Breeding Dogs: The Tie - Dog Breed Info

Stud dogs are at their prime between 18 months and 4 years old (or 5), after that, the quality of the sperm starts to lessen, and the ability to penetrate eggs, lessens. By 10 years old, most stud dogs do not produce sperm that will impregnate a bitch.

A tie is a natural phenomenon of dog breeding in which the bulbus glandis of the male's penis swells inside the bitch's vagina. The dogs are virtually locked together for 15-20 minutes (two to 30 minutes is also normal), during which time ejaculation has taken place. The sperm is released at the beginning of the tie, during the happy feet dance (see below). During the tie, he is releasing prostatic fluid.

As soon as the dogs lock the male usually moves his leg over her back, turns butt to butt and they remain locked. Tied.

Tie close-up

Getting stuck together is normal. Do NOT ice them to get them apart. The male is supposed to swell up and get stuck inside the female for two to 30 minutes. At this time if you feel the sire and dam in this area you will feel pulsating. When you hear someone say they got a 13-minute tie, this means they were locked together for 13 minutes.

Picture of a male penis with a swelled bulbus glands

It is advised that you give close supervision and keep them calm. You do not want a larger female getting scared and panicky to swing the male around by his penis, as it will get bruised and may make a repeat breeding failure. Do NOT attempt to separate. Instead, Get ON THE FLOOR and keep them calm. You do not want the female to panic and start squirming. If she is larger than the male she can really hurt the male. He is helpless and will usually stand perfectly still, waiting. The male usually stands calmly; make sure the female does the same. Some females cry in what looks like pain, some desperately want to get free, some just seem to calmly wait.

After a tie, it is good to not let the dam pee for 15 minutes, but MOST important is to check your male, and make sure that his penis has gone back inside of him and is not strangled in hair or stuck out.