I have a bitch which I anticipate breeding from sometime in the future. The stud dogs that interest me are generally hundreds of miles away, the problem I have is that my bitch is a poor traveller, she becomes sick, has diarrhoea and becomes quite distressed when travelling, I am concerned she will miss if she subjected to a mating when in this condition.
The Idea of AI using chilled semen appeals to me as a way around this problem, but I would like to know:
How is transported? (will I need to collect it or is delivered by courier or even postie!)
Am I right in assuming it should be used on the day of obtaining from the stud?
Is AI something for a specialist vet to perform or can most Vets carry it out?
Is it performed under surgery or is it a simple procedure while the dog is awake?
What is the success rate?

Your advice would be appreciated

If you are in the UK you will not be able to use this method, or at least, not if you want to register the pups. The KC will not allow AI to be used if the dog and bitch are both resident in the UK. Using overseas dogs, only frozen semen is allowed to be imported.

Your best bet is to talk the stud dog owner into travelling to you instead of the conventional way of bitch going to dog.

Hello Quarryman

AI is indeed specialist territory - you need to contact someone like Prof. Gary England in Warwickshire, or Gill Averis in Leeds.

However, don't depair that your bitch may not travel - I had a bitch come to us from Cheshire (about 200 miles) the other week who was  notorious for being sick and miserable travelling.    She wasn't fed the morning she came, was indeed a bit sick on the first roundabout (they had a good supply of newspaper), but then eventually settled and actually seemed to enjoy the journey and looked out of the window.    She was served normally, and when she travelled back after her stay, she was just a little sick again.

So in spite of owners reservations, she wasn't too bad at all.

Anyhow, good luck, whatever you do

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Thanks for the answers, it looks like i'll have to stick to the tried and tested methods that nature intended!

By the way, why does the kennel club not allow registration of pups if both parents are U.K. residents?

I think it's because it's only a small country (so there's not the reason of 1000s of miles travelling) and so that people aren't encouraged to breed from dogs that can't mate naturally, due to poor libido etc. Perpetuating those genes signals the death knell for a breed. The thinking is, is they can't mate naturally, they shouldn't breed at all.
:)

Any ideas what the KC's standings are on using frozen sperm from a UK resident dog, but that is in fact dead??

I think the dog has to have been dead 15 years (though may be wrong).

I think it is that the dog will have had to ahve been born over 15 years earlier.

I'm sure you're right, Brainless. After all, nobody informs the KC when a dog dies. *slaps forehead at own stupidity*. I just knew 15 years came into it somewhere! :o

There is a form on the KC site which explains it all. Each application is considered separately but it does say applications will not normally be approved if:
a) bitch is 8+ or b) both dogs live in UK.

Hello Quarryman

your in some kind of problem I see personally I think it is about time the Kennel woke up to the AI proceedure yes you do have to permission from the KC. When using chilled semen it can keep upto 24/36 hours depending on the individual sperm from that dog it then has to be extended before chilling it  it is stored at around 4/5 degrees for the 24 hour period and it is crucial to make sure your bitch is ready. there 3 ways to AI in dogs the first one is inter vaginally where the catheter goes up to the cervex. the second way is by entering the cervex via a catheter and the newest proceedure is by means of a small operation and the semen is literally injected into the bitch. if you would like anymore info please drop me a line

good luck Top Dog