I have my first bitch I was hoping to mate at this season. She first started last Wednesday night so 6 days at the earliest, 7 days of counting from the Thursday (the first full day). We're wondering when to mate her as she's virtually stopped bleeding and flirting / starting to move her tail for our castrated boy. This seems way too early and he's not even battering an eyelid (normally does when it's the right time in her season).

Not sure whether to trust the castrated boy or the the bitch ??? We were planning on taking her to the stud dog Saturday (day 10 / 11) but now not so sure and don't want to miss the right time !!!

She could be ready now, it certainly happens, but she could also be flagging just for her neutered friend. I see this all the time with my bitches. They will start flagging for their friends days before they will for the entire males. I've also had neutered dogs mate and tie with in season bitches, and again almost always before the bitch would accept being mated by an entire dog. The entire dogs are usually much more accurate at determining the right time, than neutered ones are. I.e., I would not trust either your bitch OR the neutered dog. You could blood test (I have never done this personally, I've always trusted the male dogs, and have never had a mated bitch not get pregnant) or you could go and visit the selected stud dog sooner and see how he reacts.

Thanks for that, our boys weren't castrated until 3 years old and had been around a couple of in season bitches, whilst they don't bother much, one can be rampant when she's at the peak of her season but neither are paying her any attention, just her being a madam with them ! I just get the feeling if they're showing no interest then a stud dog wouldn't either but also don't want to mate her late!

As this is your first attempt at breeding, I would take her for a blood test so you know exactly where she is in terms of ovulation, unless the stud dog you're intending to use is within easy travelling distance and handler is willing to let you try regularly - good luck

Whether you go early and find it is too early would, I suggest, depend on your journey to the stud dog.  And if it's a distance, whether the owner of the stud dog would board your bitch until she gets success.  From one who prefers to use what the stud dog is telling me than either the bitch or testing!!   We've only had one miss with our bitches and that dog proved to be infertile (missed to all the others who tried to use him!!).

If timing is important, progesterone testing at the vet is the only way to determine the correct time.  Some bitches flirt throughout their season but will only mate on certain days.  Some bitches will mate throughout their season but obviously are only fertile on certain days.

Sorry to say but if you are just realising this now your bitch is in season, are you really fully prepared to whelp and raise a litter?  There is not really much time to research things in the process....

Thanks for the replies and yes we have experience of helping to raise several litters its just the bitch isn't like her mother or grandmother who would only stand when ready around day 11-13 for both of them. My girl will start around day 5 or 6 which I would say is too early as no dogs are interested (from her previous 4 seasons we have to separate our boys from her at day 10-14), but on the season it matters I just didn't want to get it wrong and miss any early signs but she could just be being a flirt a couple of days early for her pals !
We were originally going to take her on Saturday (day 10) to the stud dog who is a bit of a journey but think will try Friday now.

Some dogs will stand and mate from the start of the season but are not fertile until day 15 or take your pick of day, really! 

Her behaviour has zero correlation to when she is ready.  Really the only way to know, is via progesterone.  The majority of misses are due to owners going to the stud too early... so be warned!!!  If I were you, I'd do a blood test.  I'd rather progesterone test and have the information to plan travel around than guess work...

> My girl will start around day 5 or 6 which I would say is too early

Wrong.  I would normally rely on my top stud dog to let me know that one of my girls is ready.  (Then disappoint him as I raced off to my chosen sire.)

He had never let me down and got it right every time.  But one bitch was a total puzzle, and we had reached the stage that it was this season, or a spay.  Talking to my vet we agreed that we would progesterone test from the very first sign of a season.  With no blood and a slight swelling of the vulva we tested every day.  She ovulated on day 4.  So don't think it cannot happen.  As things went I had my bitch spayed as I didn't want to breed a line with doubtful fertility.

And....  I had a bitch mated on day 28, and, as it was not a planned mating I asked my vet for the jab.  He told me that it wasn't possible for her to be pregnant.

She whelped a huge litter (for the breed) of 7 healthy, lively puppies.  So don't believe too much what "the book" says.  Most bitches have never read "the book."