The two most common problems with fertility are timing (with respect to the female) and having good quality semen that’s delivered into the uterus. Another problem that’s becoming increasingly important is the nutrition of the bitch and stud dog.

About Dr. Greer: Dr. Greer is a renowned author, speaker, veterinarian, and canine reproduction specialist. In addition to being the Director of Veterinary Services at Revival Animal Health, she is on the board of the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA), the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics, American Veterinary Medical Law Association, and the Society for Theriogenology.

Laura and Marty start by discussing the importance of nutrition - what people feed their dogs, how they feed, and what consequences those factors can have on the success of a breeding.

There is likely a nutritional component to the quality of a stud dog’s semen in addition to fertility and the female - this is something that hasn’t been very explored, but is becoming more evident.

They then talk about the importance of progesterone timing and how using frozen vs fresh semen interacts with that.

There’s a narrow window of time during which the puppies need to come out - they also discuss the downsides of reverse progesterone testing (done at the end of pregnancy).

Last, they discuss the importance of having your bitch in good physical condition - fit but not too lean. You also want your bitch to have good dental health. Overall, you want your dog to be in top notch shape for breeding.