After convincing Bella's owners to have the bitch idexx tested I now feel they have been badly let down, again! Having already paid their greeder £300 to remove the endorsements they then went on to pay idexx for a test. Their vet don't have an idexx testing machine and the blood was sent to the lab. According to the documents the test was carried out at 8.18am but no one bothered to get in touch with them till 4pm yesterday and tell them that their bitch scored 35 on Monday morning. With a score of 35 Bella should have been mated ASAP, ovulation is 17 and mating should happen within 48hrs of ovulation. Idexx should have contacted them at 8.18am and said "Go now!"
With the clock ticking Bella arrived here at 6pm, both dogs seem to get on and they played and flirted a little. But having given Bella an examination I really couldn't see how we could have a successful mating. Anyway with play and flirting some bitches do relax and Orin seemed happy to play the long game ... Bella was not and became more agitated about the whole situation. I told her owners that I was concerned that Bella may have already gone over, I worried that we were 24 hrs too late and by 7.30pm it was obvious this was not going to happen. We came in for a cuppa and Bella's owner asked if I did AI (artificial insemination), I said no, but then I thought I know someone who does. A friend has done the course, has the qualifications the experience and the equipment, and only lives 10 mins away. I rang her, she wasn't home but could be here within the hour.
Well that is another experience I never thought I'd see, but if it had to happen again then yeah no problem. Orin was happy, he thinks he mated the bitch, he really didn't realise he was in the wrong hole (So to speak) and all Bella had to do was stand in front of him. I don't feel I can write the details here but done by a professional it was an extremely stress-free process for the dog and the bitch. I have to say that my choice would be for natural matings, but that seriously was not going to happen has night ...
I haven't charge Bella's owner a stud fee, but they have agreed to pay on conformation of pregnancy. I feel breed people have cheated them and idexx have let them down. Somehow I can't imagine Bella will be pregnant, she must have been going over, but then Orin was not for stopping so maybe some of the ova would still be alive. I was lucky, I had three puppies from a very late mating with Sammi ... here's hoping!
