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Pregnancy prevention?

969 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  luu20 
#1 ·
So i current have a 13 weeks old female husky and a 12 weeks old dogo argentino mix pitbull male. with studies coming out and saying that the dogs can and will benefit from being able to keep their genitals for longer (prevent cancer and other health issues), and also both of my babies will still get the hormanes they need to grow to full-size if they stay intact. How can i go and about with prevent them 2 from accidental breeding? I've heard of straps that she and he can both wear to deflect him from doing the dirty work. How good would this work? and are there any methods to go and prevent pregnancy? simply dont want to be away from them for 6 months - 1 year just so they can get over the phase or having to choose one over the other and neutering/ spaying one or the other in order for these benefits. Please help asap!
 
#2 ·
Many people keep intact animals of the opposite sex successfully! Mostly, they pay special attention to the female's heat cycles. When the female is in heat, they physically separate the two. You can do this with strategic use of crate and rotate, or maybe you send the male to "visit grandma" for a couple of weeks if that's easier for you. If you plan on spaying/neutering, you typically only have to endure this once.
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't trust any of the wearable mating protection products, particularly as your only form of protection. Both because dogs are super creative and persistent about getting around these things, and because they won't stop the male from pestering the female and could increase the chances of scuffles. Female dogs in heat can be extra sensitive and irritable, so even if she's usually really tolerant, it's not worth the risk. The best setup would be keeping two barriers between them at all times (ie a crate and a closed door, two closed doors, a fence and a leash, etc.), with the understanding that they might test barriers that they never have before (such as jumping a baby gate that they usually respect). Or, as Lillith said, sending the male on a "vacation" with a friend or family member for a couple weeks.

The good thing is, unlike humans, female dogs can only get pregnant in the fertile window during their heat cycle, which for most adult females only happens twice a year (might be less for juvenile dogs). Read up on the signs and stages of heat (also called estrus), so you'll be able to recognize when she's approaching that window and know when to implement your extra precautions. And, of course, remember that any other males in the area will be extra keen during that time as well, so avoid situations where your female is, for example, unattended in your yard.

It's also a good idea, with two puppies so close in age, to make sure they're getting time apart - separate walks, separate training sessions, etc. This will prevent them from being so tightly bonded that being separated during her heat cycle is super distressing to both of them. Essentially, dogs raised together from a young age can develop separation anxiety from each other (and other behavior issues) if they never get used to being apart. This is called "littermate syndrome", if you want to read up more about it, and it can happen even in dogs that aren't genetically related. It doesn't always happen, but it's good to be aware of!
 
#4 ·
Oopsies happen even in experienced breeder homes.. as all it takes is one tiny human error or a very determined dog. We really don't need husky/bully mixes as cute as they would be.

One possible suggestion is to find someone willing to do a vasectomy on your male before your female's first heat. A vasectomy will keep the hormones while keeping him from reproducing. You will still have to watch your female if she goes into heat with other neighborhood dogs around. And I mean, always watch her. Don't let your eyes off her for a second while she is outside. There are also ovary sparing spays but I personally prefer full spays for girls due to all the things that can go wrong with female reproductive parts.

There are hundreds of thousands of female dogs spayed at 6 months old before they ever go through a heat cycle and they go on to live long healthy lives. There is nothing wrong with choosing this route to keep your dogs safe from reproducing. It isn't ideal but sometimes really is best for a lot of people and the dog population. I would not risk keeping 2 intact opposite sex dogs in the average home.
 
#5 ·
Pretty simple, for the week or 10 days the female is in heat, NO CONTACT with any male dog PERIOD, anywhere, by any means, for any reason. Separate them, one inside, one out, one in a crate, one loose and,alternate which one is where or, send one of them to a borading kennel or a pet sitter for that time.
 
#6 ·
I have seen dogs in crates being bred through the crate (wire crate and the door of a plastic crate) so the answer is crate them BOTH when the female is in heat and put the crates in separate rooms. ONLY take either one out on leash separately and put them back in the crate before taking the other one out on leash. Physical separation is KEY.

The male will likely whine and whine for about 2 and a half weeks while the female comes in and goes out of heat.
 
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