Dog reproduction is a complex process that generally begins with courtship, in which male and female emit signals to make the other understand that they are ready for mating and subsequent copulation. Once the mount is produced, we observe that the male dismounts the female but the penis remains inside the vagina, showing both dogs together. It is at this point when we ask ourselves the reason for this fact and if we should separate them or, on the contrary, they do it naturally.
In this article on our site we will answer these and more questions, clearing up the cause that explains why dogs get stuck when they mate, keep reading!
What is the male dog's reproductive system like
In order to more easily understand why dogs get hooked when they mate, it is essential to briefly review the anatomy of the reproductive system of both the male and the female. Thus, the dog's internal and external apparatus is made up of the following parts:
- Scrotum. Bag responsible for protecting and maintaining the dog's testicles at a suitable temperature. In other words, it is the visible part of these glands.
- Testicles. Located inside the scrotum, they have the function of producing and maturing sperm and male hormones such as testosterone. They have an ovular shape, are situated in a horizontal position and are usually symmetrical.
- Epididymis. Located in both testicles, they are tubes responsible for storing and transporting sperm to the vas deferens. These tubes are made up of a head, body and tail.
- Different conductor. It begins in the tail of the epididymis and has the function of transporting sperm to the prostate.
- Prostate Gland that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the beginning of the urethra, and whose size is not similar in all races, varying significantly from one to another. Its function is to generate a substance called prostatic fluid or seminal plasma to facilitate the transport of sperm and nourish them.
- Urethra. This conduit is not only intended to transfer urine from the dog's bladder, it is also part of the canine reproductive system, transporting sperm and prostatic fluid for final ejaculation.
- Foreskin. It corresponds to the skin that covers the penis to protect and lubricate it. This second function of the foreskin is thanks to its ability to produce a liquid called smegna, greenish in color, for this purpose.
- Penis Normally it is inside the foreskin. When the dog feels excited, the erection begins and, therefore, the appearance of the penis outwards. It is formed by the penile bone, which allows penetration, and the penile bulb, a ventral groove that enables the so-called "buttoning".
What is the female reproductive system like
As with the male apparatus, the female reproductive system is made up of internal and external organs, some of them guilty of the fact that the dogs remain hooked after mounting. Next, we explain briefly the function of each of them:
- Ovaries. Oval in shape, they have the same function as the testicles in males, producing eggs and female hormones such as estrogen. 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 whose function is to transfer the ovules to the uterine horn.
- Uterine horn. Also known as "horns of the uterus", they are two tubes that transport the ovules to the body of the uterus if they have been fertilized by sperm.
- Uterus. It is here where the nesting of the zygotes takes place to become embryos, fetuses and, later, puppies.
- Vagina. It should not be confused with the vulva, since the vagina is the internal organ and the vulva is the external one. In the bitch, it is located between the cervix and the vaginal vestibule, being the place where intercourse takes place.
- Vaginal vestibule. Located between the vagina and the vulva, it allows penetration during mounting.
- Clitoris. As with women, the function of this organ is to produce pleasure or sexual stimulation for the bitch.
- Vulva. As we said, it is the external sexual organ of the bitch, and it changes size during the heat period.
But… why do they get stuck after mounting?
Once penetration has occurred, the male tends to "dismount" the bitch, remaining attached to her and leading the owners of both animals to wonder why the dogs stuck together during mating and how to separate them. This is so because the dog's ejaculation occurs in three phases or fractions:
- Urethral fraction. It is carried out during the beginning of penetration, and in it the dog expels a first liquid completely free of spermatozoa.
- Spermatic fraction After the first ejaculation, the animal completes the erection and begins to emit a second ejaculation, this time with sperm. During this process, there is an increase in the size of the penile bulb due to venous compression of the penis and consequent blood concentration. At this point, the male turns and dismounts the female, leaving the dogs stuck together.
- Prostatic Fraction Although the male has already dismounted the female, copulation has not finished, since once turned The so-called "buttoning" is produced by the expulsion of the third ejaculation, with a much lower number of sperm than in the previous one. Once the bulb relaxes and returns to its normal state, the dogs disengage.
In total, intercourse can last between 20 and 60 minutes, with 30 being the usual average.
In this way, and once we have reviewed the three phases of male ejaculation, we see how the cause that answers the question why dogs get hooked when they mate is the expansion of the bulb penis. Such is the size that it reaches, it cannot pass through the vaginal vestibule, which is closed precisely to guarantee this fact and avoid causing damage to the female.
Should I separate two hooked dogs?
Clearly not The male and female anatomy does not allow the penis to be removed before the end of the dog's third ejaculation. If separated by force, both animals would be injured and damaged, and copulation would not come to an end. During this phase, the animals should be left to carry out their natural mounting process, allowing them a relaxed and comfortable environment.
It is common to hear the female emit sounds similar to crying and even growls or barks, however, and despite the fact that it can lead her human companions to consider that she needs to be separated from the male, the most advisable thing is not to encourage stress and, as we say, let them separate on their own.
Once copulation has occurred, if the eggs have been fertilized and the bitch is pregnant, it will be necessary to provide her with a series of care, so we recommend consulting the following articles:
- Care for a pregnant dog
- Feeding a pregnant dog
