# Do rabid dogs mate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151 "2007-07-01T19:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/1 "2007-07-01T19:56:52Z")
I was discussing this with someone today. Do dogs in the throes of rabies retain the passion and prowess required for successful mating operations? To wit: 1. Will mutually rabid dogs do it? 2. Will a rabid female accept the member of a normal male? 3. Will a rabid male attempt intercourse with a normal female? 4. Do they bite much? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/2 "2007-07-03T04:36:23Z")
Do they??? ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/3 "2007-07-03T09:26:05Z")
I’m sure there’s a junior high school science project in here somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/4 "2007-07-03T09:59:58Z")
[QUOTE=Aeschines] I was discussing this with someone today. Do dogs in the throes of rabies retain the passion and prowess required for successful mating operations? To wit: 1. Will mutually rabid dogs do it? 2. Will a rabid female accept the member of a normal male? 3. Will a rabid male attempt intercourse with a normal female? 4. Do they bite much? Thank you! [/QUOTE] No No No Yes There is a substantial delay between the time rabies is contracted and the encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The encephalitis renders a mammal non-functional for ordinary activity. During the incubation period (3-8 weeks or so) most behaviour will be fairly normal. The rabies virus during this period is slowly traveling up the nerve fibers but is not affecting the brain. ---
**Author:** ![SGT.SHLITZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SGT.SHLITZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SGT.SHLITZ)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/5 "2007-07-03T11:06:53Z")
It would probably be wise to let them finish. IMO ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/6 "2007-07-03T13:03:26Z")
The rabid dog that attacked me didn’t have sex on its mind - it simply wanted to rip my throat out as quickly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/7 "2007-07-03T14:23:28Z")
[QUOTE=Aeschines] I was discussing this with someone today. [/QUOTE] May I ask how this conversation arose? Seriously, I expect that anyone that finds themselves in the vicinity of not one but two rabid dogs is not wasting time taking notes on their reproductive habits. I would be surprised if there were any documentation on this. I would agree with **Chief Pedant** that behavior will be normal between the time rabies is contracted and the virus reaching the brain. After that the victim is unlikely to have much on what remains of its mind than biting. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/8 "2007-07-03T14:41:19Z")
[QUOTE=Chief Pedant] No No No Yes There is a substantial delay between the time rabies is contracted and the encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). The encephalitis renders a mammal non-functional for ordinary activity. During the incubation period (3-8 weeks or so) most behaviour will be fairly normal. The rabies virus during this period is slowly traveling up the nerve fibers but is not affecting the brain. [/QUOTE] It can sit “dormant” in humans for as many as 12 years. That fact freaked the bejeezus out of me. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/9 "2007-07-03T15:37:12Z")
No, rabid dogs do not mate. If they did, they would mate for life, however. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/10 "2007-07-03T15:58:40Z")
When we find the answer to this, we can work on why the Reavers don’t attack each other. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/11 "2007-07-03T17:18:10Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] May I ask how this conversation arose? [/QUOTE] My guess? B-movie screenwriters, after watching **Cujo**. Someone smelled a sequel a la Beethoven’s 2nd. But with rabies. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/12 "2007-07-03T19:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] No, rabid dogs do not mate. If they did, they would mate for life, however. [/QUOTE] That surprises me a little. One of the rabies attacks we had in my county involveed a couple jogging on a local high school track course, when a rabid fox came out of the woods and started trying to hump one of their legs. The guy took a stick or pipe or something and beat the fox to death; it tested positive for rabies. I thought that one of the possible symptoms of rabies was extreme sexual aggression. Was I wrong? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/13 "2007-07-03T19:58:36Z")
\*\*Do rabid dogs mate? \*\* If so, it’d be… _LIKE CRAZY!_ ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/14 "2007-07-03T20:25:52Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] \*\*Do rabid dogs mate? \*\* If so, it’d be… _LIKE CRAZY!_ [/QUOTE] Shit…Doritos in my nose… ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/15 "2007-07-03T20:37:11Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] I thought that one of the possible symptoms of rabies was extreme sexual aggression. Was I wrong? Daniel [/QUOTE] No, you are right (to a point). Hypersexual behaviour is seen in some animals, most commonly sheep. I’ve never seen it in dogs, _plus_ it is typically extreme/inappropriate sexual behaviour, the type that culminates in ripping your partner to shreds. (not that there is anything wrong with that, if that is what you and your partner are into). When the OP used the term “mating” I assumed it to refer to copulation. While rabid mammals _may_ hump another object/animal furiously, in the cases I’ve seen,it is not actually copulation. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/16 "2007-07-03T20:50:54Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridgeI’ve never seen it in dogs, _plus_ it is typically extreme/inappropriate sexual behaviour, the type that culminates in ripping your partner to shreds. (not that there is anything wrong with that, if that is what you and your partner are into).[/QUOTE] **Vet** , my man, you are getting funnier with every post. A couple more and you’ll be ready for Leno. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/17 "2007-07-05T16:21:46Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff] A couple more and you’ll be ready for Leno. [/QUOTE] But will Jay be ready for me? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/18 "2007-07-05T17:54:32Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] But will Jay be ready for me? :eek: [/QUOTE] Jay: …ya see, because some people are into that whole BDSM thing, and if you’re okay with being ripped to shreds, it’s not really hyperaggressive, is it? Why isn’t anyone still laughing?" ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/19 "2007-07-06T01:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] No, you are right (to a point). **Hypersexual behaviour is seen in some animals, most commonly sheep.** I’ve never seen it in dogs, _plus_ it is typically extreme/inappropriate sexual behaviour, the type that culminates in ripping your partner to shreds. (not that there is anything wrong with that, if that is what you and your partner are into). When the OP used the term “mating” I assumed it to refer to copulation. While rabid mammals _may_ hump another object/animal furiously, in the cases I’ve seen,it is not actually copulation. [/QUOTE] Attention, Hal Briston! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151/20 "2007-07-06T01:50:19Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] When we find the answer to this, we can work on why the Reavers don’t attack each other. [/QUOTE] Thank God rabid animals don’t have access to spaceships. I don’t think I could pull a Crazy Ivan on my Trek. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-rabid-dogs-mate/410151.md?page=2)