Many of us have had singleton litters. What is your theory on why it happened and what did you do to help prevent it from happening again?

Bred Early? Bred Late? Extender non compatability on either Bitch or Dogs part? Low sperm count? Bitch low end Thyroid? Low grade infections? Luck? Stressed Bitch? Genetic incompatability?

Not to sound like I am making fun of you but there are so many factors with missed breeding, singlteons, and small litters. There are as many possiblities as to "Why" and there are for each instance we as breeders experience the heart break to not get the litter we dreamed of.

I say look at each individual cases as unique and see if you can't problem solve it.

In the end keep in mind everthing has a purpose and all things work out. Even if it is not in our favor.

Bitch's first litter was normal size. Her second litter was a singleton. Different stud dog, different extender used. Although I obviously do not know the true reason, I chalked it up to either timing (although I did progesterone testing) or extender incompatibility.

What am I doing about it? - Next time I will continue to do lots of progesterone testing to try to maximize breeding timing. perhaps limit choice of stud dogs to not use extender in question but not sure if this is really necessary.

Bottom line, I'm as in the dark as the next person.

I know this sounds weird to many people, but give an egg a day as soon as she goes into season. This comes from my own midwife - high protein gives a stronger placenta, less chance of spontaneous miscarriage and reabsorption for humans. I have always had large litters when following this as have friends who tried it too. Give one egg a day with usual food as soon as the bitch is in season, continue to 2 weeks after the breeding.

Of course minor infection must be ruled out before breeding.

What the previous poster is suggesting is called "flushing" it is common practice in livestock production. Most old timers that practice good animal husbandry do it.
But then, on the other hand, how many scrawny undernourished mixed breed bitches have we all seen with 12 puppies whelped by herself under the back porch in the cold , and they all lived.
There is no anwser to this question, there are as many opinions as their are singletons.

Raw egg or cooked?

I hard boil several eggs at once and refrigerate them. That way the one a day is readily available.


I find the post about "flushing" in livestock very interesting.

By the way, I currently have 6 pups, first litter from a friend's line that has never produced more than 4 in a litter in many generations. The line usually has 2 or 3 per litter. I don't know if it's the egg, but it certainly didn't hurt!

I cannot find a post about flushing. Can someone point it out to me? Was it removed?

I have had two singletons, both delivered by C-section. One girl had been bred 3 times previously unsuccessfully. The other had had a litter of ten and then another of three, the last of which required a C- section to deliver a dead puppy. In both cases the uterus had cysts that limited the places an embryo could have implanted easily. The two bitches were not closely related. The singleton girl had three litters of normal size. The boy sired litters of normal size.

The way I read the post, I believe you will need to go to the internet for information on Flushing. Not sure that the poster meant it was previously discussed here on this forum.

http://www.kkan.com/pdf/Flushing%20cattle%20and%20sheep.pdf

Flushing only works if your bitch is underfed and undernourished. My repro vet went to a theriogenologist meeting where someone presented research on flushing for canines; as long as your bitch has a commercially prepared diet flushing won't make a difference in conception rates.

Guess the previoous poster didn't read the article.

Sometimes I just think it's the bitch. My bitch came from a litter of 8. I had her on a high protein diet when she came into season, did progesterone tests to pinpoint ovulation. First litter 2 puppies.

The next time I bred her I chose another stud dog (not that I am blaming the stud dog), same thing, high protein diet, protesterone tests. This stud owner used a different extender, one that I've also had success with. Second litter...1 puppy.

I believe something was going on with that bitch, either inside the uterus or she just didn't release a lot of eggs. Regardless, she was spayed and placed after the second litter.

I think sometimes its just genetics.
I find that us breeders always have find the reason for everything when sometimes there is no reason, it's just the way things are 😛
JMO

Timing. Progesterone testing isn't as accurate as the male dog.