I'm needing a bit of reassurance!
Our bitch Josie is in season.  On day 11 took her to see our breeder and she thought she looked like she was getting ready.  Day 12 we drove down to the stud dog, she wasn't ready, was having none of it and did some growling.  Day 14 went down again, she was happy to be flirted with but as soon as the stud dog put a paw on her, she told him off.
We then rang a pig scanner, who was in that area.  He scanned her ovaries, said she hadn't ovulated and wouldn't until Monday, day 18.  He suggested trying her with a dog over the weekend, to see if she will stand (which I don't feel confident with at all!) but definately wouldn't be ready before Monday.
Just came back from a friends who also has a bitch in season, day 19.  Josie happily flirted with her, stood for her and quite happily let her self to be mounted several times.
Before I bother my breeder again, just wondered is this normal, are bitches often more co operative with other bitches or should I be rushing half way down the country again?
Also her discharge has gone much lighter and thinner today, it had alot of colour yesterday, although it was lighter days 11 and 12.

If she was mine, I'd get her to the vet ASAP & have her tested to see if she's ready, rather than leave it too late.
If she was willing to stand for a bitch, she's quite likely ready.

Hello, we have just had two matings with our girl, these were on day 19 and 21, so fingers crossed! Good luck with your girl!
Eavie

My bitch was a late one too, day 20, so its not uncommon, good luck hope all goes well

In my breed Spanish Water Dogs day 18 is the norm!  Or it has been for most of my girls anyway.  Bit scary at the time but it's always worked out OK.

My last litter was matings on day 17 and 18 and we had 8 pups. :)

Thank you all, I'm feeling a tiny bit more confident for Monday!
What about the standing for the other bitch?  Could it be because she knows her or does anyone else think if she's standing for a bitch she'll stand for the stud?

I wd. take her this weekend if you could.  Won't the owner of the stud keep her at all?  Just an idea. 

The stud owner has 2 other dogs and has no kennels, so that's not possible.  The stud owner knows the guy who did the ovary scan, he does loads in our area and is known for his accuracy, so she trust him.  She definately wasn't ready yesterday, wasn't standing for the dog.  She'd let him lick her then wonder off.

I am not very knowledgeable, but can I relate a story that I know of someone in Labs.  She had a litter from her bitch but didn't keep a pup.  The pups turned out so nice that she decided to mate her again.  Never managed to get her in whelp.  Eventually her Vet said that they would pre-mate her from the first day she came in season.  Panic stations when the Vet said go on Day 3!.  She ended up in whelp.  What I'm trying to say is, this business of Day 12-14 is often a fallacy.  Bitches are ready, when they are ready. Try not to panic.

Good luck

my bitches will stand to be mounted by bitches (each other) long before they will stand for the man!

A simple premate test would save a lot of time and hassle. Never mind the fuel.

I have a bitch who won't be mated before day 16 and will then stand for mating until day 25.  A day 19/20 mating has got her in whelp both times.  In my breed day 11/12 is the norm and her mum was perfectly "normal".  She is just a bit odd that way.  If I didn't have stud dogs at home to use as testers I would never have known.

i have never had luck with premate test just spent lots in fuel in dashing off when they said "ready" on day 11  found my bitch had days to day 20 before she would entertain the dog, guess its down to experience, same with bitches coming to my male on the premate, he never agreed with it and often the owners ended up driving back and forth or staying a week before she was ready!  i tend to trust the stud dog if he is experienced, or any male dog generally knows when the bitch is ready better than any test.. plus your girl will "wink" at him and there will be no question of her being ready, trust your girl and stud dog, they know best..

Sandy couldn't disagree with you anymore if possible. An Experience dog can be a good indication but a huge percentage of the time he will mate a bitch before or after.  I have had 100% success with the tests. I wouldn't ever travel any great distance without doing one. To be honest I do the cytology slides then I do a premate or more to get the date right.  A dog will mate a bitch with a infection just because he has got it wrong.  Loads and loads of pyometra cases a few weeks after mating and the bitch wasn't having a real season.

In fact one of my bitches who has colourless season stood for 7 days before the correct day AND my dog would have mated her if I let him they whole 7 day.

The blood test for me works evertime.  Everyone that I know who uses them and does them correctly has 100% success. I can't honestly rate them high enough.

The only time I have seen poor results is if the person hasn't followed through with all the tests. One of my freinds has used these tests for 15 years.

I think it is actually near impossible for the test to say she is ready unless she is as the hormone has to peak before ovulation can take place. The body cannot fake this hormone.  The best time with the tests is a peak reading then a white reading 2 days later this shows that ovulation has taken place approx the previous 24 hours.

Where people often go wrong is the get to stage 2 mate the bitch but then don't know if it took 4-5 days to go from stage 2-3. The dog misses the person blames the test.

(not on commission but an impressesd customer ) ;-)

BFN