in fathering a litter w/o ever accomplishing an actual tie. That being said, obviously it's a bit "iffy" - certainly the chances of a positive pregnancy are significantly increased if a tie occurs. As to what the problem might be that too is difficult to speculate. It's probably due at least in part to the inexperience of the female. I would suggest trying to maneuver during the next session by holding her as still as possible, allowing the male more of an opportunity to hit the "sweet spot" - if you're able to have another family member or friend with which the dogs are familiar & comfortable with help out it may prove even better. One could hold the female & hold up her rear, enabling the other person to help guide the male. If you can place your hand under the male's tail while he's mounting & then gently but firmly push him slightly up & forward that will often be just what's needed for success. Unfortunately it does take a lot of patience, persistence, trial & error before one gets the hang of it. This is, of course, the dogs will cooperate - some tend to resent any interference so you'll have to judge their reactions accordingly. Also you might try a small dab of lubricant around the female's vaginal area so that the male may be more likely to achieve penetration.

Depending on when your female's cycle began, you may still have a few days so I'd give things a few more attempts. On average the estrus or fertile portion of the cycle lasts about a week but can vary from dog to dog. (One of my females had an estrus that lasted nearly 3 weeks so anything is possible!) It usually begins about 9 to 10 days from the initial heat cycle signs of swelling of the vulva & the bright red vaginal discharge. As a dog enters into estrus, the vaginal flow becomes lighter in flow & color, becoming more of a pale pink to straw color. And obviously, the best indication of estrus is the female's response - she will not only allow mating but will encourage it! I apologize if you're already familiar & knowledgeable about heat cycles & have a good understanding of how they work but I'd rather provide too much info than not enough.

One final thought - if nothing occurs after her cycle has ended I would suggest having your vet examine her for breeding. There's a very small chance she may have an "unfriendly" vaginal opening which may be preventing the male from penetrating & tying. Sometimes it's a matter of just being a slightly less than desirable angle or could be something more difficult. If all else fails & nothing physical is found via exam & any diagnostic testing deemed necessary you can always try another male during her next cycle or consider artificial insemination if you still aren't able to successfully breed her naturally.

I wish I could provide you with more definitive answers but I'm including a few links to breeding sites that might be helpful. Sometimes they can provide a "light bulb" moment so it's worth a look. While some may be breed specific they still generally apply to all breeds. I hope this helps a little & would certainly like to know if you're successful or if you have any additional questions.

http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/dogs-faq/medical-info/whelping.html

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/breedingheat.htm

http://www.advice-on-pet-care-and-pet-product-supplies-online.com/dog-reproducti...

http://www.labbies.com/reproduction2.htm

http://www.petbitsforyou.com/fem_anat.html

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/br.html

http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com/articles.html

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hvpup1.html

http://www.mydog8it.com/before_you_breed.htm

http://www.minschnauzer.com/breeding/index.html