I duno what to do.. Help!

My girls in season day 5 since bleeding started have an appointment tonight with new vet. She's ordered in my kit which is £120 then she says there's 6 tests in it each time costing £20+ I'm collecting our stud on Sunday and he is staying with us hopefully until they are finished with each other. What's the opinion on these tests. Useful or a waste.

If you are having the dog to stay with you and can let them meet every day, why bother? I've never done a test and I've so far never had a bitch miss either. I probably would test if I was going abroad, but not otherwise.

I'm just worried she's ready before Sunday that's when we collect him. We were devastated earlier this year when it didn't work so we are praying this time is better. But yes I guess your right.

If the stud's staying with you I wouldn't bother. Had a similar quandary myself this time round, but my friend can't let me have the stud as she's having a few days away with him at shows. So she's coming tonight to have a try while dropping off two of her girls that I'm dogsitting, then when she comes back on Sunday night we'll try again, and will just have to hope that I don't miss the fertile day in between her visits!

1.   I have always taken my bitches to the (outside) stud dog
2.   As my main breed isn't the easiest to mate, and I had a helpful fellow-breeder who could mate chairs to tables if needed, if we had an outside bitch to mate with our studs, we'd take them to her, and meet up with the owners of the bitches there.  As the people with the bitches knew what they were doing and always brought their bitches over when they were ready (always and without testing!), we always got a breeding.   One never missed to any bitches and the other, who was used more often, only missed to one and she missed to two further studs they went to so clearly wasn't for reproducing.
3.   Again, as with scanning, and forgive me if I'm still living in the dark ages, I rely on what I see with the bitch and what my studs KNOW.    Obviously for some things, testing is essential, but this isn't one of them.  IMVHO

Thanks guys

Went along had a chat & she attempted to take blood, my girl isn't a fan of the vets & was having a meltdown with them trying to get blood. So I just stopped it. If she's like this with the first blood draw it's just too much to put her through, the kits comes with 6 tests. So potentially she would have 6 blood draws. Just wasn't happening & too stressy for her. Will just have too hope & pray they tie.

> my girl isn't a fan of the vets & was having a meltdown with them trying to get blood.

the only girl I used the premate kits on and needed three tests hated going to the vet after that, where she had always enjoyed her visits for a fuss and weigh in previously.

Her daughter had blood drawn at four months for DNA testing and when I came to do the titre testing for pet passport (before the rules were relaxed) she had to be sedated as would not stay still fro the blood to be taken.

So for that reason alone I won't progesterone blood test and rely on nature and the dogs .

Yes, we won't be trying it again. So she made the decision for me. Just hope she's not an early ovulator and we miss it before Sunday.

My girl is on day 15 and after several visits to the stud starting on day 10 she has shown no signs of being ready,no flagging,no flirting and snappy too and the stud wasnt remotely interested.I shouldve had her blood tested right from the start but i had it done on day 12,the results on day 13 were 42 and i was told because i hadnt been to get her tested from the beginning of the season they couldnt tell if she was on her way up or down but that it was high and to go back to the stud.I know she cant be on her way down because she has been to see the stud every day since day 10 and im pretty certain she didnt ovulate early.I took her back yesterday and although stud slightly more interested he didnt attempt to mount her and her body language said she defintely still wasnt ready,tail tucked between her legs,absolutely no flagging at all,not even when i touch her tail and still snapping.Could she just be one of those dogs that ovulates late?I know not all dogs are text book day 12/13.The stud is local so we are on our way back today but any advice on this appreciated.Thanks

Sorry i posted this on here by accident Admin cab you please remove it x

I'm keeping my stud dog after all so am in the same boat. I have the added problems that he's not a very experienced dog, and 2 experienced dogs in the past have failed to mate my girl as she's a very awkward angle. I picked this one partly because he's my friend's dog so I knew she would try her best for my last attempt with my girl, and his health tests are great which is very important in my breed. But he doesn't yet know about being helped into the right place, and his more dominant litter brother has been guarding bitches at my friend's house so if you go near him when he's trying he stops! This is going to be a miracle if we achieve anything! :-p

Hi all

My stud arrived today, my girls on day 9. She's a maiden he's well proven.. They've been chasing each other all day, she's standing & allowing him on her, he's not getting it inside I think he is at times cause she yelps & runs away.

Is this good signs she's allowing him on her?

we normally hold maiden bitches.most of mine have yelped at their first time and been a bit overwhelmed.normally holding her and reasurring her whilst he gets on with his job.as always rec.use and experienced stud dog to a misde.i have a mated a maiden last week.stud dog never takes more than one minute to mount and get on with job.

Thanks for replying.

He was on & I think in he started to go really fast but he fell off her defo no tie happened. She just seems to panic and struggle. Obviously she could be not ready yet or just scared. It's hard to tell.

You must hold her firmly once he tres to mount her. If she's not ready then separate them and try another time.
If he mounts and penetrates her ..with not being held..she could do him serious damage.

How do I know the difference between not ready & just scared x

> How do I know the difference between not ready & just scared x

If she is allowing him to mount, but pulls away at penetration, she needs to be gently held with a hand to the chest with some words of reassurance, and a hand under to stop her sitting .

Barbara is right and I must add that once the male is fully inserted the bitch may start to struggle as the 'tie' is being formed.
This is the point at which my girls start to feel uncomfortable so real care is taken to steady her.
You can get away with just one handler in a small dog but ideally a helper ...essential with bigger dogs though.

Thank you brainless, what a night we've had. Our stud is just desperate to get on her, she's obviously shattered so we separated them at bedtime & he has sat & cried all night at the door & I mean all night!! I was worried he was just unsettled so at one point I tried to let him outside for the toilet & he shot to the door where she was & sat crying to get in. She's definitely allowing him to mount but squeals & moves when he's close to penetration. Will see what today brings. I will hold her if it looks hopeful. I duno how this poor boy isn't exhausted he's barely slept since he arrived.

Yes you do need to hold her. If possible you might find it better with two people - one to steady and hold the bitch, and one to aim the dog. I finally got a far more experienced friend to come round on Saturday, and having kept the dog away from even attempting a mating for a day, he was so keen that he didn't care who was putting hands on him, and we got a good tie. My girl was ok when it went in but did scream a fair bit (poor girl) as he swelled up inside her. She wasn't trying to pull away but you do need to hold and steady them during the mating and tie or they could injure each other if they panic and struggle. Then last night I thought I'd check if she was still standing so my friend could come round again today, and to my surprise he was happy to have me aim him and it just went straight in and we got another good tie, with me at a very awkward angle as I hadn't expected to get a mating singlehanded. Will try again tomorrow and hopefully that should do the job! Good luck with your girl.

Thanks Lucydogs that's great! Well done & fingers crossed for you. What days did you get a tie? I no all girls are different but would be good to know. In worried I hold her & she's not ready.

About days 13 & 14, though my tiresome friend failed to notice exactly when she came into season, even though she knew she was due and I wanted to know. Pretty sure she only started the day we came back from holiday or the day before though.