Just had to tell everyone that Ronja, the bitch in Finland that we served with AI has just been scanned in whelp with at least nine!    I'm so excited as if it were the first time pups had ever been conceived - silly, isn't it.   It was such a lot of work and paperwork at both ends.   Can't wait for pups to be born - I've always been to see our litters - maybe a trip to Finland is called for!

Edited to say all spoken for!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Was this fresh chilled semen, or frozen?

It was fresh chilled, taken by Gary England.   Travelled very well, so they say, on a hot day here - I was so worried!

They have frozen some over there as well - remains to be seen if that will be viable.

Silly, but I'm tickled pink!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Um, tell me to shut up but................
How do you get a semen sample from a dog?????????? Does the vet have to do something?????
Sorry it intrigues me......... I know how human bloke do it, but not the same thing as dogs.
Sorry, shouldnt really ask, but thought it when I have heard of Cows and goats beiong AI but never had the chance to ask.
Lea :)

I was told that they usually have a bitch in heat and don't allow the male to penetrate but guide him into something else, then I was also told that the human does it if no bitch present. Not sure which is true, or any, sure someone else will be able to answer that one.

I watched people taking seman from a rhino on At The Zoo, glad to say I was on my couch watching it. The person really had his job cut out for him :D

With horses I watched one on that where they have a mare ready to be bred and as soon as the male mounted someone jumped in there and directed his manly hood into a tube for another mare cause the seman was being shipped.

What some people have to do :D

I watched a TV programme some years ago about collecting semen from a zoo gorilla. Naturally the gorilla was anaesthetised (for everyone's safety!) so ejaculation was triggered using a mild electrical charge, with the electrodes strategically placed. I hope the gorilla enjoyed his dream!
:)

It was really very easy , as we were lucky to have a very obliging friend with a bitch who was dead in season.    We brought Noof round the door, all fired up and ready to go, and he was intercepted by a test tube!

Poor dog!

Actually, he's none the worse for it at all, and the sample was brilliant - fascinating to see under the microscope - all that energy - incredible.

By the by - we had to have a sample taken some years ago from one of our rams, and that was with electrodes, but no anaesthetic - I still wonder what the ram felt.   Probably wouldn't have bothered if I'd known how they were going to do it.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

You are correct on both counts, but you usually get a better sample wityh a teaser bitch than with just manual stimulation.

We have always used a Teaser bitch, dog occassionally looks a little surprised when it is tme to "tie" and the test tube isnt quite the same as a willing bitch!  Had to use Puglet last year when we collected from Bertie, and she was affronted at the whole performance!  (she bit 3 people with annoyance!)
It is a straight forward, quck procedure with an exprienced dog.  Obviously, would not be advisable with an untired boy.

Fascinated that the fresh chilled worked, wish we were allowed to use it hear.  Am now e-mailing my friend in Finland to tell her all about this!
bye Gwen

Me and you both Gwen, it is really ridiculous that we can take a bitch hundreds or thousands of miles to be mated (with all the stress that entails) and of course not a problem bringing her back under pet Passport, but we can't use Fresh chilled semen with all the advantages it has of being almost as viable as a natural mating, as long as it is used within 48 hours of collection.

I would jump at the chance of using this method, wheras the costs time and trouble involved with frozen semen, with a high probability of it not working are rather off putting :(

Hi Jo
Just curious, what arrangement you have for the frozen semen? If they or another person uses it and has a litter, will you get a second stud fee or is the semen their property as they have paid a stud fee?
My friend with collies is interested as she is thinking of getting semen exported.
Polly

Yes, Polly; I'm drafting an agreement now, so that I get a second stud fee (or third or subsequent) if the semen is used on another bitch.   Actually, they reckon that they've saved just enough for two - most was used in the initial insemination; they saved some as insurance in case she didn't hold to the first, and some for another (very nice) bitch which I had agreed to anyhow.

Actually, the agreement takes a bit of thought - not particularly in this instance, but for anything in the future, as I can foresee several pitfalls if your not careful.   As I said, I'm perfectly happy with this arrangement this time, but others might not be so bone-fide as these folk are.

If anyone has already drafted an agreement, I would be interested to see it.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Thanks Jo. I'd be interested in seeing any agreements too, as it is an area really just opening up to us in some ways. As more foreign exhibitors come here to show their dogs so this will be a system used more often I am sure.

To my mind it is a disgrace that we are so restricted in this country. How can anyone think it preferable to make the bitch travel for a mating. Not only does the stress have to be considered, but the necessity for the bitch to be filled full of chemicals to follow the pet passport requirements. The UK is in the dark ages as far as AI is concerned.

Right then Fillis who can we lobby in DEFra to get the rules changed???

Would it be better to try and get the KC to act? They may have a bit more clout, and their thinking needs to be brought up to date first.

My daughter-in-law's brother is a barrister who works - or at least - worked for DEFRA on the Pet Passport scheme.   To be honest, I'm not sure if a) he knew much about dogs, or b) if he's got contacts, but I can get in touch with him and see if he's got friends in high places.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

I think that the AI rules haven't been updated inlight of the Pet Passport scheme, as probably no-one has pushed for it, the restrictions make no logival sense.