Arranging Your Breeding Schedule

Arranging your breeding schedule is an important part of the breeding process. Of course dates could change depending on the timing of your bitch’s heat cycle but it is important to have at least a general idea of when you expect the breeding to take place. This will help to ensure time is not lost and your bitch’s heat cycle does not end before you are able to complete the breeding process. This article will provide some tips on how to arrange your breeding schedule to try to avoid potential complications.

Knowing the heat cycle of your bitch is a very important part of the process of arranging your breeding schedule. Most responsible breeders wait until the bitch is at least two years old before the first breeding. There are a number of reasons to do this but one of them, which is relevant to the breeding schedule, is it will help the owner to determine the time of the heat cycle more accurately.

Another factor to consider when arranging your breeding schedule is the availability of the stud dog. Responsible breeders will select carefully evaluate stud dogs and make a decision on which one to choose well before the bitch is due to enter a heat cycle. When the stud dog is selected it is very important to inform the owner of the estimated timing of the heat cycle. Based on this information the owner of the stud dog can tell you whether or not the stud dog is available for breeding around that time frame. If the stud dog is available and you enter a contract for stud dog services, the owner will attempt to keep this time available. This does not guarantee the stud dog will be available when your dog is in heat though because the heat cycle of your bitch may not occur during the estimated time frame. The stud dog may be providing services for other bitches as well and their heat cycles may interfere. For these reasons it is worthwhile to select a backup stud dog.

At the first sign of your bitch entering a heat cycle, it is time to contact the owner of the stud dog and begin making arrangements for the breeding. If the stud dog is local, these arrangements will be fairly simple. However, if the stud dog is not local you will have to make shipping arrangements. During this time you will also want to take your bitch to her veterinarian for testing. Progesterone testing will help you to pinpoint the ideal time to start breeding and minimize the potential for the breeding to not be successful. You will also want to schedule testing to rule out brucellosis to assure the stud dog owner that your bitch is free of this venereal disease before the breeding.

The bitch should arrive at the home of the stud dog when she is ready to be bred. All of the necessary paperwork, including health certifications, should arrive with the bitch. If you are driving her to the location can bring the paperwork with you and make arrangements to ensure the stud dog will be available at the time of your arrival. If your bitch is being shipped you will have to provide the stud dog with the shipping information and make arrangements to ensure the paperwork stays with your bitch and is transferred to the stud dog owner. You will have to contact the airline handling the shipping arrangements about the proper procedure for this. It may be as simple as taping the information to your dog’s crate or they may provide an alternative method for handling this paperwork.

You should expect your bitch to remain with the stud dog for approximately one to two weeks. This will allow adequate time for the breeding to take place. When the bitch returns home to you, you should also receive paperwork detailing when the breeding took place. You should also receive health certifications, contracts and pedigrees relevant to the stud dog.