Make sure the male and female dog aren’t closely related. Have both dogs genetically tested and tested for infectious diseases like Brucellosis so you know they’re healthy before you breed them.
At this point, you can take your female to the vet for tests to confirm that she’s ovulating before you place her with the male for mating.
If either dog shows signs of aggression, it’s best to keep them both on leashes during the mating session. That way you can pull them apart and control their interaction better to prevent injury. During intercourse, the stud’s penis will enlarge while it is inside the female. This leads to a situation in which the penis gets “stuck” inside the female and the male dog will typically turn around so that it appears the two dogs are stuck butt-to-butt. This is completely normal and typically lasts around 20 minutes.
If you’re comfortable doing it yourself, you can try collecting the semen from the stud’s distended penis and dripping it into the bitch’s vagina with a clean dropper. Keep the female on her back with her hips slightly elevated to help ensure conception. Don’t try to perform this yourself unless you’ve been trained or you could hurt the dogs or cause an infection.
Once you start seeing these symptoms, the puppies will generally start arriving in 12-24 hours after the symptoms of labor start.
If the dam doesn’t seem to know what to do, then you will need to take action. First, gently tear open the placental sac so the puppy can breathe. Then, cut the umbilical cord and tie it off using thread. Clear away any fluid or mucus away from the puppy’s mouth and nose. Then rub the puppy vigorously to help stimulate breathing and circulation.
If the bitch is in labor for more than an hour, you should immediately take her to the vet for an emergency C-section.
You should make sure there is a heat source nearby like a heating lamp to help keep the puppies warm during the first week or so.
If the puppies are not suckling, or seem to be constantly hungry (yelping and crying all the time), you may need to supplement with bottle feeding a high quality newborn puppy formula like Esbilac.
If the mother doesn’t seem to be licking the puppies, you may have to do it. Dab a cotton ball in warm water and gently rub it across the puppy’s genitals to stimulate their excrement.
Take your female to the vet to get a full physical examination before you start breeding her. Your female dog should be up-to-date on all its vaccinations, actively taking heartworm medicine, and free of any parasites.
Consider joining the French Bulldog Club of America, the French Bulldog Club of England, the Southern Bulldog Club, or any others in your area.
Getting approved for this type of program will give you club access to advertise your litters in their publications and be listed as an approved breeder.
