That was one of my points about the original post...with stud owners handling their own shipping...you can afford more than ONE shipment for more than one breeding to get the timing right. IF the timing is right..the semen is good and the bitch is fertile you will have puppies. With todays science and shipping semen...the biggest problem is getting the timing "PERFECT" for each bitch because there is no stud to handle that part.....<G> Let's face it ......dogs roaming the streets are bred many many times. They can't HELP but get pregnant!! <G> Because of the expense involved...we try to get the timing perfect with progesterone testing. Studs don't require any of the normal VC or myco plasma tests that way...and that could be causing some of the 'misses' as most bitches are not tested for an A.I. TCI....or surgical implant. NOW Dr. 'Hutch' recommends 10 days of Baytril AFTER an implant or TCI...and that will take care of most infections if you follow that protocol. Personally I don't think all the knowledge and methods are the problem....but the COSTS sure are! Carolyn marhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.marhaven.com -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of blackhawkfarms214 Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 1:01 PM Subject: The old days of breeding. I had a couple of questions about breeding as it relates today. Do you think, we as breeders are "too involved" in the process? Or could it possibly be because we were not really involved in the earlier days with a lot of pre breeding testing that has caused missed pregnancies and smaller litters? I am from the school of the bitch came into season. You went to the vet and did a VC/BC and waited for the results. We drove or shipped the bitch to the stud dog owners place and was bred day 10-12 and maybe days 14.. 9 weeks later you had a litter of 10 and most, if not all were spoken for by 8 weeks of age. We all have seen that mix breed, unspayed female roaming loose in our neighborhoods, she eats what she can, shes usually wormy, unthrfty yet, each season, she usually free whelps 9-10 puppies under someones house and they all live. She hasnt had any vet care, no progesterone, no BC or VC.no mycoplasma counts, etc. Yet, she conceives (and whelps) easily. While I understand the necessity to check to make sure your bitch is disease free as possible. Is it possible we are now "too involved" with the blood draws, swabbings, etc which may be the reason why I have seem to hear about smaller litter numbers and missed conceptions Maybe its something that I havent considered.. diet?Environment?. What are your thoughts? Mike ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2014. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org SUBSCRIPTION: http://showgsd.org/mail.html NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================ ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2014. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org SUBSCRIPTION: http://showgsd.org/mail.html NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================