When trying to harvest sperm from a dog, timing is of the essence. The best time to collect sperm is during the spring, when the testicles are filled with semen. However, you need to take care not to contaminate the sample by masturbating your dog before collection. Younger dogs will tend to have higher sperm counts than older ones. Therefore, it is essential to clean the ejaculate two months before collecting.
You should place the artificial vagina in a quiet room, far from the dog’s kennel. Place a 15ml centrifuge tube in the center and fold one end to the outside for adjusting length. You may use lubricants or a baggie for this, but it is not necessary. After collecting the semen, store the sample in a freezer. Repeat this process for as many sperm samples as needed.
First, make sure the dog urinates before being bred. The urine will kill the sperm. In order to make the process easier, work with a veterinarian. Most dogs produce between 0.5 and 1.5 mL of sperm-rich semen. Moreover, they should be sterile before collection, as urinary tract infections can interfere with the sperm release.
Collecting semen from a dog is not difficult, but the process becomes easier after a few attempts. Dogs ejaculate three fractions: a milky part and a sperm-rich part. For the latter, you should make sure that your dog has ejaculated fully. A non-slip mat may be helpful. Once you have gathered enough semen, the next step is to prepare the test tubes for storage.
During the process of semen collection, make the stud dog comfortable. Start with the bitch in position and familiarize the stud with her. Do not mount too quickly. It may cause the dog to frighten the bitch and produce low numbers of sperm. Ensure that the dog is comfortable before mounting. If the dog is shy, the process will be more painful and result in poorer semen quality.
Several techniques have been developed to improve the quality of semen. Artificial insemination is one method for interspecies breeding. It is an excellent way to breed dogs that cannot reproduce naturally and are separated by long distances. This method is also economically advantageous, as it allows for the shipment of semen year-round. There are several types of shipping containers and extenders available for this process. The best one is the test extension method, which ensures that the semen survive during collection and extension.
It is important to note that the quality of semen is not directly related to the number of sperm cells. During the process of collecting sperm from a dog, it is also important to note that a stud dog may withhold a fraction of his semen when he is stressed or ill. These factors will affect the quality of semen produced and can make it more difficult to reproduce a dog with low sperm count.
