Breeding Bulldogs Guidelines

Breeding Bulldogs Guidelines

Age and Health of Bulldog Bitch

Bulldog can come into their first season anytime between 6 to 12 months of age. A bulldog up to 12 months old is still considered as a puppy because she is in a growing phase and not fully matured yet. Therefore the Kennel Union of SA does not allow registration of litters from a dam younger than 12 months old on the birth date of the litter. The recommended age for mating a Bulldog bitch for the first time is at the age of 12 to 18 month.The bitch must never be too fat - it is well-known that overweight Bulldog bitches will very seldom conceive. Any bitch about to be mated should be healthy, fully vaccinated and properly dewormed.

Correct Time of Mating Bulldog

The exact time during the heat cycle when a bitch should be mated is of the utmost importance for conception. Depending on the specific situation of the breeder, he has the following means to decide when to mate: 

Breeders who do not readily have access to a veterinarian, could use the natural signs of the bitch on heat to show them when she is ready for mating. This method is not infallible but should give a reasonable success rate over a period of time. From about 5 to 6 days after the first signs of heat, a mature male is put with the bitch at least two times a day. If the bitch is not ready, she will keep the male at a distance and even growl or bite at him. When the bitch is ready to be mated, she will stand still, allow the male to sniff and lick her, lift up the vulva and sometimes the tail as well and eventually allow the male to mount her. After the first mating, extra matings should be repeated every second day until the bitch does not want to stand for the male anymore. The whelping date can be calculated by counting 63 days from the day of the first mating.

Currently the most reliable and successful method to determine the correct time for mating is a combination of the natural signs of the bitch, vaginal smears and vaginoscopy. In the latter instance, a speculum is used to examine the appearance and consistency of the vaginal mucous membrane, which is a reliable indicator of the correct time for mating. Serious breeders of Bulldogs will be well advised to consult with their vets on this method. The whelping date is also calculated with the use of vaginal smears as before.

Method of Bulldog Mating

Bulldogs in general are not able to mate naturally by themselves and it is common practice among Bulldog breeders to provide assistance to the bitch and the stud during matings by means of various methods and innovations. Novice breeders who want to do assisted matings with their own Bulldogs are advised to first get some practical experience with the help of an established breeder before trying it on their own. When doing assisted matings with Bulldogs, never do it on the heat the day and never after the dogs have eaten. It is also important to allow contact between the dog and the bitch (at least 10 minute) before and after matings.

Sign of pregnancy

During pregnancy, which can be from 58 to 63 days, bitches can show a combination of habitual signs, which can vary from very obvious to very subtle. This includes changes in temperament, increased or decreased appetite, morning sickness (vomiting) and increased dormancy. In the last few days before the actual whelping, they can also show signs of nesting, uneasiness, difficult breathing, panting and refusing of food. Physical signs include enlargement of the milk glands which can be felt from about the 4^th to the 5^th  week of pregnancy and distention of the abdomen which can be seen anytime from the 4^th to the 7^th week, depending on the size of the bitch and the number of puppies she carries.In a small percentage of cases, bitches can have a false pregnancy, showing normal signs of pregnancy which may sometimes continue for several weeks beyond the normal gestation period.

A definite pregnancy diagnosis can be made by scanning the bitch with an ultrasound monitor anytime from 21 days after conception. The size and the viability of fetuses can also be evaluated with this method, but it is not accurate in counting the number of puppies. Towards the end of pregnancy (± the last 10 days), when the skeleton of a fetus starts to calcify, X-rays can also be used to make a definite pregnancy diagnosis and to count the number of puppies.

Care of pregnant Bulldog Bitch

A pregnant bitch needs to be fed well and kept quiet and warm. A bit of daily exercise is recommendable but she must not be allowed to exhaust herself, to get excited or to jump up. Use a well-balance dog food and avoid any salt in the food. A calcium supplement is recommended but should be given strictly according to manufacturer’s instruction as excessive calcium can cause serious health problems in puppies. The bitch should be dewormed 2 weeks before the whelping date with a broad spectrum anti-helmintic.

Good Time for a Caesarian

As the whelping date gets closer, the behaviour of the bitch should be watched very carefully. Take notice of the amount of food and water she takes in, her mental status (depressed or not), if she is restless, if she starts nesting (preparing for a place to whelp) and whether her breathing is normal. If the bitch is very big, it is better for her during the last week of pregnancy, to get small amounts of food more often instead of one big meal per day.
Normally milk should be present from about 3 to 7 days before whelping. In a young bitch that is pregnant for the first time, it is sometimes necessary to stimulate her milk production by treating her from 3 to 4 days before whelping with Eglonyl tablets twice daily.

It should always be the aim of both the breeder and the vet to perform a caesarian on a Bulldog bitch as close to the natural time of birth as possible. To be able to do this, an accurate whelping date is essential (see “The right time to mate a bitch”). Remember, however, that bitches with large litters tend to whelp a day or two before their anticipated whelping date and bitches with only one or two puppies can sometimes overrun their whelping date by a day or two. The body temperature of the bitch is one of the most useful and reliable signs to determine the optimum time for a caesarian. Normal body temperature in a healthy Bulldog bitch can range from 38,0 – 38,9 ˚C. Approximately 10 to 12 hours before actually going into whelp, the body temperature of the bitch will drop significantly from normal to a level of  37,2 to 37,3 ˚C for a short time (a few hours) and then rise again to normal. The 10-hour time period after the drop in temperature is the ideal time to perform a caesarian on the bitch. The taking of the bitch’s temperature should start at least 4 days before the anticipated whelping date and it is important to take the temperature at least 3 times daily (every 8 hours) so as not to miss the drop in temperature.  Once the temperature has dropped, all food and water must be taken away from the bitch immediately, in anticipation of the operation.
The golden rule for a caesarian in a Bulldog bitch is always to operate rather too early than too late.