What is the big deal about artificial insemination (AI)?  I don't get it.  Is there something harmful about it?  It is apparently forbidden in the UK, though it is recommended in the best breeding books as a perfectly reasonable alternative to mating the normal way, if necessary, and far preferable to nothing at all if the mating is simply not working.  Meaning, for example, a situation where the male and female try and try but just do not succeed.  I have a breeder friend in another European country who does an AI or two every time he mates a female, because, as he says:  "I know the stuff is where it has to be, and then I can let them just mate normally."  (This was when he had his own stud dog.)  I suppose this will be highly controversial, but I don't really see why it should be.

The problem is that if people routinely use ai instead of dogs maiting naturally or when they won't breed you run the risk of breeding from dogs who are unable to mate naturally due some problem. Which can lead to breed wide problems later on where the dogs just can't do it any more which for alot of people it's something all dogs should be able to do along with other natural behaviours.

This is one of the reasons the UK kc won't allow registration of litters done by ai without prior approval if both dogs are resident and alive in the UK unless the stud is an Irish wolfhound over 9 years old. You can use it if the stud is dead or lives outside the UK but only if it's not surgical implantation.

There are however people who do DIY at home jobs or have it done and don't say. I've been told of one person in a breed that has no conformation reason why they couldn't mate but their male at some point mist not have keen as they started doing ai. Now it's apparently common for dogs of that line being terrible studs and hard to breed but it's keep hush hush.

It's something that is open to abuse, when used well it isn't an issue but when there are some using it to get around having dogs with breeding issues it just carries on the problem to the next generation.

I'd rather a maiting any day. If the dogs don't have a confirmation, health or temperament issue preventing maiting (and keeping in mind UK isn't as big as other countries that may take days to get to a stud) why use ai? If the bitch is ready and the stud knows what to do (one reason people advise  using an experanced with novice dog not two novices) the result is no diffrent than using ai, sperm there at the right time. If the bitch isn't ready yet you can ai all you like but if the sperm die off before her eggs are ready or your too late and her eggs are no longer viable you won't get a litter.

The bit about Irish wolfhounds over the age of 9 has been mentioned a couple of times with AI. Why is it only permitted with them?

I'd guess maby as they don't have the best life expectancy the kc have made an allowance for old males to be used who may no longer be up to the task but have lived longer? But I don't know you would have to email them and ask, can't find a reason on the kc site other than its allowed for wolfhounds over 8.5

In the UK, I believe, rightly or not, it's felt if a mating can't be achieved the normal way, then it's not meant to be.   It isn't totally banned - in breeds with a small gene pool, it is accepted/allowed (might be different now because it's been a long time since we were breeding actively).    But I think you have to jump through hoops to get KC agreement.   Coming from Canada, I tended to go with the idea of if it wasn't happening naturally, and the bitch was right on, then by all means collect semen and get it in where it should be.   We did exactly that with a male we travelled from Toronto down to just outside Philidelphia to use.   She (UK bred!) was dead keen - he was .... just NOT AMERICAN!!!   In fact she got so fed up with him that she uttered a visible sigh, and sat down with her back to him.    That told him about what she thought about him!    The next morning we took them both to their vet who checked her, and then made a collection from him, checked it (it all seemed normal) and AI'd her.   We did try again that evening but he wasn't really interested, so we came home, in hope.    She had two puppies, one DOA so we went back with more success  - 5 puppies.   And they were good at that.

I know of many popular stud dogs in America especially who never mate their bitches naturally - to help prevent the risk of infection!   It may happen in the UK, more than is admitted - but often only those involved know!

I've been looking at stud dogs on Pets 4 homes and happened to come across doodle breed the owners use him mostly by AI, how do they get away with this is it because the pups aren't KC registered?

> how do they get away with this is it because the pups aren't KC registered?

Yep, it's not against the law it's against KC Policy, in order to prevent the loss of natural instincts and traits, and perpetuating breeding from dogs who are physically or mentally unable to mate.

Same as the KC has decided it won't allow registration of another litter after a bitch has a second C section, as dogs should at least still be bred to mate and give birth naturally.

Mating whelping and puppy rearing traits are quite strongly inherited.

Males with poor Libido are likely to produce sons who are the same, as are poor mothers likely to produce poor mothers.

it would depend why a normal mating "wasn't working"--the bitch could have an undetected stricture and could lose the litter without a C-section.

> I've been looking at stud dogs on Pets 4 homes and happened to come across doodle breed the owners use him mostly by AI, how do they get away with this is it because the pups aren't KC registered?

Yep.   It's basically because any of the 'doodles, are not 'recognised breeds' and so not KC registered, so basically the KC could care less!!!

The KC are quite odd ib their approach. Have strict regulations with AI yet they wont make it mandatory that certain health tests in all breeds are done before a litter is registered. That to me makes much more sense.