Great number of Bull Terrier owners decided to change the breed because of one particular reason - hard reproduction. Current owners of this breed encounter similar problems, so I feel a need to share my experience with them.
Bitches' cycle is consisted of four phases:
1. proestrus
2. estrus
3. metestrus
4. anestrus.
Whole cycle lasts about 6 months (4 to 8 months). First cycle bitches have when they're 7 to 10 months old, but it's not recommendable to mate them until they're at least 14 months old, when their physical development finishes. Bitch's driving mostly occurs in spring and fall.
First phase normally lasts from 9 to 12 days, but it's possible to last from 3 to 27 days. Younger bitches in this phase got more emphatic changes. Vulval area in proestrus is swollen, smooth, little bit later bleeding occurs. Bitches may be aggressive towards males. In this phase foliculas on ovaries ripens.
In the second phase of the cycle bitch shows interest for male, she's trying to affect him and accepts him. Mating should be proceeded 2 to 3 days from female's willingness to accept a male. Vulval area in this phase is tightened, there's no bleeding, excretion is a bit of turbid (meat soup). I accentuate that it is very important not to mate bitch though she accepts male while she bleeds because blood annihilates spermatozoas. Estrus lasts from 5 to 15 days.
Metestrus is phase in which female doesn't accept male for mating, vulval area swelling disappears, there are very small amounts of excretion or it disappeared. This phase lasts from 130 to 140 days.
Anestrus lasts 10 to 40 days and is characterized by inaction of ovaries.
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Most important thing is to define exact date of mating. Mating shouldn't be proceeded too early (earliest 1 to 2 days after bleeding stops). Ovary's eggs are ready for impregnation 5 to 6 days after ovulation. It's the best to proceed with mating 12 to 16 days from the beginning of the driving However, even if all conditions were accomplished it could happen that impregnation fails. Reasons may be various: male fertility, different sorts of female fertility (curable or permanent)... |
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