How Do I Start Breeding and Stud My Dog?

We commonly get asked “how do I stud my dog in Australia?” Many dog owners want to breed their male dogs but don’t know where to start.

It begins with finding a suitable mate with good health, a stable temperament, and the qualities you’re looking for in the puppies.

Whether you’re looking to breed your dog as a side business or simply want some cuddly puppies, understand that dog breeding is a serious business – one that you should not take lightly.

Dog breeding must be done ethically and responsibly so you can avoid mating dogs with flaws and genetic health issues.

In this guide, we cover the important steps to take before breeding your male stud dog. Our stud dog directory is the perfect place to advertise your stud dog and meet breeders looking for a stud dog.

Consider The Purpose of Breeding

Ask yourself why you want to breed your dog.

• For cuddly puppies to raise at home
• To make him less aggressive
• To neuter him after the mating
• Use him as a stud in your dog breeding business
• As a professional dog breeder

Based on these answers, you can take the next steps, such as buying or adopting a suitable female mate for your dog, advertising your stud in a directory, or contacting other dog breeders that have bitches ready for breeding.

Finding a Suitable Female Dog

If you do not have a female dog at home, you can find one using the following steps:

Meet Other Breeders or Ask Your Vet

Discuss your requirements with reputable dog breeders or your vet. Even if they do not have a suitable female to mate with your dog, they might be able to point you to dog owners who do. It is important that the breeders are someone you can trust and rely upon.

You could also join online or offline dog-breeder clubs and forums to get advice, support, and information from like-minded breeders. These experts may even give you great tips on what to look for in a female dog. You can also have other questions – pertaining to canine genetics and desired traits addressed by them.

Attend Canine Events

If the above things do not help, you could consider attending a few canine events or dog shows. This way, you can meet championship-winning dog breeders and ask them if they have a female ready for breeding.

Meet The Female Dog In Person

Online photos and descriptions might not give you a complete and true picture of the bitch’s health and temperament. The last thing you want is an aggressive or unhealthy bitch to mate with your stud.

Therefore, you must insist on meeting the breeder and his dogs in person and even ask to see the records of genetic tests conducted on them.

 It is important that the female is not too far from where you live. This will make it easier for the dogs to meet when the female comes on heat.

Ensure Kennel Club Registrations

If you’re breeding purebreds or want to register your litter as a new breed in the making, like a Theodore (Cavoodle); both dogs should have canine club registrations so you can also register the puppies with the club. This helps maintain records and you can establish the dogs’ pedigree.

Prepare Your Stud

Your stud dog should also be healthy and at an optimum weight for mating. Your vet can guide you regarding the ideal weight for your dog’s age and breed. If required, make dietary changes and establish a regular exercise schedule for your boy.

To make sure that your stud is not susceptible to any genetic diseases common in his breed, you may want to conduct breed-specific health tests. Please visit this link to find out the tests your pet needs. Female dog owners/breeders may also ask to see these results.

Other health tests to consider:

Hip and elbow scoring

Patellar checks

Ensure Stable Temperament

Just like the female’s temperament, your stud should also have a stable temperament. Ideally, you should not breed shy, aggressive, fearful, or anxious studs.

Since temperament depends on genetics as well as the environment, you must train and socialise your stud from a young age.

Avoid Breeding Dogs With Extreme Features

If you are breeding show-quality dogs, you want to pay attention to the breeding stock’s looks and beauty. You don’t want to breed dogs with extreme features like excessive wrinkles, over-shot jaws, or dental overcrowding.

Ensure The Right Age

It is important to wait to mate the dogs until they are sexually mature. You should not breed them too young or too old- the right age for male dogs is between 1 and 7 years.

Female dogs are fertile and generally ready to mate between the 9th and the 14th days of their heat cycle. Since it is difficult to tell the exact start day of the cycle, it is best to do progesterone testing to determine when ovulation occurs in the female’s cycle.

Introduce the Dogs Before Mating

It is important that the dogs are comfortable with each other. You can ensure compatibility and prevent aggression by only introducing the dogs at the optimal time in her cycle. If the female is aggressive AI (artificial insemination) is recommended.

The Mating

Prepare the Stud

• On the day of mating, it is best not to feed your male dog. This is essential to prevent him from being lethargic. You can feed him as usual after the mating.
• Groom your dog by shaving his genital area and removing the excess hair. This can improve the chances of conception.

Provide a Calm Environment

Ensure that the mating occurs in an area free from loud noises. The dogs should not get startled, as that could halt the mating. A garage, backyard or house are some good places.

Help When Needed

Most studs will know what to do but some tend to get confused and are unsure, especially if it is their first time. If this is the case, direct the stud to mount the female. If the male dog is short, you might want to have him stand on your lap or some pillows to help him mount.

Be Patient

Mating in dogs can be a long process, more so if they are mating for the first time. Try to minimise interaction and give them privacy. Once they have established a lock, let them remain safely (you should hold the dogs to ensure neither gets injured) in the position as long as they need. Do not force them apart. The male dog will retract his penis after 10-45 minutes. If he is unable to do so for long, you might need to visit the vet to gently retract it for him.

Leave the female dog in a crate after mating for 1-2 hours. You want to prevent the female from urinating to increase the chances of conception.