Breeding

Breeding Pets
In Petz 5, there is the potential to breed cats and dogs so that they produce offspring. Any dog breed can be bred with any dog of the same or other breed, and this is the same for Cats. Dogs and Cats cannot be bred together, however.

When selecting pets to breed
If you have two specific dog or cat breeds that you want to breed together to produce offspring, it is suggested that when selecting two to come out to play at the Adoption Center, you take time to see how both interact. This way, you can see whether the two dogs or cats like one another. It will be easier to breed the two later if they like one another from the start.

Requirements for breeding two pets
You can only breed two pets together when the following requirements are met. These are fairly simple:
 * 1) You must have one female pet and one male pet.
 * 2) The two pets must be either dogs or cats.
 * 3) Both pets must be adults. Pets reach adulthood after around 4 days, providing that you take them out and feed them each day.

Making sure your pets like one another
It is crucial that your pets like one another in order for them to fall in love and eventually have puppies or kittens. There are several ways you can encourage your pets to like one another. Taking both out and getting them to play with one another often helps.

If your pets do not like one another, then consider spraying them with the spray bottle when they show aggressive behaviour towards each other. Doing this, you will train your pets to interact nicely with one another, and they may begin to like one another more as a result. However, it is advised that you do not use the spray bottle excessively because this may lead to your pet disliking you.

Setting
It is argued that providing a romantic setting for your pets helps them to fall in love. Many people mainly refer to taking pets out in the family room, where the fireplace can be lit by clicking on the switch to the left. This can be said to provide an "atmosphere" for your pets. In some cases it can, however, distract pets. Moreover, a romantic setting is not absolutely required to breed pets and the extent to which it helps pets falling is love is debatable.

Love potions
Love Potions can be won upon winning mini-games. There are two different kinds. One has a love heart design with a yellow lightning bolt on it. The other, arguably the most effective and therefore the most widely-used, is in the form of a pink perfume bottle. Taking out and spraying both pets with these love potions shall encourage pets to fall in love. In some cases however-such as when two pets already really like one another-love potions are not always needed.

Cushions
Another tactic that can be used is placing out cushions. This relates to the idea of creating a romantic atmosphere for your pets to encourage them to fall in love. Some players, for example, choose to put out the love-heart Satin pillow into the scene,this can be a bit affective. Again however, these items may distract your pets, so it is up to your own judgement on whether to use them.

How to know when your pets are in love
You can mainly see when your pets are falling in love through their actions. As your pets begin to love one another more, they will be more romantic and affectionate towards one another. Pets may first begin to circle around one another, and look at each other with droopy eyes. Pets may then begin to lick one another-one pet may lick the other's side, or, later, they may both lick one another's faces. As pets love one another more is it also common for them to make low noises (especially with dogs), signalling that they love one another.

It is recommended that you reward affectionate behaviour by petting your pets, to let them know that their behaviour is good. However, as always, do not distract your pets too much by petting them excessively. This is because it may distract your pets from one another as they begin to focus on gaining more attention from you, meaning that breeding them both may take longer.

How to know when your pets are about to breed
The centre of the scene is crucial in knowing when your pets are about to breed. This is as the image displaying the fact that your pets are "expecting a new puppy/kitten" will only appear here. You shall know when your pets may be about to breed when one pet sits or stands in the middle, and appears to be attempting to encourage the other to come with it. Your other pet may pace around and look unsure for awhile, before ether walking or jumping to join your other pet in the centre. The love heart icon may then appear. It is worth noting that pets may join one another in the centre various times before the message actually pops up.

In-breeding
It is possible that some in-breeding may occur between related pets. Brothers and sisters from different litters have been known to breed with one another. As with in-breeding in real life, this may result in mutations within the offspring. To avoid this, simply ensure that you do not take brother and sister pets out with one another or allow time for them to mate.

Time
In normal gameplay, the time needed to breed any two pets varies. Sometimes, when two pets really like one another, then it can take as quick as 5-7 minutes to breed them both. Of course, if both pets dislike one another it may take longer. At max, breeding pets can sometimes take 30 minutes or more. If a large length of time elapses and your pets have not successfully bred together, then it is advisable that they are simply not compatible with one another, and you may wish to breed them with both with other pets, or not breed them at all.

Once your pets have bred
Once your pets have bred a love heart image shall enlarge from the centre of the screen, saying that your pets are "expecting a new puppy/kitten" and that you should "look for it to arrive within a couple of days". In usual gameplay, it can take anywhere between 2 and 4 days usually for this litter of puppies or kittens to arrive. You may wish to note the time at which your pets have bred as this is also the time that your female pet shall have her puppies/kittens on the day that she does. So it is recommended that you take out your female pet at this time or later each day when checking if she has had her offspring.

You must remember that days elapsed only count if you take out and feed your pets. For example, if you do not go on the game or feed your female pet the next day when it will take 3 days for the litter to arrive they will arrive a total of 4 days after you bred her, proving that you feed her for the next 3 days.