About every six months usually in the spring and fall your female will come into heat. In this phase the female will become restless to a degree and discharge some blood. This phase is called (ESTRUS).

IMPORTANT!! You must establish the first day of the blood discharge and make note of it. You can use the date to calculate the day of fertility.

FIRST PHASE OF ESTRUS: PRE-ESTRUS - The female will attract males, but it is not time for mating yet.

When the bloody discharge diminishes and becomes somewhat glassy colored does the phase of estrus begin in which the female will accept a male. This usually occurs only on the 13th day but could begin as earley as the 7th day. (So as soon as she stops bleeding keep track of the days- She should be breed between the 12th and 14th day after bleeding stops. Some cases as earley as the 7th day after bleeding stops. You should be in constant contact with the owner of the stud. You will also see signs. When touching her tail area or where the swelling occurs- she will turn her tail to one side or the other and sometimes twist her body to the side. This is called flagging.

The females gentitle area will swell, this is normal.

A young female's first heat or period usually will take place between 7 and 9 months of age. Breeders and Vets do not at all recommend Breeding your female the first heat. Your female is not fully grown or developed at that age.

During the whole phase you should maintain close watch of your female! So she is not mated against your wishes. Your female should be well looked after. You must always plan ahead. Start your female on a good puppy food pre- pregnancy and during. Before breeding your female you need to make sure she is up to date on all her shots etc. It might be good to take her to the Vet Prior to her heat for an examination.

Long before the mating a stud should be found and choosen.

Internet, Talking to local Breeders, Ads in local news papers: including calling people who are selling litters and asking about studs or Place your own ad, trade magazines, Ask your Vet, Visit your local Pet store: sometime stores allow you to take your pet! Great way to meet other Boxer Lovers- giving you leads on studs. Visit parks. Just talking to other Boxer Lovers and keeping your contacts together. Visit a Dog Show, I believe The A.K.C offers some breeders list, Plus Many other Avenues you just have to be creative.

Choose a Stud wisely so that a mature consideration of all factors of inheritance is possible and comparisons can be made. In this the counsel of an experienced breeder or mentor is of great help.

Definition of a Stud Fee: A stud fee is the fee charged to the owners of the female for the the stud services. Fee's range from any amount. Usually the owners of the male or stud will state fee upfront and can be discussed. Most of the time the fee is the amount of the going price of a puppy that would be sold. Sometimes less. Sometimes in place of a cash fee the owners of the stud will request a puppy which may include 1st or 2nd pick of litter. What ever the arrangement will be it all should be discussed and accepted before breeding takes place. Thats also where the breeding contract comes into play.

Breeding Contract: A contract signed by both parties stating the outline services, conditions, fees or agreements for said arrangement.

Sometimes when dealing with people who are new to breeding or studing a male out it is good to have a contract that outlines everything in writing. Just to play it safe. Depending on how serious you are about breeding it may be a good ideal to get legal advice on how to do a simple contract.

If you are taking your female to the male. In some cases the owners will have you drop off your female. Depending on your dogs temperment some dogs may have to be restrained with a mussel. Some females can be very unfriendly to the male. If your female has a mean temperment you may want to inform the stud owners in advance or reconsider breeding her.

At the time of the mating the male and female will normally play together. Sometimes a short time sometimes longer, depending on their temperament, experience and sympathy. During play you will see the female flag the male. When the male approuches the female she will flag her tail (move it to the side for him allowing him to sniff and or mount her). If it comes down to the act of mating, which is not always the case, both dogs remain bound or stuck together for ten to twenty minutes or longer. This is natural process and should NOT be interrupted. If a forceful separation occurs it can result in injuries(The females In some cases the the dogs may need some assistance. The dogs should remain still and sometimes you may need to hold them on a leash.

It is recommended that the mating process takes place at least 2 or more times to give your female a better chance to conceive and a better chance of having a larger litter.