Hi,

We love our Staffordshire Bull Terrier so much and can't bear the thought of losing him one day.  We don't think he'll appreciate a puppy nipping around him so wondered if we could 'save' some of his sperm and 'breed' him when he has gone and we are ready for another?

Your comments would be really appreciated

Thanks

Jacq

Hi Jacq,

>We love our Staffordshire Bull Terrier so much and can't bear the thought of losing him one day<

We all feel like that about our dogs - if only they could go on forever :(  If he's your absolute dream boy the best thing you could do is go back to the same breeder you first got him from and ask if you can have a puppy closely related to him or if they know of anyone else they could recommend using the same lines at the time you're looking for a new addition.

>We don't think he'll appreciate a puppy nipping around him<

No offence intended, but if you're unsure of how he'd be with a puppy while he's around then perhaps his temperament is not best suited to being bred on from :(  If it's because he is now elderly and/or infirm then he's unlikely to be fertile anyway.

Whatever his age or health status now, love him and enjoy him for what he is - when you lose him he will be irreplaceable anyway but as suggested already, his relatives may be around and you can hopefully have a little bit of him that way.  Best wishes, Teri :)

There are rules for storing frozen sperm in the UK. The dog has to be dead for a stipulated time (I think it is 15 years) before it is used and I think maybe has had to have sired a litter before by natural means. I may be wrong about this as it is a good while since I researched it. Whatever the rules, however, it is a very expensive process and you would have to find a breeder who would be willing to go to the trouble and expense of having her bitch AI'd from a pet donor - which is very unlikely as it would be far cheaper to pay a stud fee in what is, after all a numerically high breed. All in all, I think you will find it is not feasible, and I cant see the few vets we have here that perform storage and AI agreeing to it from a dog which is of pet quality.

Actually Fillis, if I remember rightly the 15 year rule is from when the dog was born, not when it died ......... at least, I'm fairly sure it is.

M.

Yes, you're right, Marina - if the donor dog is dead, semen can only be used if the dog would have been at least 15 years old if still alive. Also evidence would have to be provided that the dog had previously sired litters naturally.

Oh, well, I was right that 15 years was in there somewhere!!! I do wish this country would get with it regarding AI though (but still think this case is a non-starter)

I think the other issue here is that a dog whos sperm is used after his death by AI would have to be an excellent breed example whos attributes would be lost to the breed otherwise in order for a bitches owner to go through the rigmarole of doing the proceedure....not just a loved family pet.
Archer

Is the 15 year rule exempt for sending frozen sperm overseas?  There is someone I know that advertises frozen sperm available to ship overseas.

That would come under the rules of the receiving country's Kennel Club.
:)

Thanks, I couldn't understand if the rule came from our kennel club or not.

Each country's "Kennel Club" will have it's own rules on whether you can register the offspring, I'm not sure if our KC would have any rules to apply to the sending of semen to another country, I don't think so.  Actually I don't think there is anything to stop someone doing this here, it is only the registering of the offspring that is affected by the KC rules there is no Government Ethics Commitee to get past ;)

May I also point out that even if possible this is a very expensive procedure. Would it not be possible to find out if the dogs breeder is still around and maybe buy a puppy that come from very close lines to you boy ,after he has past on.