Studmasters- How Do You Prefer To Mate Your Dogs?

[Bulldust]

Just interested in hearing how others prefer to mate their dogs. Do you mate them natural or prefer to AI? Do you let the dogs run together for matings, do you hold the bitch and assist the dog or do you use a mate frame?

I prefer to do natural matings, and i hold the bitch and we assist the dog if need be.

[oakeydoak1]

Same here bulldust. Unfortunately i had to AI my first bitch but this one was all natural. I let them out together throughout the day and it just happened. Held the bitch more for her safety than anything.

[cowanbree]

I prefer natural but always hold the bitch and generally use a table which gives me a lot more control and stops them wandering round too much.

[Steve]

I prefer to watch from the window.

[SoL]

We always supervise the matings, you never know how the bitch will react to either the advances of the stud or to the tie and she can end up doing some real damage! And we only put them together for the mating, we don't let them run together - they are introduced beforehand though.

I've never had to do an AI and I am happy about that - I will always prefer this when possible, though obviously if it was imported or transported semen you've got no choice in that.

[*Lolapalooza*]

Am very lucky, my stud dog has an excellent nose and is very good at his 'job' he has always bred naturally. I have a small puppy yard that I put them in and just stand in there. I let him do his thing then once im pretty sure he's 'in' I kind of casually saunter over and hold the girl before he turns incase she protests. Its very cute once he turns he always gives me a big smile

He is from a long line of great studs and sluts

[WreckitWhippet]

I prefer to watch from the window.

Me too.

I introduce them with the bitch on lead and then let them off , stand in the yard for a few minutes and make sure she won't take his head off. Then watch them from the back door or the window.

When the dog and bitch are both in my house, I let the out together each day, watch for a couple of minutes and just let them run together. If the bitch isn't ready she'll tell him and I'll seperate them again until the next day. Once they have a mating I let them run together for the duration of the season. By the time the bitch goes off, the stud dog has worked hard and is not interested in harrassing them.

I've not had a bitch squeal or protest, if they are allowed to run together and do it on their own. It's a mating, it's supposed to be natural

Edited January 19, 2010 by SBT123

[Rysup]

I would never have a litter if I watched from the window!

My dogs just cant find the right spot......so its assisted all the way here.

Well except my Lhasa dog, who would not tolerate any interference, HE could do his own matings.

[Bulldust]

I prefer to watch from the window.

I guess it depends on the breed you have too?

We always supervise the matings, you never know how the bitch will react to either the advances of the stud or to the tie and she can end up doing some real damage! And we only put them together for the mating, we don't let them run together - they are introduced beforehand though.

I've never had to do an AI and I am happy about that - I will always prefer this when possible, though obviously if it was imported or transported semen you've got no choice in that.

Yes thats why we never run ours together for matings, we've had a bitch act totally fine, stand for the dog, but once he'd hit the 'jackpot' she spun around and nearly ripped his face off. (and she was ready to mate)

Am very lucky, my stud dog has an excellent nose and is very good at his 'job' he has always bred naturally. I have a small puppy yard that I put them in and just stand in there. I let him do his thing then once im pretty sure he's 'in' I kind of casually saunter over and hold the girl before he turns incase she protests. Its very cute once he turns he always gives me a big smile

He is from a long line of great studs and sluts

Mine can tend to be a bit clueless when it comes to mating! One even preferring the wrong end

I prefer to watch from the window.

Me too.

I introduce them with the bitch on lead and then let them off , stand in the yard for a few minutes and make sure she won't take his head off. Then watch them from the back door or the window.

When the dog and bitch are both in my house, I let the out together each day, watch for a couple of minutes and just let them run together. If the bitch isn't ready she'll tell him and I'll seperate them again until the next day. Once they have a mating I let them run together for the duration of the season. By the time the bitch goes off, the stud dog has worked hard and is not interested in harrassing them.

I've not had a bitch squeal or protest, if they are allowed to run together and do it on their own. It's a mating, it's supposed to be natural

How many matings would they do through out the day when the bitches are ready?

Rysup- yes exactly here too!!! Its the head end or the ribs or a back leg, never the back end!!!

[Steve]

No what Ive been watching from the window for a very long time and Ive witnessed hundreds of matings and Ive never ever not once had any damage or injuries.Ive mated a couple where the stud dog owner is in the mix and thats a lot more stressful for the dogs in my opinion. Given a choice I feed them a small raw meat meal which puts them in the mood , then put them in together and walk away and watch from a distance. If they dont tie in 10 mins I take em out and do it again the next day. Dogs have been having sex without humans for a very long time and Ive no interest in breeding dogs which cant reproduce without human intervention.

[WreckitWhippet]

No what Ive been watching from the window for a very long time and Ive witnessed hundreds of matings and Ive never ever not once had any damage or injuries.Ive mated a couple where the stud dog owner is in the mix and thats a lot more stressful for the dogs in my opinion. Given a choice I feed them a small raw meat meal which puts them in the mood , then put them in together and walk away and watch from a distance. If they dont tie in 10 mins I take em out and do it again the next day. Dogs have been having sex without humans for a very long time and Ive no interest in breeding dogs which cant reproduce without human intervention.

I pretty much follow what Steve does, all of the ties we have are at least 15 minutes or more. I think the more you put your hands on, the more you stress them.

With no interference we have mated, Staffords, Pugs and Pointers. I've had a couple of bitches sent to me that the owners say they are "hard to mate " or "carry on " and we've had none of that.

I've watched people put leashes and muzzles on bitches and hold them so they can't move, help the dog on, guide it to the right spot and make it a three man, two dog operation. I'm not interested in that either. A good stud will mate when the bitches are ready and a happy , healthy bitch will do the same.

It depends on the dogs and bitches but we tend to see one mating a day for a couple of days, then a couple of days where they will tie twice a day and then maybe another day or so and the bitches go off.

[angelsun]

My bitches are on lead if natural breedings are done. I generally let them bounce around and have some fun and when he finally gets down to business (my boys are usually very gentleman like) then I quietly step in, but moreso for a maiden bitch. After a tie, I simply keep everyone on their feet as they get bored easy and all too often she will try to take him for a walk around, pulling/stretching all the while....I've seen too many dogs/bitches damaged by this sort of thing and won't take a chance on it happening to mine! (I saw a breeder allow a male and female Dal to mate out in the yard and after a lengthy tie with no issues, she decided enough was enough and tried to barrel roll out of the attachment....thousands of dollars in vet bills later, there was a very stitched up and swollen vulva and a sterile dog.

Because I am good at fresh collect AI's I prefer this method for a couple reasons....1) it's quicker than hanging around holding onto a tied bitch and dog for an hour with my bad back. 2) it's less chance of any STD's

3)less chance of injury for bitch/dog because of being a maiden or just simply bitchy 4)It's much quicker....gee...did I mention that?

I've got almost a 100% success rate with fresh collect AI's at this point in time.

[Bulldust]

That is an awesome success rate Angelsun I know breeders who only AI because of how quick it is, and i know breeders who never AI unless theres no other way. I also know of breeders who wont mate unless the bitch is in a mating frame.

SBT123 im amazed the dogs wouldnt mate more often when running together, do they try all day to mate or do they tie once and leave it til next day? Mine would try most of the day, only stopping to catch their breath I have a boy who once he's finished his tie and hes had a break for a minute hes trying to get straight back into it

Steve is this just Maremma's you've seen hundreds of matings of or other breeds too?

[WreckitWhippet]

That is an awesome success rate Angelsun I know breeders who only AI because of how quick it is, and i know breeders who never AI unless theres no other way. I also know of breeders who wont mate unless the bitch is in a mating frame.

SBT123 im amazed the dogs wouldnt mate more often when running together, do they try all day to mate or do they tie once and leave it til next day? Mine would try most of the day, only stopping to catch their breath I have a boy who once he's finished his tie and hes had a break for a minute hes trying to get straight back into it

Steve is this just Maremma's you've seen hundreds of matings of or other breeds too?

From what I've seen they usually mate first thing in the morning, then rest for the majority of the day and then they start to get a bit randy again in the afternoon. I've seen them mate sooner after a feed of fresh meat.

On the topic of meat I've watched a dog that I thought was a bit of a lazy stud and someone said to me, " chuck him a feed of red meat and then watch him " , I was a bit sceptical at first but sure enough a couple of hours later they'd tied.

[Steve]

That is an awesome success rate Angelsun I know breeders who only AI because of how quick it is, and i know breeders who never AI unless theres no other way. I also know of breeders who wont mate unless the bitch is in a mating frame.

SBT123 im amazed the dogs wouldnt mate more often when running together, do they try all day to mate or do they tie once and leave it til next day? Mine would try most of the day, only stopping to catch their breath I have a boy who once he's finished his tie and hes had a break for a minute hes trying to get straight back into it

Steve is this just Maremma's you've seen hundreds of matings of or other breeds too?

Ive had Beagles for 34 years,

Pembroke Corgis since I was born and Maremmas for 16 years.Mum bred Pembroke Corgis for 54 years and I inherited her dogs when she died.When I married my second husband he had boxers which I helped breed for 15 or so years. I worked in a breeding kennel when I was a kid and they had foxies. Ive watched,all of them mate without human help and along the way Ive seen Australian Terriers,St Bernards,Staffies and Cattle dogs carry on without help.The only ones who bombed were Bassets and they were happy to stick it up a nose or put it in an ear but didnt have a hope of even getting the right end without help. Ooops forgot a couple of Labs too and a hand ful of cavs which I didnt own but helped out with.

Ive got a couple of Maremmas who mate in a missionary position.

[Steve]

That is an awesome success rate Angelsun I know breeders who only AI because of how quick it is, and i know breeders who never AI unless theres no other way. I also know of breeders who wont mate unless the bitch is in a mating frame.

SBT123 im amazed the dogs wouldnt mate more often when running together, do they try all day to mate or do they tie once and leave it til next day? Mine would try most of the day, only stopping to catch their breath ;) I have a boy who once he's finished his tie and hes had a break for a minute hes trying to get straight back into it

Steve is this just Maremma's you've seen hundreds of matings of or other breeds too?

From what I've seen they usually mate first thing in the morning, then rest for the majority of the day and then they start to get a bit randy again in the afternoon. I've seen them mate sooner after a feed of fresh meat.

On the topic of meat I've watched a dog that I thought was a bit of a lazy stud and someone said to me, " chuck him a feed of red meat and then watch him " , I was a bit sceptical at first but sure enough a couple of hours later they'd tied.

You can get that effect from Aloe Vera Juice too. Red meat and Aloe have arginine in it and it makes the blood vessles pump and its a natural viagra for dogs.

Mine mate twice a day - morning as the sun comes up and afternoon after red meat.Ive only ever seen one young man do the deed three times in one day but thats unusual.

[cowanbree]

I don’t think I am ever going to be the leave them to it type of person. My last visiting bitch was happy to mate but the minute he tied she freaked out and attempted to flip over onto her tummy. That would have caused some serious damage if I hadn’t been holding her. Then I also have a stud dog that will pull out before a tie if left to his own devices, he is the king of slips unless you hold him

Edited January 20, 2010 by cowanbree

[Bullbreedlover]

I am there to assist and supervise when necessary. Especially during a tie.

I care about my dogs too much to have them fight or try to make sudden exits while tied.

Have assisted in many ai's which doesnt faze me. People have artifical insemination. I dont see anything wrong with ai's.

[ellz]

I prefer to leave them to it but will assist if I think it necessary.

Will always stay nearby and assist in the case of young animals or if they are showing signs of any aggression towards each other.

Mind you, my latest experience of a young, virgin male was that he jumped the bitch and tied literally in the blink of an eye (hence the arrival of Bad Alice). But had I PLANNED to do the breeding, no doubt I would have had to sit there for hours and encourage him. ;)

[Steve]