How to separate dogs when mating ⋆ Online magazine for women

Dog breeding is a complex process that typically begins with courtship, where the male and female give signals to let the other know that they are ready to mate. After completing the intimate process, you can often notice that dogs cannot separate, a so-called dog knot is formed. It is at this moment that we ask ourselves what to do at this moment, and how to untie this knot, and is it worth doing it at all?

As we say, this is a normal phase that should play a role in the reproductive success of the species. Therefore, in principle, we do not need to interfere. But, if this connection lasts longer, it may indicate a problem.

Mating dogs

We can define mating as the strong physical connection that is established between the dog and the bitch during mating. When the male's penis manages to enter the female's reproductive system, the bulb, which is located at its base, enlarges.

This cannot be achieved if the bulb swells before the act, since in this case it is not possible to insert the entire limb. This bulb is the so-called capitol bulb. This is the structure of erectile tissue. When it swells during reproduction, it is secured in the female reproductive system by the powerful constrictor muscles of the bitch's vulva, thus forming a canine knot .

The exact function of the clutch is not yet clear, but it is believed to stimulate ejaculation and hold the male penis until the dog is done. Although it has been proven that its duration does not affect the likelihood of fertilization, nor the number of puppies conceived.

Gluing stages

The acquaintance of partners begins with mutual sniffing - this is how they decide whether they are suitable for each other or not. If yes, then the girl takes the necessary position, and the male holds her with his paws and climbs up. Such actions are not considered intimacy; they are called trying-on actions. While the male lubricates himself more comfortably and looks for the vagina, the female chooses a position that is comfortable for herself. This action lasts about five minutes, then the dog begins the main task: the enlarged penis emerges from the prepuce, and the head of the organ becomes larger than the penis itself. At this moment, copulation between the “lovers” begins. The bitch specifically strains the vaginal muscles in order to clasp the penis more tightly, which leads to gluing. It is also called "castle". It prevents the penis from falling out of the vagina, so mating is always successful. After intercourse, ejaculation occurs, which is the main part of effective mating. It ends with complete relaxation of the male, who, leaning on his partner, rests within six minutes. The female begins to whine and tries to change her position - this is how she shows a state of excitement. Breeders keep the female until the male changes position.

Reproductive system of a male dog

To better understand why dogs engage in mating (canine knotting), it is important to briefly review the anatomy of both the male and female reproductive systems. Thus, the internal and external apparatus of a dog consists of the following parts :

Scrotum . A sac that is responsible for protecting and supporting the dog's testicles at the appropriate temperature. In other words, this is the visible part of these glands.
Testicles . Located inside the scrotum, they function in the production and maturation of sperm and male hormones such as testosterone. They are ovular in shape, located horizontally and, as a rule, symmetrical.
Epididymis . Located in both testicles, they are the tubes responsible for storing and transporting sperm into the vas deferens. These tubes consist of a head, body and tail.
Vas deferens . It begins in the tail of the epididymis and serves the function of transporting sperm to the prostate.
Prostate . The gland that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the beginning of the urethra, and the size of which is not the same in all breeds, varying significantly from one to another. Its function is to produce a substance called prostatic fluid or seminal plasma to facilitate the transport of sperm and nourish it.
Urethra . This tube is not only designed to carry urine from the dog's bladder, it is also part of the canine reproductive system, transporting sperm and prostate fluid for eventual ejaculation.
Forearms . It matches the skin that covers the penis to protect and lubricate it. This second function of the foreskin is related to its ability to produce for this purpose a green liquid called esmegna.
Pene . Normally it is located inside the foreskin. When the dog becomes aroused, an erection begins and, consequently, the appearance of the penis outwards. It is formed by the bone of the penis, which allows penetration, and the bulb of the penis, the ventral philtrum, which provides the so-called “canine knot”.

Reproductive system of dogs

Why they stick together can be understood by carefully studying the dog’s reproductive system. In a male dog, it consists of the testes hidden in the scrotum, spermatic cords, accessory glands, penis and prepuce.

Sperm mature in the testes. This process only occurs at low temperatures, so it must be lowered into the scrotum. The secretion of the accessory glands maintains their vitality and activity.

Through ducts passing inside the cords, the sperm enters the ureter, and from there, during mating, into the vagina and uterus of the bitch. The male penis has a special structure.

This is what largely determines whether dogs stick together and how well they do when mating. There is a thin bone inside the penis that helps maintain an erection. It is hidden in the prepuce and comes out during arousal.

It increases in size due to the filling of the cavernous bodies with blood. At the base there is a special structure - a bulb. Already in the bitch’s vagina it enlarges, becoming wider than the penis.

This feature largely determines why dogs can stick together during mating. The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries, uterus with tubes, vagina or loop.

Cells mature approximately twice a year. During heat. It comes out in the middle, somewhere on days 11-14. This period is the most optimal for fertilization.

A bitch matures several at once. Theoretically, they can be impregnated by different males, but this happens extremely rarely. Precisely because during intercourse, adhesion occurs.

Pairing

What does sexual intercourse look like in dogs? Males show interest in all females who are in heat. Sexually active all year round. Bitches are indifferent to male dogs and do not allow them to approach them when they are not in heat.

The dogs look closely and sniff each other. The bitch is ready for mating, she takes the appropriate position (raises her hindquarters, lowers herself onto her front paws, moves her tail).

First, the male makes test cages during mating. This period is important for dogs to find a comfortable position. Lasts 5-10 minutes. The male then penetrates the female's vagina.

After some time, the dogs can be seen stuck together. Why does this happen? The penis inside the female increases, its bulb becomes wide and thick.

Her muscles tense and spasm, holding the penis inside. The dog performs friction until the dogs become stuck together. At this time, discharge from the organ occurs.

Liquids

Lubricants. It provides movement of the penis and facilitates sexual intercourse.

Sperm. The volume of ejaculate is 2-3 ml, there are millions of germ cells capable of fertilizing the eggs of a bitch.

Secretion of the prostate gland. The volume is about 80 ml, ensures sperm motility and increases the chance of fertilization. The lubricant is released even at the moment when the male has not yet stuck to the bitch.

So a positive mating result is possible without a lock. But his chances are less. It is during mating that the secretion of the prostate gland is released, which increases conception.

In addition, in the wild, this phenomenon prevents the female from mating with other, weaker males. Dogs live in packs, with many males running after the one in heat. But she allows only the strongest to come to her.

When other dogs see the clumping, they simply leave. The bitch loses interest in other males for a while.

And after pregnancy, he doesn’t let them in at all. Thus, only the genes of a strong male are passed on to the offspring.

What should the owner do?

If the mating goes according to plan, they need to be looked after. You can be nearby or use video surveillance. You should only intervene when the couple has problems.

You can hold the dog if it does not allow the male to approach, or calm it down when he sticks his butt together with her. The period lasts 10-15 minutes, but it can last for an hour or two. It is best not to intervene unless the dog is showing concern.

The animals will sort it out among themselves. The mating is random, you saw how the partners have already stuck together, under no circumstances should they be separated. This can have a negative impact on dogs, harming both the bitch and the male.

It's better to wait until they break the castle themselves. There is no way to help matters here, ejaculation has occurred and the chance of getting an unplanned offspring is very high. It is better to prevent unplanned mating even at the stage of the male jumping onto the bitch.

This is an important evolutionary process. It provides two tasks - fertilization, and the ability to leave offspring only to strong males.

In purebred dogs, it can happen without a lock. But if the male does not stick to the female during intercourse, it is better to carry out a control mating after a day or two. This will increase the chance of the bitch becoming pregnant.

Many owners of four-legged dogs have a question about why dogs stick together when mating. Indeed, in dogs the process of intercourse is more complicated than in other animals, and can take up to half an hour due to the so-called “coupling”. Let's find out why animals can mat and how to separate them during mating.

During the mating process of dogs, the animals are in an unusual position for other pets: they stick together, pressing their genitals tightly against each other. If the dog gets stuck in the female, the animals will be in a helpless position. In this case, the owners will have to take some measures to free the couple.

First, let's find out why such gluing occurs. This condition is caused by the anatomical features of pets. In most cases, dogs disengage on their own. But there are often situations when intervention is simply necessary.

When the bitch's genitals join, the muscles may contract, causing spasms. At this time, blood penetrates into the lump-like formation on the dog’s penis. Because of this, the genital organ increases in size, the animals literally stick to each other.

As a result, even after the completion of sexual intercourse, they remain connected against their will. The unique physiology of four-legged friends plays a role here. The male, as a rule, tries to cross his hind legs, and the pair ends up with their backs facing each other. At this time, ejaculation is still ongoing. Sperm enters the female's reproductive tract to facilitate conception.

Dogs can stand in a knot or so-called “lock” for several minutes. But if they stick together too much, they will need to be disengaged, since this can lead to a negative outcome of the mating process and even harm the health of the animals.

Reproductive system of bitches

Like the male apparatus, the female reproductive system is made up of internal and external organs, some of which are responsible for keeping dogs in the castle after bonding. Below we briefly explain the function of each of them :

Ovaries . Oval in shape, they perform the same function as the testicles in male dogs, producing eggs and female hormones such as estrogens. As with the male prostate, the size of the ovaries can vary depending on the breed.
Oviducts . Tubes located in each of the ovaries and the function of which is to transfer eggs to the uterine horn.
Uterine horn . Also known as the "horns of the uterus", these are the two tubes that carry eggs to the body of the uterus if they have been fertilized by sperm.
Uterus . This is where zygotes nest to become embryos, fetuses, and subsequently puppies.
Vagina . It should not be confused with the vulva because the vagina is an internal organ and the vulva is an external organ. In the female it is located between the cervix and the vaginal vestibule and is the place where sexual intercourse occurs.
Vaginal vestibule . Located between the vagina and vulva, it allows penetration during mating.
Clitoris . The function of this organ is to provide sexual satisfaction or stimulation to the bitch.
Vulva . As we already said, this is the external genital organ of the female dog, and it changes in size during the period of heat.

Physiology of mating

Puberty in a pet occurs between 9 and 12 months; females are ready for mating much earlier. If you notice a change in the dog’s behavior, its character has become tough, you should know that the animal has entered the period of canine sexual maturity.

And before you decide to breed offspring, carefully study the nuances of the
mating process in dogs .
Mating in dogs is a physiological process that is the final stage of animal mating. At this moment, the bitch begins to have a vaginal spasm, and the male’s head of the genital organ swells, which prevents the free exit of the head from the vagina. This is what causes dogs' tails to stick together.

How long does mating last in dogs?

It is believed that for the coupling to be effective in its function of ensuring that sperm enters the bitch's reproductive system, it must last for at least two to three minutes . But very often this process takes from 10 to 40 minutes.

Given this data, the connection will be considered redundant as long as the duration exceeds one hour . In these cases, a physical problem may arise that prevents the couple from divorcing, and this is the doggy knot.

Why does dog knot happen?

Once penetration has occurred, the cable tends to "rush" out, remaining attached to the bitch and causing the owners of both animals to wonder why the dogs got stuck during mating (formed a doggy knot) and how to separate them. This is because dog ejaculation occurs in three phases or parts:

Urethral fraction . This is done when penetration is initiated and in it the dog releases the first fluid completely free of semen.
Sperm fraction . After the first ejaculation, the animal ends the erection and begins to emit a second ejaculation, this time with sperm. During this process, the size of the penile bulb increases due to venous compression of the penis and, as a result, blood concentration. At this point the cable often tries to come out, so they stick together when mating.
Prostate fraction . Despite the fact that the cable has already finished, copulation is not yet finished, since after that the so-called “buttoning” occurs due to the release of the third ejaculation with a significantly smaller number of sperm than in the previous one. Once the bulb relaxes and returns to normal, the dogs will separate .

In general, intercourse can last anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes, with 30 being the usual average.

Thus, we realized that the reason that answers the question of why dogs stick together during mating is the expansion of the penis bulb. The size it reaches, it cannot pass through the vaginal vestibule, which is closed precisely in order to guarantee this fact and avoid damage to the female.

Causes

Before answering the question “why does it happen that dogs stick together during sexual intercourse?”, it is necessary to understand the phenomenon of mating and the physiology of the mating process in pets.

The period of puberty in males ends at approximately the age of 9-12 months; females are ready for the first mating even earlier. When a dog owner begins to notice changes in the pet’s behavior, then, most likely, puberty has occurred.

Most often, adhesion occurs in young and inexperienced animals. The essence of the phenomenon is that when the genital organs of dogs come into contact, a spasm of the female’s vaginal muscles occurs, and the head of the male’s penis increases in size due to increased blood circulation. Therefore, pets remain crossed against their will , only for physiological reasons.

When mating has occurred, the male dog continues to ejaculate, and the sperm penetrates the genital tract to the bitch’s uterus. As a rule, dogs do not remain in the crouch position. The male changes his position relative to the female, throwing his paws over her. Having taken a comfortable position relative to each other, the dogs can remain glued together for half an hour.

What is the role of bonding for the female

Not only dogs, but also their distant ancestors, wolves, undergo bonding during mating. This indicates the anatomical features of the structure of the reproductive systems of animals. In a mated state, both the male and the female are practically defenseless. So why did nature provide for such a phenomenon?

Thanks to adhesion, the female's chances of successful fertilization increase significantly . During mating, sperm has time to enter the female’s vagina and penetrate further through the genital tract.

In addition, in the “lock” position, the male secretes the secretion of the prostate gland, which contributes to the accelerated movement of sperm.

For the male, the bonding process also plays another role. This gives him a guarantee of continuation of his lineage.

What should I do, should I disconnect?

If you understand what is happening on the physical level, I think it will be easy for you to understand that we do not need to separate the dogs by force, moreover, if we do this, we can cause serious injury to the genitals of both. Even if it is an unwanted mating, the dogs should be allowed to finish and then contact a veterinarian. So keep these tips in mind :

Keep calm. If dogs lose their perspective, nervous activity will only increase their stress. The result can be more movement and, as a result, more injuries.
Don't pull either the male or the female.
Don't water them.

How dogs uncouple after mating

The mechanism for separating animals is simple: after the male sperm enters the female genital tract, the spasm of the muscles located near her vagina begins to subside. The blood that entered the male penis in large quantities gradually leaves the reproductive organ and was evenly distributed throughout the animal’s entire body. Upon completion of these processes, the dogs separate and begin to actively lick themselves.

It is noteworthy that during the period of estrus, a bitch can happen to any male. Thus, an animal can bring puppies from different dogs in a litter, since some eggs can be fertilized by one male, and others by a second. If the animal is purebred and is involved in breeding, you should not leave it unattended, otherwise there is a high probability of giving birth to puppies that do not match the breed of the mother.

During mating, dogs tend to interbreed. The process occurs in this way: sperm that gets into the bitch’s vagina not only has time to travel through the genital tract to the uterus, but also does not have the opportunity to leave the animal’s body for some time.

Trying to separate already tied dogs is dangerous to their health. This can cause damage to your pet's genitals. The animals remain coupled for half an hour not of their own free will, their bodies are in an inextricable connection and the reason for the phenomenon is due to the physiology of dogs.

Separating two dogs in a hitch

Firstly, you should only separate a dog's knot if they have been together for more than an hour. Less time is considered normal adhesion and therefore intervention never occurs. It is normal for a dog to moan, wail, or grumble during mating. This reaction does not require separation.

The separation can be accomplished with a relatively simple maneuver. But if you're very nervous, you don't seem able to do it, or you've tried without success, call your veterinarian. Never do this by force as you may harm the dogs or even get bitten.