I have noticed so many posts recently for bitches that are whelping after 63 days. It used to be a pretty rare occurance, but the the incidence ( on CDogs anyway) seems to be increasing? Does anyone else think so? Over the last few years I have also noticed that bitches are also ready later and later in ther seasons. It used to be quite normal for me to mate a bitch at 10/11 days, but that hardly ever happens now, its more like 13 days for a first mating and I have had several not ready til 16/17 days in the last 5 years or so. 20 years ago I dont remember ever  mating a bitch after 14 days? I have also found that on the whole there is more variation with the timing of seasons, more of mine  have a 5 month cycle wheras it was more commonly 6-7 months?
Any thoughts peoples?

My last litter were born on day 66 after a single mating.  She had a prolonged season, so when we got her mated on what we thought was day 18 she was probably really only about day 12 and conceived several days after mating hence the late pups and small litter.

I would agree, the most likely day in oru breed for bitches to stand is now day 15 to 18.  Is it that we are bvetter at spotting the first day of a season than people were years ago, don't really think so.

I have had all my bitches have more frequent seasons when they first start cycling gradually coming into around a 27 week interval.

My youngest bitch is worrrying me a bit over this as she had a season at 8 months, then another full blown one 16 weeks later, the third 20 weeks later and now one only 18 weeks later.  On the last occasion we did have an in season bitch come and stay for over a week to be mated so that may have brought her in early.  It did help bring Mum in after 27 weeks this time, whereas she had been two months late the previous season.

I am wondering if pheremones and chemicals around us are affecting our bitches as in general we have our dogs livign in much closer quarters with us than people used to.  They say the human birth control pill is affecting our water supply because it is shed into sewage.

I've noticed that too. Not so much the timing between seasons; even though it's been several years since I had an entire bitch, they kept the regular 8-month gap all the time. But when we bred my first litter back in 1976 the bitch was mated once on day 11 and had a good-sized litter (10) on day 63. For my last litter in 1999 the bitch was mated on days 18 and 20 and had her small litter (5) on day 68 from the first mating.

I wonder if bitches who drink rainwater have larger litters than those who drink tap water?

I have noticed aswell that my bitches seasons are getting longer and they seem to be mating later into their seasons. One of my bitches mated on day 8 and concieved on that day 2 years ago and this time we are on day 17 and still trying. I have found that they seem to mate earlier when they are younger and then as thay get older their seasons seem a bit more prolonged and they mate later.I also find that the spring and summer seasons are a bit longer and heavier than the winter ones.

             Paxo