Hi everyone,

It’s my baby girls first litter and my first time delivering puppies in over 15 years so I’m a bit rusty and have not whelped this breed before.

She is currently on day 65 of her pregnancy from the first mating which was on 16/6/21, she was also mated on 18/6/21 and 20/6/21.

Should I be worried that there are no puppies yet? She is showing no signs of giving birth but I don’t want to leave her too long as the puppies are constantly growing and don’t want them to be too big for her to pass naturally.

Help!!

> I don’t want to leave her too long as the puppies are constantly growing and don’t want them to be too big for her to pass naturally.

This can always be the case when a litter just 'sits'.  I didn't let mine go more than 2 days over the due date, counting from the first mating even if conception didn't take place then, without involving my vet.

The trouble with doing more than 2 matings is it lengthens the time scale re the due date, provided the two (or even just one) mating was a good one (tie etc).

It's up to you of course but I think I'd be taking my vet's advice as to where she is in her pregnancy, assuming there is one!

I’m going to ring the vets at 9 just incase. I’ve been taking her the vets for a check up every few days cause she won’t let me take her temperature and I don’t want to cause her stress.

She’s just had two large bowel movements and been sick so I want to get her checked over anyway.

She was artificially inseminated all 3 times.

Thanks for your help!

>She was artificially inseminated all 3 times.

Why? Don't you want to select for dogs which can breed naturally in your breeding programme?

If you breed 3x without any progesterone, there's no easy way of knowing when she is due.

This is not a breeding programme, I’m only breeding as I wanted another and all the other puppies will be going to family. I chose AI as it is less traumatic for my girl.

Had her checked by the vet who said she has gone into stage 1 of labour now so puppies are on their way.  Since getting her home she has been showing all the usual signs of labour.

Thank you for all your help.

If you're breeding a dog, you have a breeding programme - whether you know it or not. Anyone who breeds is producing more dogs for future generations....

Why do you think a natural breeding is "traumatic"?! Sorry, but that's ridiculous. Mating is a natural and normal phenomenon and I think you'll find most dogs actually enjoy it. If a dog finds it so traumatic they can't do it, then perhaps such anxiety-beridden genes shouldn't be passed onto future generations and the dog should not be bred from at all.

Whatever next....

I think you need to take your unwanted opinion somewhere it’s appreciated as it clearly isn’t here.

I posted regarding my dog and weather I should be worried about her being overdue, not if you agree with my process.

Artificial insemination IS less traumatic for both the bitch and the dog. AI allows the semen to be studied to check for any abnormalities and it also stops the risk of STI’s spreading. I suggest you do research as even though it is perfectly natural to breed normally and I have nothing against it, it is up to the dogs owner how they CHOOSE to breed and to decide what is best for their own dog.

AI less traumatic than natural mating??  Whatever next? Was this done with veterinary supervision with fresh semen? The mind boggles if it wasn't, getting more & more like the US all the time

I don't wish to be rude but if you think a natural mating is traumatic how are you both going to cope with the whelping?

Well speaking as somebody who has done both, mainly because having made a 12 hour trip to the stud dog we wanted (in the middle of winter and having a collision with a snow-plough en route), he really wasn't interested, despite her being bang on, we had an AI done.  Collection from him to our bitch by his vet who made sure she was right on before he did the job, I can suggest a natural mating would have been way preferable.  No strange (top her) vet involved, for starters.  We just wanted to return home with 'something' hopefully there!

But it's a fact that in the States (not so much in Canada?) many stud dogs don't actually mate their bitches because the popular studs 'run the risk of infection'     I thought the UK KC frowned on A1 matings?

If anybody prefers to do an AI mating, that's up to them but I'd not support the 'less traumatic for dog/bitch'    If only our dogs could talk (to us!).

Elective CS.????

> Elective CS.????

Most probably.......

>I chose AI as it is less traumatic for my girl.

You are kidding, right? A natural mating does far more than simple insemination; it helps release the hormones needed to maintain a good pregnancy and assist in whelping. It's far better for both bitch and dog.

Exactly JG. Natural breedings also result in larger litter sizes than AI and more chance of pregnancy. The vaginal muscles contract to suck the semen where it needs to be. No AI does that.

As for trauma, a dog which doesn't want to be bred really can't easily be bred naturally. They have to consent and participate and stand. A dog which doesn't want to be bred can easily be AI-ed, it's no different to any other medical procedure.

Trauma in whose eyes?! If a dog can't be bred naturally because it's too traumatic, it begs the question whether they should be bred at all.

All these dodgy fertility companies that have sprung up use these excuses. "Less stressful for the bitch", "Higher success rate" etc, all excuses to a) sell their services and b) ensure their stud dogs can be used many more times than they would cope with naturally and c) make sure they can breed from their often exagerrated breeds. It's all about money, they don't care about the dogs, but they have the knack of sounding professional and convincing so people fall for it.

I've done AI a few times for visiting bitches for various reasons where I accepted the owner's request. Not routine and not without trying the natural way first and not without good reasons. And I can say this- give me a natural mating any day (usually in the pouring rain, back breaking long tie inside some bushes where you have to stand to make sure the dog and bitch are safe) because AI is a hundred times more stressful for the stud dog, the bitch, the dog owner and the bitch owner! Maybe that's because I don't do it 365 days a year like some, but I really do not like it!

> usually in the pouring rain, back breaking long tie inside some bushes where you have to stand to make sure the dog and bitch are safe) because AI is a hundred times more stressful for the stud dog, the bitch, the dog owner and the bitch owner

You want to try sitting on the ground with a big Basset bitch across your knees, guidine the male in and then bearing the weight of BOTH until the hoped-for tie ends.  How the Basset would survive without their humans, heaven knows ....... we did have one who helped himself, but he was rare!!  And we still had to have the bitch across our knees.

I'd have thought that breeding from dogs that aren't even interested in mating isn't ideal, surely?  Wouldn't you want to select for dogs that are willing and able to mate unaided, even if you still choose to help them for safety reasons?

Natural mating  is anything but traumatic if both are ready and willing.
It would only be TRAUMATIC if you are trying to force a mating with an bitch that isn't mentally ready to breed yet.
If matings traumatic welping will be a lot worse as she will most likely have no idea what's going on in there and freak out.