My girl is staying with my friend who is the SDO, I am trying to use her 5 year old dog, he is scanned clear of all the various things our breed has, which is very important to me to breed according to the Club guidelines. My friend is experienced at mating dogs, and says that although my girl is very keen and flirty, her dog is unable to get in properly, and she is starting to suspect a stricture. Of course she may yet be a little early and do better in a day or two. She's suggested using her younger dog who is the son of this dog but is a little smaller so might be able to manage. He is only about 2 years old so not scanned yet, but his father and grandfather were both scanned clear at over 5 years old. I assume as the older dog got it in a little bit, it would be wise to have a DNA test if I did say yes to the younger dog and got a mating, and I wondered roughly how much these cost. She says she's pretty sure it wasn't a viable mating ie he presumably didn't ejaculate, so perhaps I'm being overcautious to consider a test? I am also unsure how much of a problem this stricture thing is - if we did achieve a mating, would there be a risk of the puppies having strictures too, or is it not genetic? My bitch's mother did not have a stricture though was apparently at a slightly awkward angle for the male. My bitch will be 5 in June and has not had a litter, we had a similar lack of a proper mating to a different dog last spring, and then her autumn season was at a time where I couldn't mate her, so this is really our last chance.

In my opinion Cavalier folk bandy the word stricture about like confetti.
I've been told twice my bitches have them yet other dogs have tied with them and the clincher...they whelped easily...impossible if a small penis couldn't penetrate this so called obstruction. More likely she wasn't caught on the right day.

Yes you would have to DNA test all 3 partners and ALL puppies.
My biggest Cav litter was from a quick slip mating.

Oh well that does give me some hope! :-) She seems pretty confident that the older dog didn't get more than the tip in and didn't ejaculate, but I'd feel I was risking fraud if I didn't test, even if they are father and son!

To DNA test is £25 for each dog involved i.e. £75 for 3 potential parents and then £25 for each pup -you can find it on KC website.

Personally I would not go for an untested dog.

I think you're right. Even if she's sure he didn't mate her properly, and I do trust her, I wouldn't feel right not testing to be 100% sure, and that's a lot of extra money! I'll tell her to stick with the first dog. It may well still just be too early. If we don't get anything, I'll just have to give up and start my search for another show potential puppy, that should keep me busy for the next 2 or 3 years.....

I'm not familiar with it, but wouldn't a trip to a vet tomorrow diagnose a stricture? And if there is then what about whelping?!

> I'm not familiar with it, but wouldn't a trip to a vet tomorrow diagnose a stricture? And if there is then what about whelping?!

I had a bitch visiting one of my boys.  She was left with me and I had every faith that my boy knew his job.  After 5 days he tried to mate the bitch and couldn't get entry.  The bitch cried out when he tried.  (And yes I do know that some bitches are "screamers" but this wasn't the case.)

I phoned the bitch owner (who said couldn't I make her do it.)  Not something I am prepared to do.  So they collected their bitch (I didn't charge for keeping her here.)

At the bitches next season they tried someone who would make the bitch do it.  She needed an emergency section due to a stricture.  I refuse to mate a bitch just to get a stud fee.  No way.

I gather that a vet can only check for a stricture while the bitch is actually in season? I was thinking that I would have him check her when I get her back next weekend, it seems more than a bit cheeky to ask my friend to take her to her own vet tomorrow or Tuesday!