Hi, 
I have just mated my bitch for the first time.  I am very unexperienced - have only bred cats before!  I just wondered if it is usual to only mate them once.  I have read on here about two matings, or even three, but this stud owner only offered the one.  Does this mean it is less likely to work?  Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

It may work as even slip matings can work but why did your stud dog owner only offer one?
The owner of the stud dog we used insisted on us taking our dog 3 times.

Hi,

No, it does not mean it is less likely to work. Though hopefully this breeder has offered you another free mating if your GSD did not fall. Most breeders will offer 3 tries from a proven stud. I won't go into all the what's to look for etc. if you check out the site you will find plenty of posts on this and hopefully you will soon have the pitter, patter of tiny feet. (These ones won't purr though!)

I don't know.  It's just the way they do it.  They seemed knowledgable - the family has been breeding for 26 years, and they currently have 3 stud dogs.  But I'm worried now that my chances of it working will be less, and also it could give less puppies.

Thanks Lyssa.  Yes, they have said I can go back free of charge if it doesn't work.  I am very excited!!

To be honest I think it is a case of getting the timing right as a bitch will only stand for a stud if she is ready and if her body is telling her it is ready so as this was obviously the case so I too think you will be hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet soon so I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Keep us updated and the very best of luck!!!!!!!

Thank you very much.  I will let you know!  The mating went very well.  She stood nicely and they tied for about 15 minutes.  The stud dog owner said it had gone very well, so fingers crossed.  Would the one mating affect the number of pups, do you think?

My girl was mated once on her 11th day with a 15 min tie and the breeder/stud owner seemed to think this was a good mating and I suppose she should know.   This was just over 5 weeks ago and although she is showing signs we're keeping fingers crossed at the moment.  Good luck.

sarah

Many people do just one mating, I prefer 2.

My girl was mated the once on day 12 and had 8 pups, so repeats aren't necessary as long as you are certain of her dates.

Good luck

My girl was also mated just the once on day 12 and had 8 pups (spooky), I did take her back to the Stud on day 14 and he wasn't interested, so I think it is more down to timing.

my bitch was also mated once on day 12 and had 8 puppies( all sold )4 boys 4 girls which was nice. not bad for her first litter.good luck with your dog.

My first litter (10 pups) was the result of a single mating. If you get the timing right, it's all that's needed.
:)

no it wont affect the number of puppies- a bitch has the same amount of eggs however many times shes mated

Thank you Dedlin.  I didn't realise that.  I only took her yesterday, but am already counting the days! 

Most Cav people do 2 I think, but it might be different in other breeds. If you only took her yesterday and you really desperately want to try for a 2nd mating, give the stud dog people a ring - if you caught her early yesterday, she could still be ready tomorrow. :-)

If I was unable to travel again then I would be happy with oen mating if the timing seemed right, but I certainly wouldn't be happy iof the stud owner was unwilling to let me ahve at least a second mating to covber all bases in case the timing wasn't quite right to maximise chances of a litter.

A lot of stud dogs aren't keen on mating the same bitch twice.  I suppose in the wild a dog would want to spread his genes around as many bitches as possible, not keep on mating the same bitch.  I once had 12 puppies from one 9 minute tie.  As it was a 5-hour each way journey to get the bitch mated I didn't want to have to do it twice anyway.  If I am sure the bitch is at the right time, I am quite happy with one mating.

Well all the studs I have ever known have wanted to amte the bitch for as long as she would allow, that would be every day for five days if allowed, though every second day if travelling, or 3 days in a row if visiting would be more the norm.

Last time I travelled to a popular stud, it took 2 hours to persuade him to mate my bitch once, and then I think he only did it to be polite because she obviously fancied him like mad!  I told the owner I obviously wouldn't bother with a second mating and he said he won't mate the same bitch twice anyway. 

Speaking to friends it seems quite a few of the more popular dogs get like this as they get more experienced.  Almost as if they have enough bitches that they decide to save themselves for fresh faces!!

i have always done two with my bitches and my stud dog again did two has well

not mate the same bitch twice????!!!!   my bitch was happily mated by experienced stud dog on 3 occasions and each time he didnt even bother to say hello- he was straight on to it in seconds!

Thank you very much for all your help.  I will let you know the outcome!  Since it happened the day before yesterday, she has been really whining a lot and wanting loads of attention.  Maybe she's missing her boyfriend - makes me sad to think of the way it happens really - they do the business and then that's the end of it!  :-(

>Since it happened the day before yesterday, she has been really whining a lot and wanting loads of attention.  >Maybe she's missing her boyfriend - makes me sad to think of the way it happens really - they do the business >and then that's the end of it!

Hi Jayne, have a sneaky suspiscion I know you -do I??? Seeing as you're in cats. My GCCF prefix is Blondbella so if you forget the Goldmali bit (KC one) you might know me??

Anyway, wanted to share a little story that I thought was sweet. My bitch was mated in February, had pups in April. A few weeks ago, in September, she met the stud dog again for the first time since being mated. Now she does NOT like dogs other than dogs in her own household -it's a breed thing really, not very friendly with dogs they don't know well. But when she saw THIS one, it was like WOW!!! THERE HE IS!!! They both went NUTS playing and jumping around and were SOO happy it was amazing to see. They clearly remembered each other and nothing but nothing could have taken their concentration away from each other, nothing else on earth existed. It must be love. :D

Aahh that's a lovely story.  I like to think it means something to them - sad to think it doesn't isn't it.

I don't think you would know me - it was quite a few years ago that I bred cats.

Nice to meet you now tho  :-)