Esme was mated on her last season but missed. She was premate tested at my Vet and was mated on/around the days they suggested (11 [slip] and 12 [good tie]), but still missed.

This time I am going to use Idexx and have the kit here ready and waiting (and I'm still waiting for Esme - sigh!). My question is what would be the best day for the first test? She acts like a tart from day 1 and also flags, so I don't think I can go by that. I was thinking Day 5 or 6 to get a baseline reading or if she is an early ovulator I would hopefully not miss the boat by testing earlier.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received from you more experienced breeders out there.

Anyone?

I started on day, its a good job I did as she went on day 9.  Her line are usually late.  i used the other system so can't say about yours.  i know mine altered the day she was ready and it doulbled the next day to confirm things were happening.  However, still no pups this time so not sure what happened.  Have a few idea's but to myself.lol.

good luck

i have never used idexx.Last time i used the premate at the vets,starting on day 7 which turned out to be far too early and we needed 5 more tests until ovulation.Happily this resulted in 9 pups.

The vets wanted to start testing on day 9 but as this bitches mother ovulated on day 8 i didn't want to chance it.

I wonder, did the vets tell you that the correct time of mating is not actually on day of ovulation but approx 48 hours after when eggs have matured?
We mated 1 day and 3 days after ovulation.

I hope you have more luck with Idexx,i think the down side is the pre mate is only as good as the person reading it. I have heard Idexx is more reliable.

I have used Idexx on my last 2 bitches, one had a litter of 8 and I have a bitch due in 3 weeks. The thing with Idexx is if you test too early Larry will estimate when best to do the next test.

I would rather test too early than too late!!!

Good luck

I did my first Idexx test on day 7, then tested on day 9. Never did anymore as day 9 was the Friday and it was a bank holiday weekend.  Saturday evening my male started showing a very keen interest, we had matings on the tues and wed, she has now been confirmed in whelp by the scan :)

Good luck with your girl :)

> I would rather test too early than too late!!!

That was my thought exactly and it's good to hear that Larry will estimate the best time to do the next test. Do you think Day 5 would be a good starting point?

Lana missed twice and I was so wanting a third and last litter.  I had her done day 4 via Idexx, good job I did as I got a call the next day to take her straight away!  She was mated day 6 and had a litter of three. 

Her first two litters were bigger but as she'd since missed twice I was oer the moon when she had three!

Her first two litters were from matings at day 18!!

Oh doG! Maybe I'll go for day 4 then!!!

LOL!  Certainly was a shock to me that he wanted her mating straight away, no wonder she'd been missing, though I was taking from day 11 onwards then.