I don't live on the mainland, but do plan to breed to a mainland stud.

My girl is currently in season (expected to be ready in the next few days), and is a lovely regular every 6m girl. This puts her due in season again round about early march, which would tie in nicely with my planned trip (without dogs!) to Crufts and so could combine the ferry/trip and the massive cost to get off the island (would be lovely lol)..

However..

until she is in season, I can't be sure when she will be ready to be mated (I am just using previous seasons as a rough guide), and there is a very real chance she won't be ready until the week after Crufts or even longer.

In this situation, would I be unreasonable to ask the Stud owner if she could be boarded on their premises from just before we go over until she was ready to be mated? I would expect to and be happy to pay a boarding fee.

As long as they have the facilities to accommodate her then this is often considered part and parcel of the stud use. 

Traditionally it was normal to send a bitch to stud, and bring her home after she had been mated several times.

On two occasions abroad in fact not only has the bitch  been boarded but the owners too, first time in Finland for 8 days and second time in the USA for 12 days,a and only normal stud fee (price of a puppy) charged.  I did of course try and make myself useful, helping with horses first time and whelping a bitch the second.

After all the breeding for both should be primarily about producing quality puppies to further the breed and their bloodlines, not purely a financial transaction.

No reason why not.  Sadly a friend of mine let her girl stay at stud, within a few hours she had escaped and been killed.

>In this situation, would I be unreasonable to ask the Stud owner if she could be boarded on their premises from just before we go over until she was ready to be mated? I would expect to and be happy to pay a boarding fee.

I don't think it's unreasonable.  Most of us, wanting to improve and having a genuine interest, would do this without thinking.  I recently had a bitch visit, who wasn't ready, even after being here a week.  This coincided with my week away, and I told the bitch owner to leave her girl with me for another week.  I took her on holiday with me, along with her chosen suitor. 

I'm pretty certain that she has gone home pregnant!  :-)   I don't ever charge for keeping girls here, however long it takes.  On this ocassion I didn't charge a stud fee either, but that was because I chose not to.  I think you will find that any genuine person will be only too pleased to help you out.

Thanks for the replies :) I have had a few people say they wouldn't as you don't necessarily know they have used the dog you wanted or you don't see your bitch mated but I thnk that is a trust issue more then anything?

If I did go down this route, I would hope to still be on the mainland with her, but staying in a b+b or similar and her at the stud owners if possible. The other options would be to board her in a commerical kennel or she sleeps in my car but those options worry me more I think.

Could you not find a b and b which would allow your dog to stay too? Personally, I wouldn't leave my bitch with anyone else but that is my choice. My dogs live in the house and I chose not to put them in kennels.

I havent looked but I don't know if a bitch in season, even one used to be crated, would be considered too messy when a lot of them just about tolerate dogs at the best of times!

My dogs are house dogs too but worst case a stint in a kennel wouldn't harm her! I have to consider all options :)

Maybe if you used the bitch pants - just a thought?

never used them but def something to consider!!

To be honest a couple of dust sheets taken with you to lay on the carpets and a sheet for the bed, and with her crated when you have to leave the room for breakfast will take care of any risk to spotting on the hotel/B+B carpets.

Keep a pack of the thick wet wipes in your pocket when walking her into the building so you can quickly wipe anything.

I thought you were having to go back home, then definitely if it was me I would be keeping her with me.

I havent looked but I don't know if a bitch in season, even one used to be crated, would be considered too messy when a lot of them just about tolerate dogs at the best of times!


We stayed in a hotel with an in season bitch last year. Just didn't tell them about the season, kept pants on her and made very sure there was no mess.

Well today is day 8 of her season, and her saliva is ferning and she is flirting with anyone (inc the cat!) like mad.

This seems a bit early to me?! Guess this will make March interesting!

I do plan to stay on the mainland with her, but I do have to work too, and if she isn't ready to be mated in the 10 or so days I'm over, then I will have to leave her and come back.

I shall look into B+Bs, and start saving now.. I can see the entire cost of the trip being £1500+ <gulp!!>

Thanks for the replies, I have a lot to look into/think about :)

>I have had a few people say they wouldn't as you don't necessarily know they have used the dog you wanted or you don't see your bitch mated but I thnk that is a trust issue more then anything?<br />

I would be absolutely horrified to think someone didn't trust me enough to mate their bitch to the right dog.  If I'm honest, I suppose anyone who didn't recognise my integrity, wouldn't get a yes anyway.

I only ever had one person actually mention a photo of the actual tie, and that was a bitch that I wouldn't accept anway.  If you need me to prove to you that I am honest, then you can stroll on.

Having said that, I do turn down most people.