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How to Stud Your Dog for the First Time (Vet Reviewed Beginner’s Guide)

Quincy Miller

By Quincy Miller

female dog meets a male dog

Vet approved

Dr. Paola Cuevas Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Your pup is so fantastic that you’d like to make dozens of little carbon copies of them. You might think that breeding your male dog is easy. All you have to do is put two dogs together and let nature take its course, right? However, there are certain things that you should know ahead of time to ensure that everything goes smoothly for everyone involved.

In this guide, we’ll show you precisely what to do to ensure that your dog’s first stud experience is a positive one.

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Studding a Dog: Before You Begin

First Off, What Is a Stud?

Simply put, a stud is any dog that’s used for breeding. Both male and female dogs can be referred to as studs, but typically, you’ll only see males called studs. Females, on the other hand, are usually called bitches.

Studs are usually registered purebred animals. You won’t see mutts referred to as studs, no matter how attractive they are. As a result, you’ll need to understand your dog’s breed before you start. You can collect the papers you have affirming their heritage and familiarize yourself with the breed standard.

You can do this by researching on the internet, watching videos, attending breed-specific events, reading books, or checking out dog shows. Dog shows and breed-specific events are helpful because they’ll allow you to network with people who may be interested in your dog’s services.

two dog meets
Image by: Pixabay

Know Why You’re Breeding Your Dog

There are good reasons and bad reasons to breed a dog. Bad ones include wanting to make extra money or simply wanting to have puppies around.

On the other hand, a good reason to breed your dog is to improve the breed. You can sell or show your dogs if you like, but remember, the end goal is to leave the breed better than you found it. It’s not about you — it’s about the dogs.

Realize That This Isn’t an Easy Process

Breeding a dog isn’t easy; it takes a great deal of effort and way more time than you’d expect. That’s true even if the breeding process isn’t successful, but if it is, you should realize that raising puppies is a full-time job.

Many people get into animal breeding, thinking it will only take a few hours a week or be a one-time commitment. That’s a great way to get in over your head, and it makes it much more likely that the entire process will be a chore for you and the dogs.

You should also be aware that nothing ever goes flawlessly. Solving problems, whether they occur during the siring or raising process, is a huge part of being an animal breeder.

It’s also important to realize that breeding is expensive. Even if you’re planning on selling the puppies for quite a bit of money, there’s a long time between breeding the dogs and selling the puppies. The dogs will still need to eat during that time, so be sure you have the capital necessary to keep them alive and healthy.

Choose a Suitable Mate

This is possibly the most important step, but it’s also the one many breeders neglect. They figure that any mate purebred and available will be good enough.

This goes hand-in-hand with the “improve the breed” ethos; your primary concern when breeding a dog is finding a complementary mate. Your dog should improve their flaws and vice versa.

Don’t just look at the individual animal, either. You should study their entire heritage because a single dog can always be an anomaly. For example, if you need a dog with a lustrous coat, make sure that lustrous coats run in the family and aren’t just a feature of that particular dog.

It’s vital to avoid hereditary diseases as much as possible. This isn’t entirely within your power, of course, but if you can study the mate’s bloodlines, you may be able to spot troubling genetics that don’t need to be passed on to future generations.

All of this requires a basic understanding of genetics, so if you’re unfamiliar with the subject, it’s time to brush up. At the very least, you should understand dominant vs. recessive genes and how they affect a dog’s offspring.

two merle shetland dogs
Image by: Pixabay

Other Things to Consider in a Mate

The previously mentioned issues are the most important to think about, but they’re also the ones most people already know about. You must consider several factors when breeding a male dog for the first time.

When picking a mate, you want to make sure that both dogs are of a similar size or that the male is bigger. If you have a young male and an older female, he might not be tall enough to mount her properly, which can cause all sorts of issues during mating.

Also, keep proximity in mind. You may need to drive to the other dog’s house multiple times over several months, so it will be more expensive if they live a few hundred miles away.

Make sure their schedules mesh with your own as well. Planning your life around a dog may sound ridiculous, but many in-demand studs have full schedules.

Talk to a Lawyer

You can confirm a breeding agreement with only a handshake, but that’s a great way to ensure that everyone walks away unhappy, and those agreements often result in both sides talking to a lawyer after the fact.

Instead, consult an attorney beforehand to draw up a stud agreement. The agreement should include a stud fee, a discussion of what to do with the puppies, and the paperwork (such as genetic screenings or proof of heritage) required beforehand.

Agreeing on a contract is the best way to ensure that everyone is on the same page before things get too far down the road, and it protects you in case there’s disagreement at a later date. You’ll be especially glad you have one if the resulting pups become prizewinners.

Everyone involved should sign the contract and receive a copy for their records.

Make Sure Both Dogs Are in Shape

If you’re taking the stud process seriously, you must ensure both animals are in the best shape possible before beginning. This involves thorough checkups, including genetic screenings and pre-breeding tests (who pays for these exams should be spelled out in the stud contract).

Both dogs should be fed a nutritious diet and given plenty of exercise. If you want the best puppies, you need parents who are in great shape and have no nutritional deficiencies or health problems. Parenthood is hard on the body, after all.

The female should get a pre-breeding physical about a month before the act occurs, and both dogs should get checked for brucellosis, which is a disease that can cause sterility or spontaneous abortion. They should both be up to date on their vaccines as well.

black dogs ready to breed
Image by: Pixabay

Make Sure Both Dogs Are of a Suitable Age

Different breeds reach sexual maturity at different times, but most females start going into heat around 6 months. However, it is generally recommended not to breed them during this first heat, as successful mating will strain their developing bodies tremendously. Breeding a male dog for the first time can wait until the female dog is old enough.

Also, don’t breed on successive cycles; always take at least one heat off in between. This gives the female’s body time to recover. At the other end of the spectrum, try to avoid mating two older dogs, even if they’re both still fertile. Breeding is hard on both animals, and they’ll find it more difficult to recover quickly.

The pups may also suffer if the female can’t get enough rest and recovery between breeding. There’s something to be said for experience, though, so you may not want to pair two extremely young dogs together. Aim for a happy medium. Most experts recommend waiting until the female is at least 2 years old.

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How to Stud Your Dog:

Wait Until the Right Day of the Cycle

The first day of the cycle is considered the day the female starts bleeding. Counting from that day, you should try to breed her on the 10th day through the 14th. You can breed her several times during that period, assuming she’ll accept the male.

That doesn’t mean your work begins on the 10th day. You should introduce the two dogs before then to allow them to get used to one another. There’s a good chance that the female won’t be in any mood to accept the male, but you should still let them get acclimated to one another unless her aggression gets out of hand.

This makes the breeding easier since there will be some familiarity between the two animals.

two dog meets
Image Credit: Pixabay

Know How Involved to Get During the Mating Process

Most experts recommend letting nature take its course during the mating, which is more likely to be successful if the two dogs have already established a rapport. However, sometimes, nature needs a little encouragement.

You may need to be around to calm your dog or encourage them to begin mating. Someone may need to hold the female so the male can mount her, or someone may need to hold the male in place so he doesn’t pull out prematurely.

You need to be careful not to be too involved since it may be off-putting and discourage copulation. The idea is to provide the bare minimum of assistance.

The first time might be tricky, and you may need to assist. However, as the dogs become familiar with the process, they shouldn’t need much help. You should also ensure that the mating occurs in a familiar, comfortable place, at least the first time. They’ll spend more time investigating the environment if they’re unsure about their surroundings than getting down to business.

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After Mating Is Complete

Your responsibility after mating will depend on what was agreed upon in the stud contract. If you have a male dog, chances are that you won’t have much to do after a successful mating except possibly collect your share of the puppies.

Taking care of a pregnant female is much more involved, and it is also beyond the scope of this article. Just know that caring for a pregnant dog is very complicated when dealing with the offspring of two registered animals, so plan on devoting a lot of time and money to it.

hanovarian puppy litter
Image by: Pixabay

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Good Luck With Your New Puppies

Despite what you might instinctively assume, breeding a dog is not exactly easy, and there are many opportunities to mess up. However, if you do a little research and consult experienced breeders, there’s no reason that you can’t have a successful breeding on your first attempt.

Who knows? Once you and your dog get the hang of it, you may end up with the most in-demand stud in town on your hands. Not bad for an animal who spends most of his free time barking at the dog in the mirror.


Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

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