The Pantomime of Breeding

When I got Tussock, my first hovawart, I really wanted to breed from her.  It seemed a shame not to let such a gentle character pass on those easy going, steady, loyal genes.  But, living in a hotel as I was at the time, and with someone else having a say in the matter, it just never got beyond wishful thinking.  Then when the proverbial shit hit the fan and my familiar life fell to pieces, I had no choice but to forget the idea for the time being.  I really wasn't in an emotional place to consider it.  River came along - taking a pup from that particular litter was a conscious choice to use new blood into the country to breed with.  I figured I had a few years to get my act together, straighten out my life, my mind and so much else.

But I kept finding excuses not to get on with it - work was busy, the house is too small, I don't have time, I don't have money, I don't have experience, negative influence from other people.  The penny finally dropped and I realised the only thing stopping me was my own negativity and lack of confidence.  The voice inside my head now said "Get on with it".  So, for the last six months I have thought about things, loosely planned how I would cope with a litter of pups, the other dogs, creating a private space for River - knowing damn fine that all the planning in the world would likely go out the window anyway.

My next issue was a dog...... I had two in mind.  One was a young dog that River has met, and likes, and he really is a handsome lad - that would be a natural mating.  The other would have to be artificial insemination from another very handsome lad.

I guess things went a bit wrong right at the beginning when River came into season a few weeks before I expected and I was already on the back foot.  The young dog hadn't had all his health tests, and going on the "usual" way of things, we would only have 10 days or so to be organised on that front, so it possibly wasn't going to happen.  Then his owner decided that perhaps she didn't want to introduce him to the joys of wanton females in season!  I totally understand her decision.  He is a calm, good natured boy, and she didn't want to risk ending up with a dog whose eyes went out on stalks every time a girl walked by.  AI could be an option, but that was just another complication to cope with in the time allowed.

So, AI from the other dog it would be.  The semen would come frozen, and River would be inseminated on the appropriate day.  No travelling involved..... seems a good option.

I visited my vet to get a first blood test to check River's progesterone levels, and a chat about AI.  First hurdle was dealing with a rather negative vet that I had never met before, and her announcement that they had never done AI in a dog before!  Cows, horses, sheep, yes, but not dogs.  So, a few days later I spoke with one of the regular vets who was quite enthusiastic, and keen to learn about AI.  He phoned the other vets where the semen would be coming from, had a good chat with them, only to then let me know that they didn't have the equipment to do it, and I might as well  throw my money away.  He was very helpful, though, and said he would see if he could find someone who could do it for me.

And he did.  Either a vet in Dewsbury (about 8 or 9 hours away) or one in Dunbar (about 4 hours).   By now we were on Day 5, and I needed to get the semen organised to be here in time for day 10 as that is when "most" bitches start to become receptive.  The vet contacted the lady in Dunbar, but she never got back to him.  I had ordered the semen, and then had to email them to cancel it.  Then the Dunbar lady phoned my vet.  We were on again.  I tried to make contact with her to chat it all over, but to this day, I am still waiting for her to call me back.  With little faith in her services, I regretfully cancelled the semen again.  There was no point going to all that expense only to end up having to send it back again.  We were now on about day 9.

During this time River had had several blood tests, and her progesterone levels were still low.  Great, I still had chance to work out Plan C.  Enter into the arena a trusty old lad, experienced, wonderful temperament, and a line I would be delighted to help continue.  And not too far away.  Wonderful.  Sorted.

Now to wait for the progesterone levels to rise......and wait.....and wait......!  A blood test on the Monday came back as a bit more elevated - the results came in on the Tuesday afternoon (Day 16) and the vet was suggesting another test on the Wednesday morning.  Now I was running into sticky territory.  That test wouldn't come back until Thursday afternoon by which time I wouldn't have time to do anything about it.  With a long standing commitment over the weekend I had to be at home from the Friday.  By this time River was happily standing to be bonked by Talulah so I thought I would take a chance.

So on the Wednesday morning (day 17) we all piled in the car at 6.30 am and set off.  We got to His house about 10.30, and we let her into the garden to leave some scent about the place, and let Him out.  Ooooh!  She was delighted!  Flirty flirt, a bit of coy running about, a bit of courting from Him, and then she so beautifully stood for him.  He obviously thought she was ready too.  Yes!  I thought - seeing little bundles of joy in the future!  But despite several attempts, they never really got a good go, and certainly didn't tie.  She was perhaps a bit tall for him, so we tried on a slope to give him the advantage of more height, we gave him a leg-up..... we tried letting them run up the top of the garden to a private space, which is what River seemed to want to do.  But... no go.  And the poor lad was getting a bit tired.

Okay, we will try again tomorrow we thought.  And we did, but with the same results.

Whether her progesterone levels weren't high enough, whether the result might have been different in a couple of days (days 19/20!!!) I will never know.  I had to go back home for my part in our local pantomime although it did feel as though I was starring in two pantomimes at this point.

Whilst slip matings might sometimes result in puppies, I guess that is only when you don't want them to.  We are all back to normal now, seasons finished, no more bonking.  I am not expecting the pitter patter of little paws, but you never know.........   I can dream!