There are many different reasons you may need to learn about artificial insemination with dogs. Some females are too aggressive towards the male to be bred, or it may be standard practice for the breed. We have all the important information you need to understand and consider to successfully produce a litter using Artificial Insemination.
What Are the Advantages of AI Over Natural Breeding?
Artificial Insemination opens up your options for selecting a stud dog. When you find a veterinarian who knows how to receive an overnight shipment of fresh chilled semen, spin off the extender, check sperm quality, and insert it — you can open up your options to any stud anywhere in the lower 48. This gives you the ability to prioritize a high-quality stud from another state.
AI can also be critical when offering stud service. Females who are very dominant, or first-timers, can be difficult to breed naturally. A female who is not yet at the right time may put her butt down and be aggressive. A female who IS ready but dominant may still be aggressive. Some studs are shy to tie if there are people present. As a young breeder, I was saddled with a stud who was too shy to breed naturally — I had to learn to collect him and utilize AI rather than lose a significant investment. If you are in the breeding business, have AI supplies on hand at all times. It can save you a missed breeding worth ten thousand dollars in puppies.
Do I Need to Be Careful When Artificially Inseminating My Dog?
Yes. One time my stud kept popping back out of a female repeatedly. I asked the owner if I could do a vaginal exam to check for a stricture. Sure enough — I gloved up, used non-spermicidal lubricant on my pointer finger, inserted my finger, and met a narrowing of the vaginal channel at the top of her hips. It was so small I couldn't even insert my pinky. Keep in mind that a Yorkie stud's reproductive organ can be 1/2" to 1.5" thick when fully engorged — you should be able to get at least a pinky finger past the hips. If you can't, you are likely dealing with a stricture that will need surgical removal.
My client went ahead with AI — the tiny pipette passed easily through the small opening. A reproductive specialist confirmed both the stricture and a pregnancy. They planned a C-section and removed the stricture at the same time. The female later came back and was naturally bred. Had we not checked first, that little momma would have tried to naturally whelp — likely resulting in an emergency C-section and possibly the loss of the litter and her life. Working with an experienced breeder can save you so much heartache and money.
The tissues of the uterus and vaginal canal are muscle and cartilage with little sensation — so you are very unlikely to cause internal damage with the pipette. Use gentle pressure, never forceful. Talk to the female in reassuring tones. If she displays aggression, you can cover her head with a small dish towel to calm her — though if it makes her more agitated, remove it.
How Do I Safely Insert the Pipette?
Insert the tip of the pipette at the top of her slit, push it in slowly at an upward angle toward her tail until it stops, then angle the pipette toward her chest at a downward angle. Adjust left, right, or twist the pipette — think of it like navigating a bag of folded skin. If you meet resistance, back up and try another direction. Every female is different; her cervix can be flipped or off to the side. If you suddenly go in a bit further, you are usually in the right place.
When Is It Appropriate to Use a Canine Semen Extender?
I no longer add extender when the female is right there and the semen is freshly collected. When shipping sperm overnight, the vet will spin the fluid to remove the extra liquid and concentrate the sperm — so use extender only when you are actually shipping. The extender protects the sperm as they are chilled and then warmed back up.
What Semen Extender Do You Recommend?
I like Dr. Kenney's Semen Extender — a good brand also used for horses. I used to buy the one with antibiotics (to protect the female from bacteria), but I've completely stopped. I found that antibiotics can be hard on the sperm. I now only use the antibiotic-free version and have had better success. You can collect from your stud, split it into two portions, add antibiotic extender to one and non-antibiotic to the other, then use a microscope to compare quality and motility. Each stud's sperm may respond differently.
How Do I Collect Sperm from My Stud Dog?
I generally use a Ziploc bag — Ziplocs do not kill sperm and you don't need the expensive collection bag. Gently squeeze behind the bulbus glandis (the big knot at the base of the penis). This allows blood to flow in but not out, simulating a tie. Apply a small amount of gentle pulling pressure toward the dog's head. In a natural tie, the female's internal muscles grab behind the bulbus and the male pulls away — you see them turn butt to butt. Hold gentle pressure until you see the milky sperm-rich fraction enter the bag. There are 3 fractions: the first clears the way (few or no sperm), the second is sperm-rich, the third pushes the second deeper. Pull the bag away and add the prepared extender. Go slowly when drawing the mix into the pipette — going too fast will rip the tails off the sperm.
How Do I Insert the Pipette into the Female?
After slowly drawing the collection into the pipette: hold the female's tail with your left hand so she can't move. Insert the tip of the pipette at the top of her slit at an upward angle toward her hips. Once it stops at the hips (don't press hard), change the angle toward the bottom of her chest and slowly push further. Twist the pipette to pass through folds. Your pipette should be about 5" inside a small Yorkie — at least double that for a large breed. Once in far enough, lift her hind end slightly off the ground and slowly push the syringe. If sperm starts coming back out, re-adjust the pipette left or right and continue.
What Do I Do Right After Inserting the Sperm?
Hold her rear end up high in the air for at least 30 minutes. In a natural tie the male is locked in for about 30 minutes, keeping everything in place. This step is extremely important — do not skip it.
How Much Fluid Should I Expect to Collect?
Some males have 5 ml, some only 0.25 ml. A half ml is plenty! If you only get 0.25 ml, your male may not be old enough — it can take 2 years to reach maturity. If you get about 0.5 ml, add 0.5 ml of extender — that is enough. One drop from a healthy fertile stud has millions of swimmers, and your female has anywhere from 1–16 eggs. You just need one drop inside the female, in the right spot, at the right time. I once had 7 puppies born from a transcervical insemination with just 0.5 ml — and I've had 6-puppy litters from only 0.25 ml. Volume is not an end-all indicator of success. Timing is more important.
How Do I Ship Canine Sperm?
1. You need the appropriate transport kit — available on Amazon (search 'canine semen transport kit').
2. You need the appropriate semen extender — Dr. Kenney's Semen Extender without antibiotics, available on Amazon.
