# can a bitch get pregnant out of heat?



## Narny (Sep 8, 2010)

I haven't gotten Lulu fixed yet and sometimes dogs that are intact are at the park. Do I need to worry that she could get puppies? I mean I always watch her and if something like that happened I would obviously intervene, I just want to make sure that if something like that did happen I wouldn't need to be concerned.

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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I don't think so, it's probably more likely that the bitch is in a different part of her cycle than the owner thinks. If she was in heat and you didn't know it, it literally takes about 2 seconds for a male to mount and tie, you can't intervene even if you're standing there 5 feet away.


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

No. A bitch cannot conceive out of her heat period. HOWEVER it can be difficult to tell when exactly that is. If she becomes pregnant, she was in heat when she was bred.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have heard of silent heats, but I have never experienced one with any of my girls. I think with split heats, the dogs rarely get pregnant. 

Super dog can do it in two seconds. The rest of them usually start by sniffing and have a few faied attempts to mount. You will most likely see the bitch flag her tail, and she will stand for the dog. Even then the tie is not instantaneous and if you remove them before the tie, you are very likely to not have puppies. Very likely is not 100% as there may be sperm in the first section of fluid. 

If you are accustomed to accompanying your bitch to the park, then you should be able to spot the change in behavior of your dog and other dogs toward her. Everyone will be much more than just a sniff greeting, usually there will be lickly and grooming. An experienced dog can go from 0 to 10 a lot quicker, but I really don't think it would be so quick that you would not be able to get a reasonable distance.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

What happens if you try to break the tie, carefully. Meaning, no sharp movements


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

If someone tried to break a tie with my male I'd probably break their face. You don't do that. You prevent it from happening unless that's what you want.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Don't ever break a tie, it can damage both of them. At that point you're done, and if it is truly an oops, then she will definitely get pregnant and probably have 8-14 puppies.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Liesje said:


> If someone tried to break a tie with my male I'd probably break their face. You don't do that. You prevent it from happening unless that's what you want.


Calm down sweetie. Who said I wasn't preventing? I have a male by the way and he's always a few steps away. 


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

selzer said:


> Don't ever break a tie, it can damage both of them. At that point you're done, and if it is truly an oops, then she will definitely get pregnant and probably have 8-14 puppies.


Lol I wasn't going to even if I had a female and an accident happened. I'm just asking because I always want to know 'why not'. 


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

lalachka said:


> What happens if you try to break the tie, carefully. Meaning, no sharp movements


Nothing happens! There's nothing you can do until its over. Prepare to stare at them for a while. Longest in my house (a neutered male) was almost half an hour; had a laugh when I explained why I was late to work.

And if you try a sharp movement, prepare for massive damage and a high chance of being bitten in the process. Imagine someone doing it to YOU.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

marbury said:


> Nothing happens! There's nothing you can do until its over. Prepare to stare at them for a while. Longest in my house (a neutered male) was almost half an hour; had a laugh when I explained why I was late to work.
> 
> And if you try a sharp movement, prepare for massive damage and a high chance of being bitten in the process. Imagine someone doing it to YOU.


))))) @ prepare to stare at them for a while. 
I'd never try, i'm just asking because I always need to know why things can't be done. But i'd never do that, was just trying to understand what happens inside them 

I mean it IS interesting, I don't think I ever heard that about other animals. So I was wondering why dogs are that way and the mechanism of what happens inside them that make separating them dangerous. 


So stop with the attacks))))) lighten up a little (not just you)


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

lalachka said:


> Calm down sweetie. Who said I wasn't preventing? I have a male by the way and he's always a few steps away.
> 
> 
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Sorry, just wanted to convey how very very bad of an idea it would be to even try and can be very damaging. Males have a bone in their penis. It would be like if your stuck your arm through a tube, made a fist, and then couldn't pull your arm out because of your fist so you broke your arm and/or ripped the tube to get free instead of waiting to open up your fist and slide your arm back through. Sorry, best analogy I can think of, lol. The "prevent" comment was more directed at the OP. Best not to have to watch the dogs and wait for it to happen, just make sure it can't. Ties can happen amazingly fast.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Liesje said:


> Sorry, just wanted to convey how very very bad of an idea it would be to even try and can be very damaging. Males have a bone in their penis. It would be like if your stuck your arm through a tube, made a fist, and then couldn't pull your arm out because of your fist so you broke your arm and/or ripped the tube to get free instead of waiting to open up your fist and slide your arm back through. Sorry, best analogy I can think of, lol



Lol it took me a while to picture this but that's exactly what I was looking for. I couldn't understand what makes it so dangerous though I heard many times not to ever do it. 

This is fascinating. Why dogs? Or are all animals made this way? I'm off to google this


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Just a quip for you, lalachka; you're the only one who is feeling like we're attacking. Quit being so defensive and everything will be fine.

The canine family is, to my admittedly limited knowledge on the subject of animal penises, the only branch of mammalia to sport the mechanism. It seems rather inconvenient if you're a rogue wolf; you're tethered to the evidence if alpha comes 'round and catches you in the act.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

marbury said:


> Just a quip for you, lalachka; you're the only one who is feeling like we're attacking. Quit being so defensive and everything will be fine.
> 
> The canine family is, to my admittedly limited knowledge on the subject of animal penises, the only branch of mammalia to sport the mechanism. It seems rather inconvenient if you're a rogue wolf; you're tethered to the evidence if alpha comes 'round and catches you in the act.


Attack was a strong word, English is my 2nd language, I sometimes struggle for words. 

But I'm def not being defensive, I know what I read. But it's done and over with)))))

Anyway, your 2nd paragraph is amazing)))) 


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

lalachka said:


> But I'm def not being defensive, I know what I read.


But the thing is, her answer was not directed at you personally, so there was no need to react the way you did. You asked a general "you" theoretical question, and she answered it in kind.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> But the thing is, her answer was not directed at you personally, so there was no need to react the way you did. You asked a general "you" theoretical question, and she answered it in kind.


OK)))) lets leave it at that. 


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Uhm, well, uhm, the female has a ring, and the male has a bulbis glandis, and well, the tie is when the bulbus glandis swells when it is inside, and literally locks them. 

The dog then lifts his leg over the back of the bitch, and they are then butt to butt. I believe this position is more comfortable for the bitch but it also allows them to fight off other predators while they are vulnerably connected.


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## VickyHilton (Apr 5, 2013)

I am sorry for both my shameful ignorance and asking stupid questions (but in the spirit of there being none? And hopefully others will benefit from my bravery), but we are intending to fix our dog at two years (now 14 mos) and regularly take him to two local dog parks. I watch him like a hawk (is a dark colored lab hater) and intervene whenever appropriate in all cases. He does not hump...but I am now, reading this, very concerned about recognizing the foreplay behavior. 

Licking and grooming was mentioned? Will someone be more specific in detailing the types of behavior I need to look out for? Certainly no one is gong to be concerned about my boy if I don't prevent the tie.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I've heard that dogs have had their penises ripped off due to a bitch freaking out and trying to get away (because I imagine it hurts!)
So that seems like a good reason not to try and separate a tie.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

VickyHilton my male will be very interested in the back end of the female, often sniffing and licking. He may whine or chatter his teeth. If she is in standing heat, he will drool quite a bit. This goes on for a few minutes, usually. However once he mounts, assuming the female is standing nicely and flagging, it literally takes seconds for them to reach a tie.

Generally, the onus is on the owner of an intact female in heat not to let the dog free or parade their dog around intact males if they are not intended to be bred then and there.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

selzer said:


> Uhm, well, uhm, the female has a ring, and the male has a bulbis glandis, and well, the tie is when the bulbus glandis swells when it is inside, and literally locks them.
> 
> The dog then lifts his leg over the back of the bitch, and they are then butt to butt. I believe this position is more comfortable for the bitch but it also allows them to fight off other predators while they are vulnerably connected.


No way!!!!! I never knew they were back to back. But that explains the need for a tie like that. Who can perform that exercise (turning around) without slipping out?

This is so interesting!!! How come lions or tigers have no need for that? Because their sessions are quick? But then why are dogs sessions so long?

Fascinating stuff)))))


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

lalachka said:


> No way!!!!! I never knew they were back to back. But that explains the need for a tie like that. Who can perform that exercise (turning around) without slipping out?
> 
> This is so interesting!!! How come lions or tigers have no need for that? Because their sessions are quick? But then why are dogs sessions so long?
> 
> ...


Cats have barbed penises. The theory behind the reasoning for this is that it scrapes out competitors' sperm so that the male mating with the female will be successful in impregnating the female. (This is why the female always seems angry and often screams while mating - I bet that's no fun). 

Dogs/wolves form packs, unlike cats (aside from lions). The alphas of the pack are the only two animals allowed to mate, therefore there is less competition for when the female comes into heat. Of course the subordinate males will still be tempted, but the alphas absolutely will not allow it. They've asserted their dominance, so the female doesn't need to go around to find other suitors as most other species do. 

Also, cats don't just mate quickly, but they mate A LOT. During a female's heat cycle, a lion will mate with a lioness about every 15 minutes.

This isn't a scientific observation - just from my general knowledge base of what I know....


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## VickyHilton (Apr 5, 2013)

Liesje:

"VickyHilton my male will be very interested in the back end of the female, often sniffing and licking. He may whine or chatter his teeth. If she is in standing heat, he will drool quite a bit. This goes on for a few minutes, usually. However once he mounts, assuming the female is standing nicely and flagging, it literally takes seconds for them to reach a tie.

Generally, the onus is on the owner of an intact female in heat not to let the dog free or parade their dog around intact males if they are not intended to be bred then and there."

Thank you so much. I have not encountered females in heat, and Jax is not free to wander off our property, but I need to be in control. Thanks again.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Just a bit of information, if a tie is going on for a lengthy period of time, and I am talking over 30 or 40 minutes, even an hour, there is a bit of help to lesson the tie time. Only do this with gentle dogs, and help because you are going to be sitting next to them and "holding their rear ends together".
Once the male has turned and they are rear end to rear end, they tend to "pull" against each other. So you can sit down beside their rear quarters and wrap your arms around both male and female hind legs. With someone holding both their heads, you slowly bring their hindquarters close to each other and hold them in this position. By doing this, the bulb has a chance to shrink down on its own without the pressure from the female "ring" holding it in her.
This will take the swelling down fairly quickly. It will not reduce chance of pregnancy, since the sperm are released very quickly and already have made their way where they need to go.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If anyone is still interested, the bladder and the uterine horns share some plumbing, which means, that she can litterally lose his seed, let it drip right out. 

I think that with the tie, the dogs are in position for long enough to ensure that the sperm is where it needs to be to be present to fertilize the egg/eggs. 

And if you do not have a tie, the thing to do is to hold them together for some time, then one person leads the dog away, while the other lifts the rear end and legs and holds them up in the air to make the best use of gravity. I think without a tie preventing a bitch from urinating because she feels full, there may not be as many successful breedings.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Konotashi said:


> Cats have barbed penises. The theory behind the reasoning for this is that it scrapes out competitors' sperm so that the male mating with the female will be successful in impregnating the female. (This is why the female always seems angry and often screams while mating - I bet that's no fun).
> 
> Dogs/wolves form packs, unlike cats (aside from lions). The alphas of the pack are the only two animals allowed to mate, therefore there is less competition for when the female comes into heat. Of course the subordinate males will still be tempted, but the alphas absolutely will not allow it. They've asserted their dominance, so the female doesn't need to go around to find other suitors as most other species do.
> 
> ...


Yeah i watched all the lion documentaries on YouTube too))))
This still doesn't explain it though. If the reasoning behind wolves mating while standing back to back is to be able to fight off whoever then how come other animals don't need the same kind of adjustments?

Are they all safe during mating? If so then what kind of dangers do wolves face that's unique to them that they must mate back to back?


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

Maybe its a lesser version of the black widow. Once the bitch has him shes already done with him in her mind so turns her back?


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

lalachka said:


> Yeah i watched all the lion documentaries on YouTube too))))
> This still doesn't explain it though. If the reasoning behind wolves mating while standing back to back is to be able to fight off whoever then how come other animals don't need the same kind of adjustments?
> 
> Are they all safe during mating? If so then what kind of dangers do wolves face that's unique to them that they must mate back to back?
> ...


My guess would be that many predators won't attack something that is facing them, whether it sees them or not. I don't know if wolves would necessarily have to 'fight' anything off while they're tied (I think they'd be in big trouble if that were the case), but if they don't really have a blind spot, they're probably a lot less likely to be ambushed by another predator.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Also, there's really nowhere else to go BUT (pun intended) back-to-back. The male can't stay mounted for 15-40 minutes, that would be a real strain on the female, uncomfortable for both. Some males have enough trouble staying on and aiming well enough to achieve ties. So if he carefully slides off, really the only comfortable way to stand for that amount of time is back to back.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Well, thank you everyone)))) this was educational)))))


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