
I had a bitch here to mate to a friends dog. She had been tried by her breeder with a different male on two previous seasons, and this was to be a last attempt to prove to her owner it probably wasn't to be.
> and according to the progesterone test we did last Thursday (on day 12), she should now be ovulating.
Like you they had tried one progesterone test and mated based on likely progress of season, not confirmation that ovulation had occurred.
Bitch was very keen, had been so on previous seasons from about day 10, she was now on day 14. My friends male (that I bred and had him come here when he was used) tried mating her, but to me his efforts seemed half hearted.
On day 16 I took her to the vets whose opinion was that there was no way a dog would be able to mate her as digital examination she found she could barely get the digit in to her first knuckle (medium size breed of around 19kg).
I took her home with all intentions to let the owner and breeder of the bitch know according to vet she was unamateable for some reason.
Let her out in the garden next day, and the boy went with her and mated her within seconds!!! He had shown no interest the day before.
So I would say that she is later ovulating than the early prediction from the progesterone test would indicate, and your male knows what he is about, and she probably will not be ready until around day 18 like last time.
One of my bitches was never mated before day 18, and her daughter and granddaughter days 16+.
And yes the Vulval swelling does need to soften to make mating possible/easier/comfortable.