So, I do find it interesting when I stumble upon something that breeders do that we don’t realize really stumps the general dog loving population.
I was recently having a conversation that casually mentioned artificial insemination and shipping to do so. This seems fairly normal to me but my Golden owning acquaintance was floored. She is married to a vet and pounced on him with her questions but it made me stop and realize that this is probably a completely unknown aspect of breeding to those who are not breeders.
So, yes responsible preservation breeders often use artificial insemination when location, timing or travel restrictions make an in person (in dog) meeting impossible.
Timing is critical for AI, so the potential momma dog is taken in to their vet for progesterone testing to determine when ovulation has occurred. This is often 3-7 tests. Dog eggs are released in an immature state so there is time to ship the male “contribution” between ovulation and when it can be successfully used. The stud dog has an appointment at the vet for collection (stud dogs often really like going to the vet), the collection is then processed to add extender and then chilled or frozen. It is placed in an appropriate container (cool pack insulated box or cryotank respectively) and shipped to the potential momma’s vet. Once it arrives it is prepared and inserted using artificial insemination, transcervical insemenation, or surgical insemenation.
At that point everyone crosses their fingers and hopes all of this time, effort and expense pays off.
I was recently having a conversation that casually mentioned artificial insemination and shipping to do so. This seems fairly normal to me but my Golden owning acquaintance was floored. She is married to a vet and pounced on him with her questions but it made me stop and realize that this is probably a completely unknown aspect of breeding to those who are not breeders.
So, yes responsible preservation breeders often use artificial insemination when location, timing or travel restrictions make an in person (in dog) meeting impossible.
Timing is critical for AI, so the potential momma dog is taken in to their vet for progesterone testing to determine when ovulation has occurred. This is often 3-7 tests. Dog eggs are released in an immature state so there is time to ship the male “contribution” between ovulation and when it can be successfully used. The stud dog has an appointment at the vet for collection (stud dogs often really like going to the vet), the collection is then processed to add extender and then chilled or frozen. It is placed in an appropriate container (cool pack insulated box or cryotank respectively) and shipped to the potential momma’s vet. Once it arrives it is prepared and inserted using artificial insemination, transcervical insemenation, or surgical insemenation.
At that point everyone crosses their fingers and hopes all of this time, effort and expense pays off.
