We use this simple four step method on our farm to eliminate the most probable causes of a missed conception. This can save considerable time and transportation costs, as well as lost stud fees, the additional cost of transportation for a return mating, and most importantly, the loss of a cycle in the reproductive life of the bitch which cannot be replaced.We have achieved a 90% conception rate, and have an average litter size110% larger than normal for this breed. All breedings were vaginal artificial inseminations using fresh and frozen semen. A copy of this record is available on request. All are registered matings. If we can do it, so can you!

The Four Steps are as follows:

Prepare the bitch for mating so as to inseminate into a clean environment. Have your veterinarian do a culture and sensitivity test, and if necessary, give the proper oral and infused antibiotics. Do this before she is in heat, or immediately upon coming in so as to have time to get her right. This will not only improve the conception rate, but also improve puppy survival and the possibility or reabsorption of the puppies.It is inexpensive to do and a must in 80% of the cases we have seen. Her health is important. Keep her teeth clean and infections will be reduced. It is also wise to do this test between seasons, or just before she is to come in, so as to be prepared should she ovulate early.

A simple to use, in-house Progesterone kit will tell you when ovulation occurs, and thus you will know when to breed. No more guessing, no more mating on the thirteenth day just because someone said that was the day the "average" bitch should be mated. We have seen ovulation take place as early as day 5, and as late as day 23. The eggs are not fertilizable until 48 hours after ovulation takes place, and that happens over a period of time. To maximize your litter potential, you must inseminate after ovulation takes place. PreMate is the only reliable test that we have seen which will tell you when to breed. Your veterinarian can do the test, or you can. It measures the amount of progesterone in a blood sample taken from the bitch.

A very necessary step, and also a very easy one to do. Why would anyone want to breed to a stud dog without knowing the quality of the semen he is producing. If a natural mating is performed, there is no way to tell, but by doing an artificial insemination, one can check the quality of the semen before mating. Why wait 62 days to find out there are no pups, when one drop of semen on a slide can be viewed under a microscope to see that there is sufficient sperm count and motility (forward speed) capable of fertilizing an egg? All stud dogs vary in each collection. This simple check can be done just before insemination, and if the quality or motility is not satisfactory, one can quickly find another stud dog rather than losing a cycle in the reproductive life of the bitch. Frozen semen eliminates this problem, as only good quality semen in packaged by a responsible person. When the stud is available, it is a good idea to check the semen a few days before the insemination. Remember, quantity does not equal quality. Sometimes a dog will give a large volume without any sperm. There are fractions to a collection, and only the second is sperm rich. Many times a dog who has not been mated for awhile may have many immature sperm which cannot fertilize an egg, and in most cases the next collection will be better. Keep his teeth clean too, as his health is most important. Your veterinarian can help you if you are not used to doing this.

The day (or day after) the PreMate kit tells you the bitch has ovulated. The semen will live for a few days, but if you wish to maximize the litter potential, inseminate her again two days later. Dogs are multiple ovulators, meaning that they ovulate over a period of time during which time the eggs are fertilizable, so a second mating will help your conception rate and litter size. Artificial insemination eliminates the transfer of reproductive diseases while allowing the semen to be checked for quality and motility. It is particularly helpful on a virgin bitch and will prevent possible injury to her and/or the stud dog. It is easy to learn, and with a few inexpensive pieces of equipment, and a little practice, one can acquire the talent in a short time. Your veterinariancan help you.

The simple four steps to breeding success can make a big difference in your breeding program if you do all of them on every mating. If you skip a step, you may have a miss, and what has that cost you in comparison to the success you could have had? Obviously, not all stud dogs or bitches can reproduce, and a qualified veterinarian can many times help you in these rare cases. The three major reasons for a missed conception are:

Infection
Improper timing of the mating
Insufficient sperm count or motility

Now, you have the ability to know if there is an infection and how to treat it so as to inseminate into a clean environment. Now, you can know when ovulation takes place, and thus when to inseminate. And, now you can know the quality of the semen before the insemination.Thus you can virtually eliminate all of the most probable causes of missed conception by using the four steps to breeding success.

As a responsible breeder of dogs, how much is a single puppy worth to you? Obviously, just one more puppy in each litter you produce is worth a lot. Maybe, that one will be the champion, and maybe, the best one you have ever had. And what is one more litter from an outstanding female worth to you? Obviously, a great amount also. Unfertilized eggs have no value except for the dreams of "Maybe that might have been an all-Champion litter." Well, now, you can forget about the dream of what might have been, and you can forget all the guessing of when and how to breed. Now,you can know. The cost of this simple system is nothing in comparison to just one puppy.

The present economic condition in our country and our industry make it necessary to maximize our efficiency in our breeding programs. We must get the most for our money, in stud fees, in transportation costs, in return for our time, and in the reproductive capacity of our brood females. A missed conception is far too costly, and thus, we must utilize every means to achieve conception, and maximize our breeding potential. This simple system accomplishes that purpose by eliminating the possible reasons for missed conception, improves litter sizes, reduces infection and the possible transmission of same, improves puppy survival rates, and does so at a very small cost. With so many advantages, why would anyone ever want to breed any other way?