Responsible breeding is what you’re going for as a loving dog parent.
So when your female pooch cries while mating, it makes you think:
“Is this right?”
Let me help you answer that.
Continue reading to learn:
- The phase where your female canine is ready to mate.
- 7 surprising reasons why female dogs cry when mating.
- 3 concerning health issues that make mating painful for your female pooch.
- And that’s just the beginning…
Why do female dogs cry when mating? 7 reasons
#1: She’s not ready yet
Your furry gal attracts male dogs throughout her whole heat cycle.
However, she won’t always invite suitors.
To understand, you need to be familiar with her estrous. Which you might know more as her heat cycle.
According to the MSD Vet Manual, there are 4 stages:
| Phase | What’s going on |
| Proestrus | This is the start of heat that lasts 7 to 10 days. Blood is flowing from her vagina while her vulva swells. |
| Estrus | This takes 5 to 10 days. The blood flow stops. And this is where ovulation can occur. |
| Diestrus | She’s either pregnant or in a resting phase. This phase can span from 10 to 140 days. |
| Anestrus | Resting period between diestrus and the next proestrus. |
Now, it’s during the proestrus phase that she’d reject mating.
As mentioned in the table, her vulva is swelling. Plus, blood flows from her vagina.
So, a mating encounter will hurt her during this phase.
That’s why she might be aggressive towards others.
Because apart from the confusing changes in her body…
She’s trying to shoo away male dogs that get near her.
But, remember that a Fido will be persistent.
He doesn’t have any heat cycle. Instead, he’ll be in the mood whenever he smells a female pooch in her season.
And it can come to a point where your pup’s rejection won’t matter. Fido might force himself on her.
That’s why she cries during the mating encounter. She’s not ready yet, and it’s painful to continue.
Note: It’s during the estrus phase that she’s willing to mate. Hence, the other name for it: mating period.
Continue reading: 17 Tips On What To Do When Your Dog Is In Heat (& Bleeding)
#2: She’s anxious
Mating comes naturally to dogs.
However, that doesn’t save your pooch from feeling anxious when doing it.
Perhaps, it’s her first time. And she cries to show the anxiety she’s feeling.
“But it’s not my dog’s first time.”
If so, your pooch might’ve had a traumatic experience with mating.
Her last might be painful or uncomfortable.
And her cries of anxiety are her way of saying she’s not prepared to do it again.
#3: The male pooch is stressed
It might not be your female dog that’s feeling anxious…
Yet she cries because the male pup’s stress is affecting her.
In this case, it might be Fido’s first time. Which makes his moves a little careless.
That’s because the sensations are all new to him. And it’s stressing him out internally because he doesn’t know how to react.
Regardless, he continues despite doing it wrongly.
And those incorrect movements make your female pup uncomfortable.
Note: If this is the reason, they’ll both be in pain. So, you might also hear the male pooch crying during the encounter.
#4: She’s too small for Fido
Unfortunately, the male pooch is too big for your female canine.
That said, it’s not a good idea to breed dogs of different sizes.
But I don’t mean to discourage you about the whole thing.
Small and large dogs can still reproduce. However, you must consult a vet or an experienced breeder about it.
Because the best way to go for it is through artificial insemination. That’s a process where semen is injected into the uterine horns.
And if you don’t go with that…
Situations like this will arise.
Your female pup might not totally bear the weight of her suitor during the encounter…
It’s still painful for her as he’s too large. Or his movements are too hard.
Warning: This can even result in tears in her vagina.
Moreover, it doesn’t end there…
If the mating is successful between dogs of different sizes
Your female pooch will go through more painful challenges.
For one, carrying big puppies on her tiny belly is extremely uncomfortable. And her pregnancy will be high maintenance.
What’s more is when she gives birth.
She’s going to need a cesarean section for it.
Unfortunately, the puppies will be too large for her birth canal. And doing it by herself is going to hurt a ton. Hence, the necessary procedure of c-section.
You might also want to know: 13 Things You Can Expect From A Female Dog After Mating
#5: Hip dysplasia
This is another reason why your dog’s in pain.
Your pup might have hip dysplasia.
And since her hips are hit during the encounter…
It hurts for her to go on.
Now, according to AKC, medium to large dogs are the most affected by this condition. Specifically, the following:
- Great Danes.
- Saint Bernard.
- German Shepherd.
- Labrador Retriever.
Regardless, any breed or size can experience this.
Moreover, hip dysplasia is when your dog’s hip joints aren’t correctly developed.
So instead of sliding smoothly, her joints rub against each other. And in the long run, that damages them. All until her joints lose their function.
And apart from crying while mating…
Your pooch will also show these signs if they have hip dysplasia:
- Lameness.
- Trouble standing.
- Hearing cracking sounds on their joints.
- Limping without reason (no prior accidents).
- Difficulty going down or up into furniture or stairs.
- Weird sitting positions (because it hurts to do so).
#6: Pyometra
Your poor lass has an infection on her reproductive tract.
It’s called pyometra. Which causes pus to develop on her uterus.
According to research, intact dogs are more prone to this bacterial infection.
Then, the signs of this condition are tricky to identify.
That’s because they vary from one dog to another. Some might not be present, while others might show in different intensities.
Regardless, PetMD gives us a list of symptoms:
- Fever.
- Lethargy.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Depression.
- Poor appetite.
- Drinking too much water
- Vaginal discharge (bloody and/or with pus).
- A distinct smell around her vulva (fish-like, bloody, or metal-like odor).
Now, it’s extremely painful for her to experience it.
Let alone mate with a male pooch while she goes through it. Hence, the crying.
#7: She has a tumor
PetMD reveals that up to 3% of reproductive tumors in dogs are found in the vagina.
And unfortunately, your pupper might be included in that statistic.
Now, there are 2 kinds of vaginal tumors. The mass can either be outside or inside her vagina.
For the former, you’ll see the tumor slowly growing around her anus.
If it’s inside, the mass will be sticking out from her vulva.
Regardless of where the tumor lies, when she mates…
Every time that her partner moves, it’ll cause her extreme discomfort.
And so, she cries during the mating process.
Other than that, VCA Hospitals tells us to watch out for these general signs:
- Vomiting.
- Lethargy.
- Weight loss.
- Constipation.
- Lack of appetite.
- Distended abdomen.
If the tumor is outside her vagina
- Difficulty urinating.
- Urinating more frequently.
- Licking her vulva repeatedly.
- Discharge dripping from her vagina.
If the tumor is inside her vagina
- Vulvar discharge.
- Feeling pain when peeing.
- Straining to urinate and defecate.