Hi All,
Looking for some advice please. I have a well proven stud, he's good at his job and successfully ties with bitches. I've been doing this for two years so experiences first time ladies plenty of times and always manage to get the stud in deep enough to hold a decent tie.
We have a lady staying with us, she's been progesterone tested and she's ready. She stands fine and flags her tail. Stud will mount happily and get the job done, goes as deep as possible. but she isn't contracting her muscles around his knot, causing him to just fall out. The owner wants a video of them tied, but this is impossible when the bitch won't pulse around him. He's done his business now so will try again tomorrow but thinking I might have to AI the bitch instead
Anyone had this before? Any ideas?
Thanks

Sounds as if what's going on there is, for some readon, a slip tie in which case that shouldn't rule out the mating being successful.   One of my stud boys never tied with his bitches but the fellow-breeder we used for his stud appointments (we gave her a percentage of his fee), held him in for a while and then once he was out, upended the bitch!   Oh and he only missed to one bitch who came back and used our other male next time - missed again to him and then went to another male and ..... missed again.  Clearly she wasn't meant to be a mum.

I'd suggest you do what my friend did and hold him in (if he'll let you, some dogs get upset if interferred with !) and then, upend the bitch.   I don't think I'd go for AI necessarily.  Where in the world are you because was a time that the UK KC frowned on AI mating (if they knew!!).

I thought if the bitch wouldn't hold a tie then she is not quite ready.. but as you say shes had her bloods done... although i always wonder how accurate this testing is if machine not calibrated

Have you checked her internally? One of mine years ago was ready (bloods, standing, and experienced male v interested !!) turns out she had a stricture and therefore physically couldn’t tie as he couldn’t get deep enough. AI wouldn’t have worked as the stricture was a full stricture not partial…would’ve also been a worry had she gotten pregnant and delivering etc. So definitely worth checking inside specifically if she’s maiden.

One of my girls is very steep internally and in order for her to fall pregnant the male had to be held in place, took 3 of us with 2 large breeds, 1 holding the bitch, 1 the male and the other holding him in place.
This was done for both her litters, 2 different males

AI is worth considering again if you can on top of natural.

She was checked by a repro vet after missing twice to make sure no strictures and was confirmed fine and no issues that should prevent a tie.