I have 2 female cocker spaniels and one male ( not related and compatible for mating).  Both bitches have had a season but the dog has been unsucessfull in his endevors.  He tried tirelessly to do the deed but only managed to wear him self out. 

When my first bitch went to an experienced stud dog the owners took her away and only took me into the room when the pair had tied.  Is there any tips or advice which would encourgae or assist the dogs in sucessful mating?

Firstly just because a dog and bitch are unrelated doesn't make them compatible. You state that both bitches have had a season, is this their first? If so then you need to pull up a bit. It is unwise to mate bitches on their first season as they are usually far too young and still babies themselves, this can also apply to the stud dog. Secondly if they are young then you cannot have undertaken any of the relevant health checks (a cocker person can tell you what they are more so than me) as most of these need to be done when they are well over a year. Thirdly having 2 litters at a time is unwise as you really cannot devote the attention to both litters and their is a big risk of cross contamination. I know of people who have lost litters when one when down with an infection and it was transferred to the other litter.
I feel you need to do a little more research before you embark on a breeding career. Dogs aren't commodities they are living beings and you should only ever breed with the sole intention of improving the breed.

Jesse

Simply being unrelated doesn't mean that they are compatible for mating. A total outcross like that can be a recipe for disaster.

And as we say all the time, mating dogs is not just putting two dogs together, assuming both dogs have been tested and fall within the standard required by the breed clubs, you will still need the help of someone experienced in the mating of dogs to help with the actual act, if injury to the bitch or dog is not to occur.

Stud work is only easy when Fido the mongrel gets over the fence! :D

Before starting I'm assuming that as Jackie H says, the pair have had the appropriate tests, are both good examples according to the Breed Standard  and that their pedigrees and good & bad points make a mating between them sensible.

Now how to put this without being crude? :) ;) Make sure that the bitch is receptive before you get them together. If the dog has been bothering her before she is ready to stand it may put her off the whole business. Let the bitch relieve herself then lubricate her vulva with baby oil (not vaseline which is spermicidal: KY jelly is usually OK but it also reduces sperm motility). Now introduce the two on leads. Let them flirt a little, but not for too long otherwise the dog will tire himself out or do what you want but in the wrong place and the bitch may get fed up with him. Now that the preliminaries are over you should have two people. One stays at the bitches head, steadies her in a comfortable position and reassures her. The other person is beside or behind the dog. The people should be in a comfortable position too. Kneeling would probably work for small dogs. The dog should sniff and lick the bitches' vulva and then try to mount her. He may attempt to get on from the side, in which case the dog manager gently shifts him round. Nature has arranged things so that the male thrusts and the female should position herself for him but with two maidens they often don't get it right. When the dog is thrusting the dog manager should put her hand close to the bitches vulva, either by reaching through the dog's hind legs or from the side in front of one of the bitches' back legs. She should then be able to feel the tip of the dog's penis as he thrusts and position the vulva properly. At the same time she guides the dog's penis with spare fingers or if there is room with the other hand. If the bitch tries to sit down or move to the side, the bitch manager should control her position. This can be quite a job with big breeds but I imagine it is relatively easy with small ones. Once good contact has been made nature will usually take over for you and the pair will tie. After a short time the dog will dismount, with his forelegs to the side of the bitch while his pelvis still straddles her. Many people turn the dog at this stage by lifting one hind leg over her back but until he shows signs of wanting to turn himself, I think it is easier and safer to let them stand side by side. It is important that both dogs are kept under control while they are tied for violent separation can injure one or both. At the end of the tie they will begin to move apart. There is usually some yelping from the dog and sometimes the bitch but the separation should only last a few seconds. It is traditional to elevate the bitches' hindquarters for 10 minutes or so after the mating though imo it isn't necessary. It is also traditional not to allow her to urinate for 2 hours but again I doubt that this makes much difference. Check that the bitch is OK. She should be comfortable and looking quite pleased with herself. The dog is going to be uncomfortable until his tackle is back where it should be. He will have a 'John Wayne' walk for a minute or two after which his penis should withdraw completely into the sheath. This is often delayed and it causes him pain. It can also be dangerous for if the penis dries it becomes very difficult for it to retract. A clean spray bottle that has been filled with water and left in the fridge usually helps things along. If that doesn't work, lubricate with baby oil and if necessary you can tug gently at the long hairs at the prepuce.

Alternatively if you are willing to travel e-mail or PM me and I can put you in contact with a man who is brilliant at stud work and often does difficult matings for breeders who are themselves quite experienced.

HTH

interesting to read the above. have been breeding dogs for 25 years and have never had to "assist" a male dog in any way whatsoever, apart from help himlift his leg over if he's having trouble and a pat on the head to say "well done"!. obviously if you are inexperienced it helps to have an experienced person on hand to advise you etc, but really!!! dogs have been managing to mate successfully for thousands of years without any human intervention!!! nature has a very good way of giving male dogs the instinct to mount, thrust and successfully execute a tie with a bitch, without any help or interference from humans, other than perhaps a little encouragement if he seems hesitant