Dog related-not horsey

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jess2353

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my partners mums dog has been having phantom pregnancies and the vet has advised to let her have a litter before spaying her.
we have found a nice male well bred dog to match her good breeding.
However none of us have had to go through the whole mating process.

at what point would
It be best to mate her ? She came into season on the 29th of this month. So have we missed the dead line or could is still be possible this time round?

Any help would be fab x
 
You can start trying them together from around the 7th but usually she will be receptive at around 12days.

A little gross but tell her to keep an eye on her blood it will fade to a cream colour and then stop that's when she will be receptive but depending on her age she might not take especially if under 2 2 and a half.
 
I would wait and have her spayed to be honest! Maiden bitch prone to phantoms, first time breeders, the time, expense and hassle of raising a litter - a quick op would be a lot easier in the long run.
To be honest I think the whole 'let them have a litter to flush them out' thing is a bit of an old wives tale, not something I thought a vet would suggest!!

However best of luck if you do proceed and if they haven't been done already would suggest you get the relevant health tests carried out on the bitch (I mean hip/elbow scoring for example if she were a GSD or Labrador, not a quick once-over vet check) as this will make the pups more attractive to potential buyers.
 
EffyCorsten said:
You can start trying tr from around the 7th but usually she will be receptive at around 12days.

A little gross but tell her to keep an eye on her blood it will fade to a cream colour and then stop that's when she will be receptive but depending on her age she might not take especially if under 2 2 and a half.
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Thanks for that I shall pass it on to her :-) not quite sure how old she is, must be over 2 though by now maybe even 3
 
Phantom pregnancies a) won't stop because she has a litter, this can in fact make them WORSE. b) won't stop when shes spayed.

What kind of vet gave that advise? I'm genuinely shocked...
 
I too am shocked a vet gave that advice. I have had a couple of bitches that had phantom pregnancies, I had them spayed as soon as I could as phantoms can often lead to pyometra which can be fatal.
 
I personally wouldn't breed from a bitch that has had phantom's but if her hip/eye/elbow scores etc are excellent and you really want the expense, sleepless nights and so on then it would normally be 7-12 days as stated above, maybe ask the stud dog's owner as they should be able to answer all your questions.
I also think that maybe seeking a new vet would be an idea as this one seems a bit archaic in his thinking!
 
she's a border collie, she's a working dog along with the male who is aswel.
I think she will go ahead with the mating as I think she's planning on keeping a few of the pups to work on the farm.
The bitch is being spayed afterwards though as will the puppies be too.
I think the vet gave that as a secend option if the dog was not to be spayed lol
 
yeah I guess it's abit odd coming from a vet specially if it carries health problems, not that clued up when it comes to dogs in afraid, specially the breeding side of them. But guess it's something she would of been told from the vet(hopefully)
she's a nice dog though, nice temperament and breeding and extremely clever, she's not had many phantom pregnancies which is why I don't think she's that concerned about it
 
CaveCanem said:
I would wait and have her spayed to be honest! Maiden bitch prone to phantoms, first time breeders, the time, expense and hassle of raising a litter - a quick op would be a lot easier in the long run.
To be honest I think the whole 'let them have a litter to flush them out' thing is a bit of an old wives tale, not something I thought a vet would suggest!!
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I couldn't agree more I am also surprised the vet has recommended the bitch to have a litter before spaying her ..............
 
I've never heard of it tbh she might well of been told but she never passed that on to me she literally just asked me to find out the best time to mate them, and I could only think to ask on here, probs not the best place seeing as it's a horse forum but still was the only place could think of
 
I don't want you to be put off Jess2353, it is good that you asked the question :) Nowadays vets don't usually recommend that bitches having phantom pregnancies have a litter, hence the responses, but that isn't really fair on you if you are just trying to find out :)

As most have said, vets really tend to recommend speying a bitch in the case of phantom pregnancies (if they are frequent) as there are lots of puppies available nowadays, but if the phantoms are infrequent to be honest I wouldn't really bother? Or if they are frequent, then perhaps go down the speying route to avoid having to find homes for lots of possible puppies :) Good luck :)
 
thanks for that :-) I wasn't there so only know what she's told me, I think because she's only ever had about 2/3 that they wernt too concerned and wernt forcing the issue about having her spayed. She loves her dogs and wouldn't put then through any harm, I think the fact that the bitch is highly clever and does her job well is what's swinging it tbh, as some of the pups are being kept to become working dogs like the parents and the owner of the male dog also wants pick of the litter, but after the litter she was being spayed, so she'll be spayed either way. I"ll pass on what people have said though because she may generally not have been told. The vet comes to her regularly aswel so attend the farm animals, so will mention to her to speak to him again to make sure she's got it right lol
 
Well if she is around 2 years in age and has had 2 or 3 phantoms that is possibly every season so pretty frequent. Having a litter certainly won't stop the phantoms but if she is being spayed after the litter that wouldn't really be an issue. You can have a bitch blood tested to find optimum time for mating, but if your friend doesn't want to go to that trouble than as above around 10/12 days is normally the right time, although there are bitches who will stand and conceive at 3 days, and others at 21 days. If the dog they are using is an experienced stud (which I would recommend for a maiden bitch) then he will probably not be interested unless the bitch is ready.
 
I'm not quite sure how old she is to be certain just a guess, she's certainly no younger then 2. thanks for the advice though, the bitch has Deffo got to be done as there talking about keeping a male pup, so not spaying wouldn't be an option. not sure about the dog either his not really a stud dog though his a working dog, it'll only be his secend time aswel but it if doesn't happen it doesn't happen she will just have to find a litter of pups else where, she's in no hurry anyway.
 
If your mum is going ahead, please ask her to get some health tests done to ensure the future of the pups, at the very least, hip x rays and a clear eye test (proper health tests, not your vet saying it's ok!) It's so disappointing that a vet these days will say a litter is the way forward :(
 
cinnamontoast said:
If your mum is going ahead, please ask her to get some health tests done to ensure the future of the pups, at the very least, hip x rays and a clear eye test (proper health tests, not your vet saying it's ok!) It's so disappointing that a vet these days will say a litter is the way forward :(
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Bit late now, but these should definitely be done before mating. Why would you want to pass on any potential health problems??? The other thing I'd recommend is buying The Book of The Bitch. It is an excellent book giving you all the info you'll need, and can be used as a reference book all the time you'll need it!
 
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