Looking for some insight from longtime breeders....I have a younger stud dog (3 yrs old) on lease from another breeder. He sired 1 litter of pups for them, after that he wouldn't breed to the same bitch the next time around. We tried to use him last winter and I opted to AI. He had not been collected for AI until that time. He performed but it took quite a while. My bitch didn't take. His owner offered for us to take him on a 6 month lease in agreement that we would breed our girls to him in exchange for helping to strengthen his breeding ability. I bred him naturally and AI to a bitch not owned by us and he performed beautifully. Now my bitch is in season and he is turning her away. Our Vet says she ready BUT he doesn't want her.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? If any of you have suggestions we would love it if you would share...

Have you had a complete semen analysis on this dog ? That would give you a starting point.

Tribulus from GNC store is a good thing to give, there is a complete stud dog management program you can get your dog on from most Reproduction Vets. Coast Reproduction has a male sterilty supplement for humans, but is great to give to canines. Original Glycoflex with the penna muscle is very important too for good semen quality. He made need several months of Baytril, the semen analysis will tell you what is needed, or all of the above for at least 2 months. Usually longer, and very pricey treatment, which is why most of us ONLY do AI's with our very valuable stud dogs, any kind of invasive micro-organism can reek havoc and cost a bundle in Treatment.

Is your vet going by progesterone testing when he says she's ready? Some girls are later then others.

As I am not a long-time stud dog owner all I can suggest is having a semen analysis for starters and collecting him for a side by side AI. That's if you want to use him for your girl in heat right now.

If you haven't done progesterone testing on her, I certainly would. I went thru something similar and my bitch wound up a late ovulater, not bred until day 20 or later for each breeding. Swabs were done and she was at 100% according to them but her progesterone was under 2.0 ng per ml. Once she rose above that, the stud dog became intested and she close to stood for an almost natural breeding. We still did 2 AI's at 3 & 4 days after she hit 5.0 ng per ml. She whelped 10 pups and the progesterone level the 1st day of breeding was 23.2. 2nd day was 28.8. At those higher levels the no.'s can be off by 2 ng.'s either way.

It was a good lesson for me. I never breed before 72 hours after 5.0 and litter sizes are good since then.

Good luck with the boy. I think he needs to *learn* when he should be ready to breed a bitch that is ready. Unless there are no progesterone levels to go by.
Some vets jump the gun once they see 5.0. Do you have a back up stud-dog in case you can't collect him and inseminate her?

If you're not breeding him often, I suggest collecting him weekly, then every month just to clean him out and get him used to have his private parts handled by you. You can use a teaser or just try to collect without. He should learn how to be collected either way. He doesn't have to *want* her to be collected. It's going to be a learning experience for him it sounds like. When he sees the appartus come out or a girl in heat, he knows it's time to be collected. You may wish the freeze him for later use when you don't have him on lease if he's real nice.

I wish you good luck with His Stubborness. It can all be accomplished tho. You're the boss.

You might need a good repro to give you a *hand* and advice . Hutch does phone consults for around $40.00, that might be worth trying also. He's seen and heard it all.

Check on those levels to see if she's 24,48 or 72 hrs post 5.0. If she isn't near it, that may be why he has no interest. Just cultures for cornification aren't adequate if you really want a litter. You do need progesterone levels, inquire with the vet that says she's ready and find out why he thinks she is. If it's progesterone levels, you need to collect him or have a back up if she already missed 1 time. It could be her, it could be him, it could be both. It's cheaper to do his semen analysis to make sure he has no problems or bacteria that needs treatment.

Again, good luck with him. I apologize for the long reply, I was bouncing it off a visiting breeder-stud-dog owner, friend.

It will work out if he has good swimmers, maybe it's lack of experience.

Breeders Thank you for your suggestions. My Vet only swabbed her. I took her back today and he did a progestrone test, should have results by tomorrow he said. I've tried a side by side AI four times now. She is the one mounting him at this point and all but shoving herself in his face...he's still not interested. He does not have much breeding or AI experience other than the 4 between this owner and myself.

My bitch has had 1 prior litter with live pups. My Vet also said sounds like inexperience BUT he's not a repo Vet.

I purchase AI kits and am careful to use the gloves included in the kit to avoid infections.

I will continue to work with them...sure would be ashame if I can't use him...he has some nice lines behind him.

Seriously, the first thing you should do is have the Vet collect this dog , and give you a semen analysis. [If it looks viable, then put it in the bitch] The longer you wait , the LESS likely you will be able to treat any problem he has. An intact male dog , doesn't just " not perform " , there is always a health reason why he is not.

Check also for enlarged prostrate.

Thank you! I will address this with his owner as I feel although I have him on a lease he is still owned by another and I want us to agree on procedures done. I will stress the importance of having him and his semen examined by a professional.

Not always ... my boy wasn't bred until later in life and when put with the bitch(s) didn't have a clue what to do. Side by side AI's were done (which got easier as he got more used to it) but he never did figure out exactly what to do with a receptive girl. He was perfectly healthy and produced nice litters.

Exactly. Some boys need some time and experience. If he didn't ride a bike yet, he can't get back on and know exactly what to do. OP got him for a reason, I would think the original owner couldn't get him to attempt a breeding so she passed him on. 2nd owner should be able to work with him until he knows what he's doing.

I'm glad the OP is doing progesterone levels now. In conjunction with the smears, it will tell you much more than without the progesterone no.'s. Unfortunately, you don't have the prior readings but you'll have current and future ones.

I still say, collect him and do a side-by-side AI for now when she's ready based on progesterone levels. If you're worried, have a back up stud or stud-dog owner ready to help you collect him. Good luck.

I do realize this is a lease, my wording may be incorrect when I said 2nd owner. I meant leasee.

I appreciate everyone's feed back. Her progestrone results came in today and she is already on her way out. So unless they had a breeding that I don't know about it's too late! I tried to collect him for a side by side AI over the last several days and he wouldn't cooperate. I have collected him before several times in practice and in breeding so he knows what's expected of him. He was slow to excite even with a receptive bitch but he did complete the job. The bitch had live healthy pups. As for his owner that was exactly the reason for the lease, she didn't have a desire to learn how to collect and AI. She offered him to me on a 6 month lease with the hopes of me turning him into a working stud dog. I was and still am up to the challenge. I just don't understand why he prefers one bitch over another.

I should add that I have a video camera on them and have viewed it and there were no surprises. They did not breed. I will attempt one last time this morning...just cause. It nothing else it will give him more experience with the collection process.
Thank you again to everyone who replied, this has been a learning experience.

Some stud dogs just don't bother until the time is right. See what your test says. My boy does both natural, collection for chill and side by side with AI. Easy on all the best. Dogs sure don't seem to care. Just get it done if you like the boy. But you are just wasting your time if the time is not right.