Problems with mating

Question
QUESTION: Hello,  I have a female daschund who is about one and half years old.  This is her third time in heat.  We found a one year old male daschund to act as a a stud.   They get along wonderful.  This is the first time for both dogs.  The problem is that when he is about to tie the knot, the female turns around to lick him.  We have tried to hold her still, but he then gets nervous and abandons the mission.  Any suggestions on how to help them close the deal?

Thank you in advance

ANSWER: Hi Sue

Some first timers just can't get the job done. It can be because of inexperience or age.

Have you tried leaving them together and clearing the room?  Also, how far along is the female?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Joyce,  Today was the 12th day of her cycle and the first day that she would move her tail out of the way.  At the beginning, she seemed very uninterested.  She was more interested in playing with a stick than the male.   We were a private park (it was just the male, his owner, the female and me).  After an hour both dogs were stressed so we called it quits.  Tomorrow second trial run and I am thinking of letting them spend some quality time together in my terrace at home alone. Hopefully that will help.

But getting involved and trying to hold her still would be a big No-no, right?

ANSWER: The easiest way to "get involved" is to sit on the ground with your back against a wall.  Place the female across your lap so she standing with your legs underneath her.  Keep a nice tight hold on her so she doesn't move around.

Encourage the male to come around to the "business end".  Coax and praise him patting him and getting him excited by using your voice telling him he's a "good boy" (so males -- regardless of the species need some kind words to get things going LOL).

When he starts to mount her you can guide him with one hand while still holding the female.  When I say guide, you don't want to tug, squeeze, pump or yank on his member, by placing your palm underneath him you can steer him straight.

Once he starts humping, hold him tight until the tie occurs.  

I would think that the wide open spaces of the park would be distracting.

Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Joyce,  Thanks for the advice.  Today I kept the two of them for about six hours in my terrace.  Within the first hour, they had tired themselves out.  During that time, I caught them tied together once.  For a while, I stopped watching.  They remained together for three to four minutes max and then separated naturally.  Is that enough time?  Tomorrow we are going to let them spend some more time together, we figured it is always better the second time around.  

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Yikes!  6 hours is kind of a long time. If the weather is warm where you are, there is the risk of heart attack or heat stroke.

This is the formula that I would do personally.

Bring them together for 20 minutes, if a tie occurs, bring them in and crate them.  You don't want the female to go pee after a breeding.  You only need on breeding a day.  

One tie, one time.

If however, you only have the male for a short time, you could let them mate again.  REMEMBER that the male has to keep producing more sperm each time he ejaculates. The less time between breeding, the greater chance that his swimmers will have 2 heads or 2 tails.