Hi, I have a question on behalf of my dad who has no internet. I can relay information from him by text if you have any extra questions.

He has 4 dogs, a 10 year old female, a 4 year old male (never been mated) a 2 year old female (never been mated) and a 6 month old pup.

He tried to breed his dog with his 2 yr old bitch on her last season, she was having none of it on any day of the season. He tried her from day 10 to the last day of her season, the male mounts the female, she stands for him but then freaks out as soon as he gets close. Both have been hip and eye tested and had a vet check prior to trying to breed and had the all clear. His female is due to come into season again soon but he thinks the same will happen. He heard from another breeder that the bitch probably sees the male as a littermate as she's grown up with him and that's why she isn't happy to be bred by him.

Is there anything he can do to encourage these two to breed or is it time to try another stud? He really wants to use his own male but doesn't want to use AI.

It is best with a bitch that is skittish to use a proven experienced stud dog.

Her behaviour could well put off your Male from ever performing well.

A friend recently used a dog I bred as her bitch refused to countenance her young male at home, though would have happily stood for the Alpha male her sire.

So familiarity can breed contempt if she doesn't rank him highly, or he isn't being forceful enough to get her to submit to him.

Thanks, yeah I think you're right, the female is definitely top dog, the male is very submissive to her. Is there nothing he can do about this?

Hi OldeEnglish, and welcome to the Board!

From my own experience, mating two maidens, unless with very experienced handlers, will often prove unsuccessful.  The breeder that has told your dad that the bitch won't be happy mating with her companion could well be right.   Far better to use an outside stud, which will enhance the female's good points and strengthen any "weak" points in her makeup - its very rare for breeders to own the "perfect match" for their bitch.

If I were in your dad's shoes, I would be looking at using an outside stud.

Just to add to what has already been said -you said he tried from day ten until the last day of the season, well some bitches are ready already on day 3, it varies greatly, so that could be a point as well. I certainly have one that stands from day 3 every single season and for her day ten would be too late. I would guess though it's far more a case of both dog and bitch being inexperienced -bets to use an experienced dog on an inexperienced bitch.

4 years ago we had a litter of puppies, Keira and Jasper had lived together for almost 2 years, neither of them had had any ''experience'' Keira ran round the garden for almost 2 hrs trying to get away from Jasper, but she gave in in the end :-) and we had 5 beautiful puppies as a result. 

I have a litter now that are from a mating of two dogs that I own.  At first neither was keen to mate and the bitch just wanted to go in the garden, probably just to play with him, the normal thing they do.  But after a day or so they did eventually mate and do so again two days later.  She is quite dominant and is usually seen beating him up but they did manage and I have two lovely puppies as a result :-)

but the posters father has tried this and with no luck right throughout the season.  It is perfectly possible to get a litter mating two maidens, but much more likely to succeed if one is experienced.