Day 13 And Test 2

A huge jump up in 48hrs, just like her mother and grandmother, if not worse. Today she's on 23, not quite doubled every 24 hrs as that would have taken her to 26.4 - but not far out eh! (19 -31 -ovulation recently occurred - mate immediately or within 2 days.) We are taking her to be mated at 10 am tomorrow. So if she doubles in the next 24 hrs that takes us to 46. (32 -64 - eggs have matured, optimal potential for fertilization, breed immediately or within 1 day.) I will be honest, I would have preferred to have gone today and tomorrow, but I have to fit in with Joe's plans too. Ringing in my head is - "breed early for bitches!"  Just out of interest and to compare - Kaiah went from 4.9 to 15 in 48 hrs and Sammi went from 8.2 to 23.6 in 48hrs, so Siska has taken more of a jump. Kaiah was mated about 30hrs after the 15 test, Sammi was mated twice, the afternoon of the 23.6 test and 24 hrs later. Whilst Fransisco mated Sammi twice he would not mate Kaiah a second time.

Orin is still reasonable calm, but I've looked back and it was day 14 that he lost the plot last time, so that would make us think that the eggs were maturing on that day of her last season too. When they are maturing they soften and the sperm finds it easier to fertilize them, though sperm from a health young male can live for up to a week, mating is more successful if the mature eggs are already laying in wait ... The boys were still frantic on day 16 last time, I think they get more desperate as the unfertilized eggs mature, but by day 17 things were starting to settle.

If I had to guess I'd say Siska ovulated yesterday evening, there was a difference in Orin between 5 pm when he went past her to eat his meal, to 10pm when he rejected his carrot and I had to pull him away from her crate (And Orin LOVES carrots!) We always used to say the ideal time for mating was 48 hrs after ovulation, well Sunday morning may be a tad early - but it takes 6 hrs for the sperm to travel to the eggs - we won't be far out! (I hope) 

Vet Google says " Following ovulation it takes the eggs 2 days to mature and be ready to be fertilized. Ovulation of multiple follicles may occur over a 12 – 36 hour period. Once mature, the eggs are capable of being fertilized for 2 days. Therefore, the fertile period begins 2 days after ovulation and lasts for the next 3 – 4 days" (Ovulation in GSD bitches is known to be about 17)