Hi all, we think we missed the first day or so of our bitches season (this is her 3rd and final litter) luckily we are very good friends with the stud dogs owner and we took her up on what we suspected to be day 8 but could have been day 10.. As you would imagine an interested stud and a grumpy bitch, so we took her home with the mind sight that this was probably day 8 after all.

She usually has a text book season and have previously had no need to test for ovulation, as she practically sends a postcard... This season has been a little different. She hardly had any bleeding at all for the first week, then started to bleed heavier (as normal) we took her back to the stud on day 12 and she was flagging but would not stand, day 13 we acheived a good 25 minute tie, we took her back the next day and the stud was not at all interested although she was flagging and still standing.

We are now on day 16 and she is still bleeding quite a lot and it has stayed bright red throughout the duration.. but i have noticed she has started pining for the neighbours rottie, hence she is on strict supervised toilet breaks.....

I am assuming that the lack of interest from the stud means she had gone over and we could have all the dates muddled up after all.

My questions being, without a repeat mating and one clearly so late in her cycle shall we prepare ourselves for a miss this time???

your advice welcome. thanks

My questions being, without a repeat mating and one clearly so late in her cycle shall we prepare ourselves for a miss this time???

I had 9 pups from one single mating on day 15 last year. The bitch had been flagging for about a week then but our first choice dog wouldn't mate (not because she wasn't ready, just because he wouldn't -long story!).We'd already travelled from Yorkshire to Devon and back, stayed overnight etc, then had to travel to Wales instead, so figured if one mating didn't do it then so be it -we'd all had enough of travelling then!

> one clearly so late in her cycle

My last litter was from matings on days 18 and 20 ....

I'd be taking her again myself.  My girl's due on Friday, one mating at day 18, I actually think that day 20 would of been the best day.  Previously she was mated day 11 but missed last time even though she and the stud were up for it on day 11 and 13.  Had her blood tested this time and she's definitely pregnant.

Taking her again would be the ideal solution but it is an 8 hour round trip, it just so happened that we were staying close by when we realised she was in season.

I noticed spotting on Monday 1st in the morning on her bedding, I had noticed her swelling a few days prior to this and literally a single spot or two on the Saturday. So when I travelled back up the tie should have been either day 13 or 14, i was just baffled by the complete lack of interest from the stud 24 hours later. Her last litter whelped 62 days from her first mating which was on day 14... suppose it is just one of those horrid waiting games lol..

> one clearly so late in her cycle

If that was one of my girls day 13 would be very early, as most of my litters have been from day 15 or later mtings.  One bitch has had litters mated on days 18 - 22, as blodd tests clearly showed she hadn't ovulted yet on day 17.

I have also had bitches have false starts to seasons,and stop and restart a week or two later, and get pregnant counting from the second lot of season signs.

day 13/14 would be about right for her, but i was wondering if her season was very light and we missed a fair chunk of it as i had noticed the swelling and was expecting it (forgot to add it is a month early) hence the dog was not interested... Suppose only time will tell and if not will try again next season..

Sometimes I think my male will never mount our female. They have never mated before day 15. She had 11 pups lst time and we are expecting the same this time around.

My boy is not experienced (or me) but ive noticed he will refuse to mate the very next day, it appears hes simply too tired from the day before - successfull 2 days apart, thats progesterone tested bitches aswell. Ive taken advise from experienced folk in my breed and say their boys are exactly the same.

My recent first litter was from a day 24 mating and she was heavy all the way through :)

I also wait 48 hour between mating. Also my male acts the same way he did the first time. Never think he is ever going to do it then one day he cant stay away.

day 13/14 would be about right for her - no season is exactly the same so ovulation times may differ, I'd always advise testing of some sort especially if season doesn't follow her normal pattern or you think you may have missed the start.

With the distances some of you on this thread have travelled, I would say testing was vital to save a long and potentially wasted trip.