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Why are dog breeders turning to AI?

Pedigree dog breeders are turning in increasing numbers to artificial insemination. But what is driving the trade in dog semen - and what effect does it have on the animals?

Alan Black is a breeder of boxer dogs from Coupar Angus. Two and a half years ago, he was faced with a problem.

"The boxer breed, like most breeds in Britain nowadays, are suffering from a diminished gene pool," he says.

"Over the years there have been quite a lot of problems that have come into the breed."

Flask from the past
He asked the advice of a geneticist, Dr Bruce Cattanach, who gave Mr Black two options: breed naturally using unknown dogs from the European market; "or I could use something from the past - which he had in his flask".

Dr Cattanach thinks he was one of the first people in the UK to try the technique. In the 70s, he collected some semen from a champion dog, and froze it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31091695

Your comments and views:
brenda1
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03-02-2015, 02:45 PM
Sometimes this method is used if a dog lives here in the uk and the semen has to go to a dog abroad. Cheaper sometimes than taking the bitch to the dog.
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Gnasher
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03-02-2015, 03:07 PM
Personally, I find it revolting, but that's just my view
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tawneywolf
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03-02-2015, 03:25 PM
Nikki, the other option is excessive in breeding, bring so many health problems in its wake, that it is the death knell. I've been looking at this option of freezing sperm from certain dogs that are carrying bloodlines that are rare. Just imagine if we could have frozen Hal's and then used it at a later date on an unrelated female, therefore bringing the old lines back into the newer ones.
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Jackie
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03-02-2015, 03:29 PM
AI has been a part of animal breeding for a very long time, it can be invaluable to introducing new genes into breeds that are becoming bottled necked, it reduces the the stress on the animals having to travel from country to country to be mated.

Figos mother is the result of an AI mating, don`t think there is anything wrong to be honest.
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Gnasher
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03-02-2015, 05:00 PM
All true, but if we did not have closed gene pools it would be unnecessary to seek sperm from abroad.

I take the point about Hal ... He was very special indeed with excellent hips and tiny neat ears.

I guess I just like nature to be natural, not interfered with by our destructive species.
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Mr.Bulldog
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03-02-2015, 05:09 PM
Indeed a good thing for all the reasons specified above, also allows the preservation and use of genetic material from dogs that would otherwise no longer be available. I myself have plans to use AI from a dog that passed in 2012 within the next couple of years. Talking of which registry rules do vary on the subject of AI, some mandate a minimum time elapsed before using semen from deceased animals and some wont accept AI breedings between dogs domiciled in the same country. Someone else might be able to clarify on that.

And why's it gross? You expel your dogs anal glands dont you?
Have you ever seen breeds that need assistance to mate being assisted? Tell me AI is less preferable to that lol.
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Gnasher
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03-02-2015, 05:13 PM
No! To both, as my boys are fed raw so don't have anal gland problems, and IMO if a dog needs help to mate, then it most certainly should not be bred from.

I used to have to clean out my gelding's sheath ... Stank horrifically, but so satisfying!!
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Mr.Bulldog
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03-02-2015, 05:25 PM
Not once in their lives? Thats pretty good going raw or otherwise. And indeed to the latter point but since when has that stopped them.

I shall take your final statement in the spirit I'm sure it was intended.
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Jackie
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03-02-2015, 05:30 PM
[/quote]I take the point about Hal ... He was very special indeed with excellent hips and tiny neat ears.[/QUOTE]

As a matter of interest what was Hals hip score, and what's the mean score for the breed/ type.
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