How to Get Dogs Unstuck After Mating

To understand why dogs become stuck together when mating, we need to know a little about canine anatomy. The male dog's reproductive system is made up of several parts common to most mammals:

• Penis
• Scrotum
• Testicles
• Foreskin
• Prostate
• Urethra

It is the penis itself which determines how and why a dog will become stuck when mating. The prepuce of the penis (foreskin) hides the penis when it is not engorged due to sexual arousal. Once aroused, we can see the red tip of the penis exposes itself outside of the foreskin, something which is important for copulation with a female.

Looking closely at the penis itself, we can see that it has different parts which include:

• Root (cura penis): the root of the penis affixes it to the area of the pelvis.
  
  
• Body (corpus penis): this is the main shaft of the dog's penis which is divided into the corpus cavernosum (largest part which fills with blood during erection) and the corpus spongiosum (tissue surrounding the urethra inside the penis).
  
  
• Glans (glans penis): this is the end of the penis where the urethra finishes.
  
  
• Bulb (bulbus glandis): not common to all mammals, but common in canids like the domestic dog, is the bulbis glandis. This is a piece of erectile tissues located at the base of the penis which can only be seen when the penis is fully erect.

The female dog's reproductive organs also play a part in getting stuck when mating they include:

• Vulva: the exterior part of the sex organ which can enlarge during sexual arousal.
  
  
• Clitoris: used to stimulate sexual arousal and encourage copulation with the male.
  
  
• Vagina: the internal part of the sex organ which lies between the uterus and the vaginal vestibule. This is where the penis is inserted during mating.
  
  
• Uterus: where fertilization occurs if the mating is successful and where the embryos of new puppies will develop and gestate.

When dogs mate, the erect penis of the male is inserted into the female. They move back and forth to stimulate ejaculation so the male's sperm can meet the egg of the females. Immediately before ejaculation, the bulb penis of the male will swell up so that it becomes larger in size. The female's vagina has muscles which will also swell during copulation, resulting in the penis becoming locked in the vagina.

The purpose of this ‘locking’ or ‘tying’ is to ensure as much fluid as possible reaches the uterus so that embryonic development can happen. This is a natural process which the dog has evolved to help ensure the survival of their species through reproduction of individuals. Locking after copulation can last for up to a half hour in some cases, although it is usually much less time.

Part of the reason for the dogs becoming stuck when mating is that ejaculation takes a longer time than in many other mammals. Copulation itself can be a long process, made longer by the period of being tied. A myth surrounding dog copulation is that the thickness of the ejaculate causes the dogs to become stuck, but this is not true.

As stated above, some dogs can be tied together for a half hour, although it is possible it can take up to one hour of being stuck together. Even in this case, we should not be alarmed unless there is an injury or some other complication. It is rare for tying together to take this long and in most cases, the dog's will usually separated after around 10 to 20 minutes.

The answer to this question is very simple. We should do nothing. As explained above, separating the dogs will like result in serious injury to very vulnerable parts of a dog's anatomy. There are reasons we may want to get dogs unstuck after mating, with pregnancy being an issue for some. Although we may not want our dog to become pregnant, we still should not separate them as the risk to their health is too great.

Another important factor is the response of the dogs. In particular, the female dog may be in distress just after mating. This may be exacerbated if there is a significant size difference in the dogs. While you should not do anything to separate them, it may be helpful to try to calm them down. This may be patting them on the head or simply giving reassuring words.

However, not every case is the same. Some dogs may think you may be trying to separate them if you approach, especially the male. If you don't know the dog, it is possible they may even try to become aggressive. Generally speaking, the best thing you should do is give them privacy and prevent other dogs or people trying to approach them.

If we are guardian to a female dog and we don't want them to become pregnant, trying to get them unstuck when mating is too little too late. The best way to prevent unwanted pregnancy in dogs is to spaying them. This is a form of sterilization which will also have many physical and behavioral benefits for the dog. It will also eliminate common uterine issues which can be fatal for dogs.

For male dogs, sterilization in the form of castration will also provide many benefits. This will include physical health benefits, but it is also important in regard to being around other dogs. An unsterilized male will try to mate with a female dog in heat and become quite agitated in the process. Sterilizing them will reduce the likelihood of this happening.

However, some sterilized males may still want to mate. We can even see sterilized males carry out mounting behavior on male dogs or inanimate objects. In this case, letting the copulation complete will be the same expect no fertilization will take place.

If your dog has not yet been sterilized or (in the rare occasion) that sterilization is not appropriate, we can do the following to prevent dogs mating:

• Avoid any contact of a female in heat with males and vice versa.
• Control the dogs at all times during walks with a leash and be particularly careful when two dogs meet.
• Draw the dog's attention away to divert it elsewhere and prevent mating. This can be through loud sounds, a simple call, games, food, etc.
• In female dogs in heat, it is recommended to walk on a leash until it the heat period is over. Likewise, in our article " How to scare dogs away from a bitch in heat " we offer more recommendations.

Learn more about protecting your dogs from this problem with our guide to controlling a male dog around a female in heat.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Get Dogs Unstuck After Mating, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.