What Happens During Breeding Process
Once the intensive ejaculatory response is completed and the bulb has reached its maximum size, the stud will dismount the female by first placing both hind legs on the floor and the front ones each on one side of the female's body; finally, he will raise one of the hind legs over the side of the female and turnaround, placing himself but-to-but with the female. This whole process varies from one individual to another, from no more than one minute until over an hour and during this time, ejaculation continues intermittently, depositing in the vagina at the prostatic fluids accompanied by sperm. Contrary to what many people think about the fact that both dogs remain stuck together, the tip of the penis remains in the same position the whole time and it is because it is extremely elastic, which makes it seem like a very forced posture, but in fact it's not really uncomfortable for the male.
Likewise, during the knot and in the butt-facing-butt position, the female is usually not uncomfortable; however, if you notice any stretching of the vulva or if the bitch gives signs of wanting to separate or sit down, is very convenient that the owner remains by her side, preventing any rough movements from being made. To do this, you have to rub the ventral area, talking softly to the animals and it is necessary pass your hand (or arm) around the 2 hind left or right legs of both dogs, thus preventing them from separating until the male has finished ejaculating. Once the knot has separated, both individuals will lick their own genitals and the male might even show certain interest for the female again; in some cases the penis does not withdraw inside the foreskin because the skin might not allow it to do so, sometimes resulting in damage or laceration of the member, which is why it is convenient to be aware and help put the penis in its place, if necessary.
Lastly, I must point out that until not so long ago it was a common belief that after mating the female had to remain motionless, with the hind legs lifted of above the level of the head in order for the prostatic liquids (along with the sperm) not to drip out. However, now we know that ejaculation is composed of three very distinct phases and due to the nature of the sequence, loss of some drops of prostatic liquid does not mean that fertilization will not take place. In other words, during penetration and in the first phase of such, the dog liberates prostatic liquids and a drop or two of urine which helps clean and lubricate the vagina; in the second phase, however, when the stud ejaculates sperm, precisely when making the strongest pelvic moves, is when the important fertilization process takes place. Finally, during the third phase, the dog once again ejaculates a big amount of prostatic liquid pushing the semen itself towards the uterus. Therefore, it is perfectly clear that in most cases when dogs unhook themselves, the semen has already entered the vagina and passed the uterine neck, which means that loss is relatively uncommon.
