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Dog Breeding: Why Some Breeding Attempts May Result In Failure
Infertility of your dog can be the result of a wide variety of sources. Congenital defects, infections, medications and tumors of the reproductive system of either sex may result in breeding failures.
Among females, endocrine imbalances may be the most common causes. Egg implantation failure resulting from either physiological or psychological sources is a cause of infertility. Impotence, whether temporary or permanent, can also stem from a wide variety of causes. As an example, a male kept under close confinement may suffer a temporary sterility.
Psychological and environmental factors can, and do, strongly influence fertility. Some house pets may be reluctant to breed at all, while others will breed successfully when not in the presence of their owners. Rough handling or distractions during a supervised breeding can affect conception rate.
Dietary insufficiency or obesity affect reproduction ability. Many cases of temporary infertility or impotence can be successfully brought into control through therapeutic veterinary intervention.
The veterinarian should thoroughly examine both the male and female before a breeding is initiated. Ideally, the sire and matron-elect should be in a good state of health, lean and physically strong. They should have blood drawn for a brucellosis test no less than several days prior to the first mating. The reproductive organs of the male should be examined. The veterinarian should also make a slide from a semen sample to assess the quality, motility and quantity of the sperm.
A breeding should take place in an atmosphere conducive to a natural completion of the mating. The atmosphere should be free of distractions, allowing the dogs to concentrate fully on what they are supposed to be doing. A backyard where neighbors hang over the fence to watch, or even a next-door party is a strong distraction for any coupling pair. Children zooming through the yard and nearby dogs barking are also major disturbances to a successful breeding.
Age and timing are the strongest factors in the reproductive ability of both sexes. The passage of years can cause an older dog, male or female, to become infertile. The best conception rates occur when the correct breeding time is determined. A female's flagging enticement of the male is not enough. Daily examination of vaginal smears helps to accurately define the optimum time for a breeding.
Good conception rates occur when females are bred twice within 48 hours, and during the first three days of true estrus. Some females' slides indicate a longer breeding period. Bred no more than three times on an every-other-day basis, over a 72-hour period, a strong conception rate is almost always assured.
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