We have been here before and I still have that dread deep in my stomach that I may have a dominant bitch that is preventing my other girl from successfully carrying a litter.
Having spoken at length to a number of breeders in different breeds, it does appear that there may be some validity to my concerns.
http://www.wolfhouse.dk/sociobiologyofreproduction.html explains why or how this may occur and I am struggling now to think of ways to keep my girls separate for the next 6 weeks. I cannot send the dominant bitch away as she too is currently in season and I have no where to send her in any case. My boy has been packed off to my sister as this is the 1st time all of my girls have synced up and it just wasn't fair to keep him here when he wasn't going to 'get his jollies on' whilst all these hormones are rife!
My bunch all live indoors, the girls all sleep in our bedroom and my boy sleeps in the hall.
My question is, do I need to and how do I separate these girls? Do I do it throughout the day/night or all the time? Currently, without the presence of my boy, they have taken to cover each other and seem to be content in each other's company but I have seen the dominant girl eyeballing the other and don't want this to escalate or stress her out. I have been treating them both the same - no special privileges, one is in a crate at night - still in the same bedroom but covered over and alternating between who is in and who is out. Although, I think it may be better to put the non bred bitch in there in case it stresses the one that has been bred out......Arrrgggg! so much going on in my head and we are only 2 days post 2nd mating!
P.s Rabid, Good luck for travelling tonight. Fingers crossed for you and hope it all goes well tomorrow.
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