Hi everyone,
My GSP bitch has come into season, I have organised a stud and all set for taking her up tomorrow to be mated, or at least try! ( this will be her 11th day of season). I thought I had read the internet to death about best time to mate her.. but as it is a sunday today- i have not been able to take her to the vet to be blood tested.. should i wait till tomorrow to do this, and risk waiting to mate her later on during the week?.. any thoughts on what you would do? thank you!

Have you any entire dogs there to see how they are reacting to her. 11th day would be too late for one of my bitches and way too early for the other one. I would certainly take her to the stud now but if they are not interested, start the progesterone testing unless of course you are willing/able to leave her with the stud dog's owner.

I haven't unfortunately.. and this will be her first litter so I'm unsure as to when her best day will be. There is certainly a lot of interest in her on our walks! You're right, I can take her tomorrow- and if the dog is not interested then I can maybe take her again during the week. Thank you

IME rarely have I had a GSP be ready so early, closer to day 15 or even later. If the stud isn't to far away there is no harm in seeing what happens but if she is a floozie she may well stand long before she ovulates. If your traveling a long distance I would blood test, preferably serum progesterone but for a natural mating an in house colour change test kit test may well be ok.

Do you know where I could buy a home test kit?? x

Sorry they are not home test kits .. The vet draws blood and uses the kit which changes colour based on a range of progesterone readings. Takes about 15 mins. The more accurate serum progesterone tests require complex and expensive lab equipment so,unless your vet is a reproduction expert bloods needs to be sent off to an outside lab and test results usually back by late pm or day after.

Depending on how often your vet has breeder clients they may have the test kits in stock

Thank you klb.. much appreciated! x

I've had a bitch ovulate on day 4!  If I had not blood tested from day 1, I would never have known.

I have also had a bitch mate on day 28, and the vet tell me that she couldn't possibly be pregnant.  She whelped 9 weeks later.

Wecome to the bitch world of "keep 'em guessing!"  :-)  :-)

Thanks for the advice everyone.. my bitch had a blood test today (Day 12) and vet thinks 4-6 days! Good thing I had her tested x

Thank the lord for science xxxx