I have a potential client who wants to use one of my studs. They are asking if I can keep their bitch during her heat season and breed the pair naturally. Does anyone breed this way nowadays? I have bred this boy naturally before so I know he can perform. However, I have only bred him naturally to my own girls and I would prefer to do AI's with pg testing with an outside female. I am worried about any complications that could come with an outside bitch being bred naturally to my boy.

I do not own stud dogs, I am a bitch owner. What comes to mind immediately, is that the bitch is up to date on all vaccines and is in good health and has a recent and negative brucellois test.I would also want a recent culture on her. Same for your boy and any other dogs on your property.
I am interestd to see what other stud dog owners say.
Julia

I have also had bitch owners request natural breedings but I have declined. I really want progesterone testing to ensure proper timing and I dont want the risk of something going wrong. Although not often dogs can be hurt and I dont want the responsibility. After explaining to the few that have asked me for natural why I would prefer not to, they understood and we did stud service via shipping, one brought the bitch to us but it was still AI. All had puppies.

I have had this request many times and always declined.
There is NO GOOD reason for this, if you know how to AI.
Natural is more stressful for both animals, more dangerous (disease, aggression, etc).
I say no way.
Educate him on AI is better and safer and just as effective.

Nope. Never. After waiting through 45-60 minute ties, with both dogs getting extremely impatient, I will not do naturals anymore with my boys. I like knowing they can, but I don't see the reasons for it anymore. Side by side AI's is as close as they get. I know one stud owner who will not even let the dogs in the same room together. I don't go that far.

1. Why should you house their dog through a whole season?
Sounds to me like the owners don't want to be bother with the fuss and mess of a bitch in season. Too bad, that is part of breeding.
2. It also sounds to me like they are trying to dodge the price of shipping, AI, and progesterone tests.

So my answer to these folks would be, NO on the natural. And if they insist on you keeping their bitch, I would charge them board for every day she is with you beyond the stud fee, EXCEPT for the day(s) you are actually breeding her. I would also insist on progesterone testing and bill them for it if they insist on you keeping their bitch.

Not a chance. No way. A-I only. What does that prove if your stud can perform? Why would it be important? Is he in high demand?

I belong to several non-Labrador dog clubs. Many people with other breeds do not have the AI obsession that lab people have. Some of them even think doing AIs is a lot of foolishness.

I absolutely can see the point of doing ONLY AIs if the stud in question is used regularly. With many bitches, the chance of problems can be high. If the stud will only be used by the owner and maybe a half dozen times by outside bitches is his life time, AIs are probably unnecessary.

It only takes 1x to introduce an infection that might end your stud dog's career whether in high demand, or not. Some boys that don't get a lot of stud service may actually prove to be more valuable in the end. I don't have a stud dog right now, but I would not take the chance either...only on my own girls would I do natural. JMO

Interesting responses....I am surprised. I am not standing in judgement but am wondering if having a breed that can't breed naturally is something that just doesn't matter. I am just not sure...

Maybe the bitch owner has had a bad experience in the past with AI and is weary. It is common knowledge that the fresher the semen, the better it swims, thus increasing the likelihood of a successful breeding. Maybe that's why she wants a natural breeding. How about considering a side-by-side AI? That would be the freshest semen and would not risk an infection or tie complications for the stud.
It is also a good possibility the bitch owner wants to reduce breeding costs by relying on the stud and bitch to decide when the time is right. Leaving the bitch with the stud owner decreases the chance of a miss.

I am breeding another breeders bitch currently, and the owner wants natural breedings, ( my dog and her bitch are both first timers ), I told her we can try, but I have a collection cone in my pocket in case needed. so far in two breedings, I needed to collect/inseminate ( outside ties ), so I told her, the semen is in your bitch, and that was the goal! I just recently had him collected for frozen, and he had a great semen analysis.
she doesn't live too far away, so the bitch doesn't stay here ( I would only let someone leave a bitch a few days for breeding )
personally, with my own dogs/bitches, I only AI, it is easier, safer, quicker....AND, I want my dogs to rely on me, and let me collect them anytime, so I can ship semen if needed.
when I bought this young dog, he was a finished CH, and his previous owner had apparently reprimanded him for mounting...took some patience, but I trained him to let me collect him, and he trusts me now. it is nice to have a well trained stud dog.
I am excited for his first litter, the bitch is very well bred and lovely...fingers crossed!

Maybe it is just me, but I have no problem doing a natural on an outside bitch. Recent Brucellosis is a MUST, and progesterone testing. We don't charge more or less for board, just the $200 service fee and then $800 due at the time of 2+ live puppies.

I think that AI is a GREAT tool if you cannot get a tie. Many times I find that I am to impatient waiting on a natural tie that AI is just easy to do. But I do not want my studs to loose that natural ability.

I have one stud that will not even let you get a collection because he is "Old Fashioned" and would like to perform in the way that nature intended. My other stud is *snap your fingers* just like that, easy to collect. You barely have to touch him and he is filling the tube.

Each stud is different, but I do try to keep that natural instinct in the dogs.

It is up to you (OP) as to what you want to do and what you feel is right for you and your studs :)

When I had stud dogs they were able to breed naturally and be collected for AIs. I think it's probably the rare stud that has no sex drive to breed naturally, or is too wimpy if the girls are "_itchy". Some take longer to figure it out too and a stud should be fit because it is strenuous. Really it's to each his own which method to use.

If you do allow the bitch in your house, you are opening the door to all kind of problems. I do not recommend it. The bitch will be all stressed out, she will probably bark all day and night, and the risk of her escaping is too much. The risk of bringing in deceases with a bitch is not as high as people think in small breeding programs but If the bitch belongs to a medium/large breeding operation, I would not let her in the house at all.

Lets not forget mycoplasma that goes undetected with no symptoms. It can ruin a males career for life.

I never allow mine to breed naturally either. Too dangerous IMO. My boys are very valuable and I don't want them to catch something or be physically injured while breeding. It takes less than 3 minutes to do a side by side AI. That is the only option I will give people wanting my boys.

I've lost stud services that way, but I don't care. My first obligation is to my boy's health, safety, and comfort.

Wow, I am really getting old...when I started in Labs in 1981, we had to ship our girls to and fro and hope for the best. Most of the time, they took. But then back then few dogs bred the quantity of bitches they do now. In many other breeds, there are very few breedings NOT done naturally.

When I have kept my own stud dogs, they bred my girls naturally. When it came to outside girls, I would see how they acted and if they were too difficult, I would AI. Now that I am getting older (see above), I find I have little patience to crawl around the kennel floor waiting for the deed to get done, or to get over with. I'm more apt to do AI's as it's easier on me.

Then again, in my Cavaliers, we just put them up on a grooming table and they do it naturally with no problem or sore knees/back for me, LOL!

I guess I think that it should be up to whatever the stud dog owner finds easiest. Bottom line is that the bitch gets bred successfully, not how.

Best,

Leslee Pope
Huntcrest