As the families on my puppy list know, we sadly missed our breeding opportunity this Spring. With everything set up perfectly, we tested progesterone several times and determined ovulation. Then we requested the stud dog to be collected and semen shipped overnight. But Mother Nature got in the way. As the huge storm descended upon the Midwest, our overnight shipment was sent to the Memphis sorting facility. And there it sat. For a week.
If you don't know a lot about canine breeding, there is a small window 48 hrs after ovulation where the female is ready for insemination. If you are using a male dog with live cover, he usually can sense when this time is right. But with artificial insemination, you have to use progesterone levels to determine the precise timing that allows for both eggs and sperm to be present at the right time. Timely shipment of live sperm is paramount.
With our semen shipment sitting for a week, we missed our window of opportunity to inseminate and we are now forced to wait until Rheese's next cycle. Dogs' fertile cycles happen, on average, twice per year with Rheese running about every 6.5 months or so apart. I anticipate her next heat cycle to happen in mid-August with breeding dates toward the end of August. At this time, my puppy list for this breeding is full. I have quite a list of folks that were interested in this Spring litter, as well as many families hoping for a spot on the next breeding. This missed breeding delays both groups.
I am in the process of updating my puppy application and will have that done soon for those that have requested it. For new people finding my website for the first time, I am happy to speak with you about my breeding plans or any questions you have about the breed. While my soonest litter is spoken for, I am taking applications and interest for future litters. We would likely breed Rheese again in late 2022/early 2023, assuming all goes well this year. Feel free to send me an email if you have questions or want to open a conversation. musketcreek@gmail.com If I don't reply right away, don't worry! I will get back to you soon, I promise.
In the meantime, we'll be pursuing some new titles and hopefully get into the AKC conformation ring as well when restrictions in CA are lifted a bit more. Thank you to all of my puppy families that are so patient! Here's a picture of Rheese from this past fall at the 7 Magic Mountains art installation outside of Vegas for fun. :)