Hi there everyone!
I have a 3 year old male Dachshund and he's never sired a litter before, this is his first time.

On Sunday we picked up a bitch who her owners said was on day 9 of her heat. Got back to my place and she was very willing, flagging, flirting, etc.. He gave it a couple really good cracks and twice he was very close to tieing but for some reason jumped off. It is now Wednesday and he's completely lost interest in her, she's still flagging and flirting and he's grooming her as well as licking her but not even trying to mount anymore. He won't allow us to help him at all as we let them have a crack on Sunday and after they failed to tie twice we tried helping but he'd just jump off.
She's quite swollen and I've noticed that she seems to have slowed up her bleeding.
I'm worried its too late and shes coming off heat but I'm so confused with his behaviour.
I also own a female (who is staying with my parents atm) and when she came on heat before she was spayed he was absolutely crazy and uncontrollable but with this bitch he is completely uninterested?
Am I stressing too much? Could it be too late? Or even too early?
I've tried to get answers from Google but it's just been the same useless stuff!

I'd imagine that Dachsies are almost as difficult to mate as my Bassets were - do you have another Dachshund breeder you can enlist to help.  We had a good friend who we took our male to, meeting up with the bitch/owner at her place and ten to one, she got a mating.  We gave her a percentage of the stud fee.

Did he penetrate because even without a tie, he may have achieved what was required.  Slips can be successful, provided there is penetration.

I wonder if the reason for jumping off was because he felt pain (Dachshund backs)?  And he didn't want that again so he's not even trying now.  It does sound as if she may have gone over although when mine got a mating, they 'lost interest' too.

Unfortunately no one close by and I feel by the time we would be able to travel it would be too late!

He fully penetrated twice and was so close to tieing (I'm talking about maybe 2cm off) but I'm still not 100% sure. I'm hoping its the case!

I did have him vet checked beforehand and he's perfectly healthy but in saying that I suppose that doesn't 100% show that he gets pain in that mounting position.
I'm hoping a slip mating happened or she might not be 100% ready. I'm just worried we haven't been successful and its now too late!

Would you suggest trying to seperate over night as I've let them run together from Sunday?
He's still licking her and she's still swollen but nothing else.

I wouldn't let them run together at all; keep them entirely separate and only let them meet once a day in the morning for a mating, to keep the interest keen. If they don't mate at all within half an hour, separate them and try again after a few hours. Monitor them at all times when they're together, and never leave them unattended.

Thank you!

The owner of the bitch told me she wanted them to run together the whole time but a lot of people with the same problem have said to seperate them.
We've just seperated them and will keep with seperate till the morning and try again.

> <br />The owner of the bitch told me she wanted them to run together the whole time

Yikes.  I'd never leave them free together unsupervised.  What if he achieved a tie and she struggled to get away.  That could result in serious injury, to one or both!

Thanks! Understand that, when unsupervised they've been in a confined space.

So will I keep the seperate overnight and reintroduce in the morning? Will I keep doing that till she goes home?

>So will I keep the seperate overnight and reintroduce in the morning? Will I keep doing that till she goes home?

Yes, keep them in different rooms so they can't even see each other. This is definitely a case where 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'!

If she is still very swollen I'd say she's not ready.

From her behaviour I assume she is not a maiden?

Many bitches that have had litters before are total tarts, and will often flirt and stand early, or throughout most of the season.

Usually the bitch is ready when the vulva has softened.

It's not a good idea to use two maiden dogs together, so if she is also a maiden as well as it being your dog's first time, that spells trouble. Ideally you want at least one dog knowing what to do....!

Ditto to Brainless, exactly what I was going to say -it sounds like she isn't ready yet, not that she has gone over.

Thanks for the reply but she's had two litters previously.

I'm only going off what the bitches owner has told me. She's very persistant that she was ready on Sunday.
He's showing interest now we've separated them last night. Another close tie again but I don't think she's ready as she's spinning around when he's penetrating her.

> she's spinning around

I always have the bitch owner hold her steady, let them play and flirt but as soon as the dog mounts her then just hold her head or collar to make sure she doesn't spin round.

Thank you, we live in different cities so the bitch has come and stayed at our house. My partner can help. He gave it a really good go this morning but I had to guide him in and hold her head at the same time. I have found holding behind his bulb helps alot get him closer to the tie.

You can guide him to the right spot but then once he's in (doing the climbing the ladder movements) you should clamp on behind him, and round her back legs and hold him in place until they are tied. I had to do this with my borzoi boys or they would always pull out again. Have your partner hold the girl and you assist him. A good stud dog handler will never have a slip mating.

He won't allow anyone to make any movements after he starts penetrating her, he just jumps off and I'm guessing it due to lack of experience and he's nervous.
I hold her head and onces he's in I hold him in but can't quite get a full tie. He stops just as they are about to tie, maybe he thinks he's finished?

once he's in (doing the climbing the ladder movements)

Just to add, some dogs (well at least one I own!) do this movement even if they are not in and end up tying outside the bitch so unfortunately it's a case of always having to check. The dog will act like he's tied and it's not until he gets off the bitch's back to turn round that you realise he was nowhere near her.

> it's a case of always having to check.

I always do anyway, while holding them in the right place I reach round the front of the bitches back leg to feel if he is actually inside, or at least I did with the borzois. Thankfully silkens just do it all themselves, though I could do without the 2 hour tie!

I think if the bitch has had 2 litters before and not had any issues previously with mating but this time is jumping and spinning around, that you are probably too early...

Can you not take her to the vet for progesterone just to check where she's at? You don't want to force her if she is not ready, but if on the other hand she is ready but just protesting, then you need to know that too so you can hold her firmly (maybe two of you) so she can't whip around.

Usually touching or handling the male's penis in any way just puts them off. I'd focus on holding the female for him and lining up her vulva if you want to help...