does compatible size of breed matter when mating

Question
QUESTION: Greetings!  I have a toy female poodle that is trying to mate with a slightly bigger male.  They both are in "ready mode", but he seems to be skimming the underside of her belly instead of making contact.  Is there a way for me to "assist" or help make the connection?  Any help would be appreciated.  Both parties are very frustrated as am I!

ANSWER: Hi Brooke. You could try to 'raise the female'. Put a phone book or other thick book, on the floor, and cover it with a sturdy rug. Put the female on it, and see if that helps. Or, you may need to put the male up a tad bit higher. Try it, until you figer out which one needs to be up higher. :-) You can also try to guide him into the right place. When he mounts her, reach around from behind him, and gently try to guide him where he's suppose to be. Some dogs won't do their buisness if someone tries to interfer. So, you'll have to go back to raising one of them. If none of these things work, then you may want to consider A.I. Good luck!

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QUESTION: Thank you for your quick and thorough response.  How many times do the dogs need to "mate" (is this the correct term?) and what does "tied" mean, please?

Answer
Hi. I'm sorry! Tied means that after the dogs successfully breed, they will be 'locked' together. The male's penis swells inside of the female, keeping them together for a time. This allows the sperm to stay inside of the female, and get where it's suppose to go. You only need two successful breedings, usually about two days apart for a dog to become pregnant. Say they breed today, then try again the day after tomorrow. Good luck!