Need some help please, I have tried twice to mate my bitch. He has connected but maybe the dates are not right.her seasons are every 6 months and she bleeds for 3 weeks. She has been to a proven stud the last two winters between on days 10-15 ..Am I taking her too early?

Progesterone testing... Without that, you can't know for sure.

Had asked my vet about this before taking her last time and they said they can take blood tests from 6 days but because it has to be sent away she may be past her time before the results are given back to me, couple of days to send then test then for them to get back ,

Idexx testing is what many people use, vets should send them off the day blood is taken and results should be next day.
If your vet is reluctant and you want results same day do you have a repro vet near you? You should get results same day then

Just recently had my bitch progesterone tested on days 8, 10 and 12, (Idexx on days 8 and 12, vets in house test on day 10 as it was weekend, half hour wait for result). Idexx gave results next day by lunchtime on both occasions. They advised best day to mate, which all went smoothly. Were now on day 19 and looking forward to scan around 35 days. Only had one mating as that is how this particular stud owner works. Good luck with your bitch.

If it was some of my girls then yes day 15 is usually the earliest mine are ready and one was reedy between days 18 - 22 on each of her three litters.

Most usually mine are ready days 15 - 18.

Never had a litter from a  bitch that had final mating earlier than day 15, though had a first mating on day 12.

Average days for the breed she is talking about (which I saw before it was removed ) are Days 12 - 14.  But not all bitches are average, so definitely after one miss, you'd want to be using progesterone testing.

Results from Idexx pretty much anywhere in the country, should be available 24hrs later - since I live on an off-shore island and that is when we get them, so I don't think anywhere else can take longer!

suebc, can you say what results you got at those tests and what day you got a mating on?  (and how much notice you had of heading off to stud?)  Trying to plan what we're going to do in a few months...thx

On day 8 the reading was around 2, on day 10 the reading was around 8, then on day 12 the reading was around 26, I can't recall the exact readings as I don't have my paperwork to hand. I received the last reading around lunchtime on day 13 with the advice to mate her either that day or the next. I took her to stud on day 14. This being her 1st time I wanted to make sure I got the timing right, although my neutered male had already told me! In future I will probably go for the cheaper option and listen to my male, they say a male is always right eh?!! Hope this helps

My best advice is to take the bitch to the male when YOU think she's probably ready (visual signs, tail moving etc) and if you don't get a mating that day, hopefully the dog owner can board her so she's right there to be tried later on, until they do get a mating.    If you want to spend money on testing, that's up to you.   If you are using an experienced stud dog, he should know!

I know it's frustrating, and classic was the time we went to a stud down down in Philadelphia, from Toronto, by car.   We stayed down for 3 days and the stud dog wasn't really interested so having tested at the time, by their vet, he went ahead and did an AI and we came home.   Not very hopefully.   She took.   At least with AI, you can get 'something in there'!!!

Sue, thanks.  Gosh, if we got those results, we just wouldn't get there in time if we got a 'mate today or tomorrow' result.  (Due to ferry ride and car journey.)  This just illustrates why we can't only go by progesterone testing for our breeding.  Yikes.

Ditto, Mamabas for waiting till any male says she's ready here. 

I'm starting to think testing Day 8 when we go for herpes jab and then again maybe just before we leave, go on Day 11, and maybe wait around.  It won't be fool-proof but I don't think anything is, short of having the stud stay with us, which isn't possible...

Every testing schedule needs to be tailored to travel needs, using Sue's results as an example given your travel needs would have started to book travel on test two result and if possible test on day you leave for result on route. Ideally you need to pin point LH surge and work from there rather than testing to ovulation ( which in Sue's case was day 10 test ) so estimate 3-5 days to mating

Thanks sue , possibly did not explain it properly they send the test away the same day and because we are in Scotland it needs to be sent to England... But will ask around the local vets and see if anyone does do the same day results. If not will put it in the hands of their courier.

Yes I agree, I was in constant contact with the stud owner who lived only a 3 hr drive away. They only work to one mating and no boarding so I had to get the timing right. Now on day 20 post mating, morning sickness and slightly picky with food at the mo, fingers crossed

Have tried twice with the same stud dog. The breeder knows when her bitches are ready as her stud tells her but possible not in my bitch's case. They have connected several times. The signs are all there, tail etc.

Good luck . I will try again in summer , thanks

Thank you for your words . Will try a test or two then wait for results, fingers crossed it is just the dates that are too early , thank you. Will keep you all posted .

Thank you klb, we don't have far to travel only 1/2 hr. She was there for 3 days last time then 5 this time . Connecting most times.. So think it is the test we need.

Keep trying, a friends bitch wasn't ready until after day 20 of season, found out through testing (had 5 tests done on her), mated on day 21 and went on to have a healthy litter. Good luck for you.

Thank you . Will keep trying and will let you know in summer.

@klb - yes, I see that...  Although if we tested Day 8, we'd get result on Day 9 and only have 2 days to book ferry (and it would have to have availability) to travel Day 11....

Yes .. This is where knowing how likely it is to hit a problem with a short notice booking for ferry comes into play. If the ferry regularly sells out you may have to re think traveling on blood test results but this adds a lot of variability. I did loads of running short notice bookings through online booking systems to check availability and found there was no problem on routes I needed so wasn't too concerned about booking last minute

Great thanks!  It is all going to be a bit hair-raising and I promise to keep you all informed every step of the way.  You will all feel like you are personally delivering the puppies ;)