With the ever increasing amount of A.I's used for breeding in America I wondered what your thoughts  re breeding via this method?

Very expensive for less chance fo pregnancy than a natural mating which is always preferable in my book.

We are fortunate we do not have Canine Brucellosis to worry about in the UK, which may be one reason fro the use of AI so commonly in USA, in addition to the huge distances breeders may have to travel otherwise.

I would use ch8illed semen, but it is still far more expensive with all the red tape (the donor has to satisfy pet passport criteria, you need a licence, approved carrier/person to hold the semen, vets both ends for collection and insemination, as well as all the progesterone testing for timing) and people involved than in a lot of cases travelling with the bitch for natural service.

As a method to store semen for use in later years after a dog has passed away, and been proved to be free from health issues of his own and those of  previous offspring's health and longevity, could a useful tool but I'd like to see the KC set up a storage facility.  With private storage a company could easily go out of business, and then your left looking fro new storage options.

Our rules are different here of course -you cannot use AI with a dog that lives in the UK and is still alive. Can be useful if you want to use a stud dog abroad of course, and don't want to travel with the bitch -but you have the greater possibility of failure instead.

The rules of the UK Kennel Club are quite clear & can be seen here

Hmm.

My sistuation is where I would prefer a live cover - and opted for this a few months ago (sadly, unsucessful) and looking forward to the next try I am contemplating A.I For the following reasons and wondered on peoples opinions.

Stud is in R.O.I - our journey - including travel to the ferry both ends was 12hours+ each way and in excess of £600 (without accomodation) - the cost isn't the issue as its worth paying for the right dog - but coupled with the possible stress from the 12 hour journey becomes a factor to bare in mind.

On top of this we would have the cost of passport - which last time we didnt do after seeking advice from the ferry company who told us (along with others that had travelled) this was not needed - we now know this isnt the case. I'm not happy about filling my bitch with the rabies jab before mating either.

We progesterone tested any way, so spent in excess of £250 on blood collections and Idexx evaluations - so wouldnt notice much difference cost wise on this.

So really I'm weighing up the stress of the journey vs the stress of the A.I, the cost is pretty equal either way , I realise the sucess rate of A.I isnt as sucessful - but we did try live covers so perhaps the stress of the journey was a factor for my girl so the A.I may actually be in her favour.

Just wondered on others opinions?

Yes, I've looked into the rules from the UK site.

Fit and fertile achieve a success rate of 82% confirmed pregnancy with good quality semen. I know 'cause I have just been looking into it as a dog I like lives in Southern Spain !! Just a consideration at the moment though. Costs about £1000 to collect and ship over, £ 3 per straw per year to store and aprox £75 to AI the bitch. Then of course if pups arrive a stud fee, apparently not  paid normally untill pups are born (So I am told be the dogs owner!)
Be interesting to know the pregnancy success rate with natural matings in order to compare.
Aileen

My latest litter was AI. It was arranged by Fit & Fertile. I had 8 pups born :) I paid the stud fee in advance so was a cost even if a litter did not result.  Sounds good if your stud owner only wants paying if a litter is born. The cost of the insemination was also higher as they were unable to do TCI so had to go with surgical insemination.

I would travel TBH.

I have tried three AI's and got no puppies. Used two different bitches and two different repro centres. I have just travelled to Northern Germany for a mating on a bitch who previously did not get in whelp to AI (maiden bitch) she is now six weeks Into a multiple pregnancy at six years old ( first litter). 

if the dog is in ROI or Northern Europe I would travel every time rather than risk another AI which is very expensive with poor results.

I have however still got semen on store from my old ch dog and I would try another AI however ONLY when I know I can afford a failure

K

I have travelled by air with two bitches.

One was a short international flight to Helsinki Finland, plus an internal one both ways.

The second with the first bitches daughter to the USA (JFK New York), which was an 8 hour flight one way and 16 hours back due to being redirected to Ireland for repairs, and then landing in Belgium to be driven home (another 8 hours) by husband to avoid having to come back Cargo.

Both bitches had litters, Mum had 8 and we lost one, and daughter had 6 with one stillborn.

>I have travelled by air with two bitches.

Would one of those bitches be the one who returned to the UK and thought she'd arrived in Antarctica?

Oh Barbara I still remember checking on here to see if you had dug your way out of an avalanche of snow.  I never believed you were going to get back to Bristol in one piece!  We were all checking the latest snow bulletins where it was so bad here.

yep, rerouted to Dublin because Heathrow was closed when we were over UK, and had a problem with the plane.

Well one of the resultant puppies is now nursing a first nearly 3 week old litter :) another has just been mated for a first litter in quite a few years for her owner, a third owner is planning a litter in the Spring as is the stud dogs owner who had a fourth.

Two from the results of the first trip are now nearly veterans, and both have been bred from.

Thanks all - always good to hear other stories.

I think on reflection I'm leaning towards going over again.

I think we will stay longer next time so its more relaxed for her and look into the express ferry so it will cut down some of the time.

Have a good few months to get the passport sorted and also if I have the rabies jab now it last for 3 years along with the passport is that correct?

I think the A.I would possibly be less stressful - But TBH she was a complete flirt last time and enjoyed herself it was all just rather rushed - and costings are about the same - so can't beat the real thing huh?

Unless the little madame comes in at Crufts time !

When I travelled I stayed 10 days the first tiem and two nearly weeks the second.  This was because you have to book flights really as soon as the bitch comes in season (they normally want two weeks but 10 days at a push seemed to be fine).

Due to this I didn't bother with progesterone testing relying on the dog and bitch as were were there.

I started progesterone testing early and aimed to catch LH surge ( 2ng to 2.5 ng approx) It took two days to arrive I the area where the stud dog lived and she was mated three days after LH surge ( just one mating) and she is most definitely in whelp.

For me progesterone testing was vital to allow travel at right time , saved time and was the most. Out effective option

k

I'd agree if your driving, just not practical if flying with having to book the tickets early if taking a dog..

Yes I agree brainless ... My hat is off to you for your epic journey's :) For ROI however I would test and plan travel accordingly.

>For ROI however I would test and plan travel accordingly.

Yes that makes perfect sense.

In my breed this is the most common method. Most breeders are in various parts of Europe and you would presume travel would be relatively easy however dogs from USA and deceased dogs are also used.

Two and a half years ago we drove to Sweden for a breeding.  The girl I bred isn't the best traveller so I, too, was worried about the stress.  We attended a reproduction seminar a few months before the travel and one of the questions we asked was would stress negatively affect her ability to conceive.  The specialist said no - just the opposite - stress actually increases fertility.  We had 7 puppies!

We had looked into importing and doing AI, but when we looked at costs and success rates, we figured if we were going to spend that much and nothing was to come of it at least by travelling we'd have a lovely holiday out of it rather than nothing but an empty semen cannister/straws LOL.

wow - Wendy its good to hear that they said stress dosent effect the fertility :-)

We drove to Sweden as well - well before ovulation, and stayed until well after - our girl refused to stand even a couple of days post ovulation, when everything should have worked.     I put it down to the stress, so you can't win!