Hi all,

I've had the all clear from the vet (well not me but my bitch Megan) and the test results (both cytology and bloods) show that she should be mated tomorrow, monday and wednesday.  I am only picking up the stud dog tomorrow for his week holiday and really wanted them to have time to get used to each other first before putting them together. My plan was to introduce them in the park and walk with them both for a while, then go home.  I was hoping that this would maybe stop Megan from being too territorial.  Is they any other advice, hints or tips that you can offer me to make the mating go as smoothly as possible.

I am a first time breeder but I have read all the books and done all the research and bought all the equipment needed.  I am about as prepared as anyone can be without actually having first hand experience.  I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom that you can all offer.

My kindest regards

Leanne and Meggy

I wouldn't really advise taking an in season bitch to the park, though I gather she's territorial at home so I see the problem if so. But at the very least you will need there to be 2 people otherwise you could end up with tied dogs in the middle of a public park!!! Also the male might become aggressive if other dogs show interest in your bitch. Presumably you have got an experienced person with you, I only have limited experience myself but usually you have one person helping with each dog as a minimum.

Its a family gathering at the park, they'll be loads of us there. LOL

Hi, If the bitch is ready to be mated tomorrow and will stand and the stud dog knows what he is doing, you won't get very far on the away to the park without a mating taking place!! It won't be neccesary to walk them together first and you shouldn't be walking a bitch in a public park that is ready to be mated.

Please don't take this as criticism of your way of handling this, but I would strongly recommend that you reconsider your idea of going to the park with both dogs. Just imagine: there may be lots of your family around, but at least one of the dogs will be completely in unknown territory, and none of you have any control of who else will be walking in the park! Anyone else with a dog off the lead could be your worst nightmare--imagine that dog trying to get at your bitch and/or tearing the stud to shreds. It can happen all too easily and the location you are suggesting increases the odds. The very least that could happen is that the stud is put off or damaged by the experience.

I would never permit any of my dogs to be put at risk in this way, and I say it from bitter experience. Nearly 40 years ago we took my saluki to visit his family (mother, grandmother and uncle) not knowing the mother was in season. The dogs were kept separate from the bitches, but by sheer accident (a child opening two sets of doors) my dog was able to get to his uncle and in a split second sliced his leg open from thigh to hock. We all felt dreadful, my parents paid a huge vet bill and the older dog was permanently affected by the experience. Is it really worth it?

If you need to find neutral territory, find someone with experience in handling matings and take them both there--but good luck whatever you do.

i dunno what the laws over there are but here we cant take bitches in season in public

I just thought it'd be best to introduce them out of the house.  I'll take them for a walk round the estate, it's very quiet round here and any dogs you do see are always on a lead.  I appreciate all your comments and love my dogs dearly, so i would never do anything to put them at risk in any way.

Why aren't you taking your bitch to the stud dog as is usual practice? He'll perform better on his home territory.

It is more usual, from my experiences, that the owner of the bitch goes to the owner of the stud & the mating takes place there.

I would highly recommend you have someone with you that has experience of mating dogs, it is invaluable to have an experienced person, should something unexpected happen. No doubt you have done lots of research but having the experienced person really does help.

Should a successsful mating occur the dogs could be tied for sometime & I would say this should be done in the privacy of a home, wether it is in a house or garage or likewise.

We tried taking Megan to the studs house last time but she wasn't having any of it.  She wouldn't relax so the studs owner suggested he come to me this time.  I'm quite happy to do that cause i'm sure Megan will be more relaxed here.

I'm picking him up after the family gathering in the park and i'll have the dogs in the study with just me while the mating takes place.  That way there will be no distractions or anything to make them jump.

Please don't take a bitch in season to a public park. It's about as inconsiderate to other dog owners as you can get.

I'm picking him up after the park thing, i won't be taking them there.  I said in an earlier post that i would just take them for a walk around my local estate as there are very few dogs around here and any you do see are always on a lead.  I am not an inconsiderate person and had already changed my plans because of previous advice on this post.

I definitely wouldn't take them to the park for a million reasons. I also don't think they would be good on the lead -in my experience it will freak the bitch out to be on a lead as she will be restricted, far better to let them both off. I doubt the bitch would be very territorial at home if she's in full season and flagging -no matter how much she usually is.

> I said in an earlier post that i would just take them for a walk around my local estate

You do realise that dogs can smell an in season bitch from several miles away? If you walk her round your local estate you're advertising the fact to all and sundry and leading a trail for all the local Romeos straight to your door.

If Megan is truly ready for mating she won't be remotely territorial - she'll be dragging him in through the door, tail flagging and legs spread!

I'm NOT taking them to the park.  I was NEVER going to mate them in the park, this was just to meet each other on neutral ground.  The mating was ALWAYS going to take place at my house in the study which is quite and cosy and away from any distractions.

I am not an inconsiderate person which is obviously how I am coming across as i seem to be getting lectured, rather than getting suggestions and advice.  This is why i never normally come on these forums. :-(

>I'm NOT taking them to the park.  I was NEVER going to mate them in the park, this was just to meet each other on neutral ground. 

I'm sorry, but you said you were going to introduce them (not mate them) in the park - and that means taking an in-season bitch to the public park which is not a good thing to do.

You're not getting lectured, you're being advised as to best practice, which I'm sure is why you asked the question in the first place. As you say, you're a first-time breeder; have you ever attended a mating before? Do you realise how 'hands on' (literally) you will possibly have to be? It's not a question of turning them loose into the garden and leaving them to get on with it! Is the stud dog used to strangers helping him find the spot? If not you could be wasting everyone's time.

> and you shouldn't be walking a bitch in a public park that is ready to be mated.
>

or in season at all!!!  Very unfair on other people and especially their dogs.

> I'm NOT taking them to the park.  I was NEVER going to mate them in the park, this was just to meet each other on neutral ground.  The mating was ALWAYS going to take place at my house in the study which is quite and cosy and away from any distractions.
>

The way posts fall on this forum makes it look as if messages are ignored as people may answer a message half way though a thread, as I did ;)

I have had studs come to stay to be mated to my bitches (I am fortunate to have the trust of some of the stud dog owners in my breed).  One was with a bitch like yours who could be difficult and we succeeded with her in her own home where she felt more in control.

There is no need for any earlier meeting, and you can literally get a mating within seconds, so you really want them to meet where the mating is to take place.

>i seem to be getting lectured, rather than getting suggestions and advice.

There are a lot of people on here with experience and if you continue to demonstrate that you are listening (as you certainly appear to be) you'll get to the good stuff :)

This isn't my area at all but I wondered if I could just question a couple of points you might benefit from some extra advice on.  It might help to get your topic back on track now you've clarified the park mating confusion.

* You've mentioned that the stud dog is coming to you for a week - is he coming with his owner/handler?  From everything I've ever read it sounds as if you'll need to be very hands on with possibly two people to assist and a stud dog generally prefers a trusted handler.

* Where is he going to be in between times?  If he is sleeping in your home you'll need to be very careful about not allowing unsupervised access and to be prepared for whining and howling.  Perhaps an experienced stud dog owner could explain how they usually manage the process when stud dog and bitch are in close contact for extended periods.

Good luck

> * Where is he going to be in between times?  If he is sleeping in your home you'll need to be very careful about not allowing unsupervised access and to be prepared for whining and howling.  Perhaps an experienced stud dog owner could explain how they usually manage the process when stud dog and bitch are in close contact for extended periods.
>

In my experience of dogs in an ordinary home environment as long as the stud dog owner knows where the bitch is and there is no competition from other males for her then he will not fret.

In my case and my breed, once introduced the male could happily associate with the bitch and my other bitches freely.

An experienced dog would check the bitch out at regular intervals (every morning after being let out for a wee etc. 

If the bitch is ready to mate he will mate her (so you may want another handler on hand), and then behave like Derby and Joan until the next mating (usually the next day for probably 3 - 5 days if you allow).

When not supervised (or when you don't want them to mate again) one or other can be crated in the same room, the dog will be happy having already mated the bitch, or to wait until she is ready.

> as long as the stud dog owner knows where the bitch is and there is no competition from other males

Oops I emand as long as the stud knows where the bitch is and the owner makes sure they are not left unatteneded.