lionqueen

Hi all, I have a young male (almost 3yo) that had an escape approx 12 months ago, he was out for a mere 10-15 mins and consequently we had an accidental mating. The whole thing was very quick and I didn't even catch them "tied". It resulted in 9 puppies. I am now attempting our planned mating as I have done all the relevant testing, titled them both etc. This breeding is with the same female and things aren't going as I would have hoped. She has been flagging and standing for him for 3 days now, and he has had many attempts to breed her, but he just can't seem to "get it in". His aim seems to be all over the place, and he has even "knotted" himself outside of her in his attempts.Is this normal for an inexperienced boy, or is it possible that he could have "broken" himself during the first mating? (The female was a maiden also). I am so worried, any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi again Miranda, Thanks for clarifying that for me, I guess that explains why I've not noticed it before in my previous dogs. From what you say it's not that they didn't have them, rather that they didn't display major symptoms! Thanks a lot.

Thanks Janba, How interesting! I have read similar things on the net about those theories and why it happens! I have also read of women getting pregnant and their dog having a phantom... I am actually 12 weeks preg at the moment, she might be trying to help me...LOL Far fetched I know...! Thanks for the reply.

Hi Miranda, Thanks for the reply. I am hoping to breed from her in future if she passes all the relevant tests, so will steer clear of anything that may jeapardise fertility. I have been keeping her crated to keep her calm, so just waiting for it all to blow over... Thanks again

Hi all, My AST is 18 months old, and has had 2 seasons so far. Her last one was early december, and since then she has swelled noticably in the breast area. There doesn't seem to be any actual "milk" present though. The last few days she has started "nesting" and is destroying the yard... I am concerned about her as this is the first time I've seen it in a dog... She is vomiting a lot and lacks energy. I asked my local vet if there is anything I can do to ease the hormonal side of thing and hopefully nip it in the bud but they were quite unhelpful. (Small town -rural area for you...grrr!) I have read about treatments that are often used involving hormone shots and herbal treatments, but they didn't seem to want to help. We are trying to sell our house at the moment so it's really not an option to keep letting her go for it (she has nests everywhere!). I have been crating her to keep the fuss to a miminum. *Has anyone tried any sort of treatment that may work or help prevent it recurring? *How long can I expect the digging and lethargy to last with her? Any tips at all would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance

Not a problem! In a perfect world we could all stay at home and play with our dogs all day...!!! Unfortunately there is that horrible thing called WORK...and "normal" is a setting on a washing machine!!! Cheers, Nala's Mum

Hi there! I know it might sound a bit harsh to some people, but you could try an electric fence along that side... Great for when you aren't at home! My dogs were making a great mess of my garden along a CERTAIN boundary... A similar situation to yours, and the old zap certainly put a stop to that! It isn't cruel, it only takes a couple of hits and they won't go near it again. After a while it won't even need to be on, the sight of the wire will be enough to curb their enthusiasm! You can get special dog ones, and mains powered ones for small areas. OR you could try one of those electronic containment collars where you run wires around a perimeter and the dog gets zapped when it goes out of bounds. A friend of mine has one on her Weimariner to keep him out of garden beds, and to stop him bolting out the front gate! I'd recommend a look on ebay for both! Just a suggestion! Nala's Mum