has mating occurred?

Question
I have a 3yr old bitch who I placed with a dog on day 9 of her cycle. She had stopped bleeding prior to going. The dogs were keen on days 10 and 11, but every time the dog tried to mate with her, she growled and drew away. On days 11 and 12 she dropped a couple of spots of fresh red blood in the afternoon. Can you tell me what may be happening and whether the new blood may have anything to do with the dogs mating? her vulva now appears to be getting smaller - today is day 13. thanks for your help.

Answer
If her vulva is getting smaller, then that's an indication that she's going out of heat. She could've went onto heat earlier than you though, or had a 'dry' heat at first. Or, she may have ovulated earlier. You never really said if they bred for sure or not. It has been said by many breeders that if a female was bred and she took, then her vulva will usually stay a little swollen after heat. You may need to take her to the vet to check for infection. If she is not pregnant this time, you also may want to have smears done next time to help pinpoint ovulation. If I can be of future help, let me know!