checking outside females for STI's and aggresion - Page 1

a breeder that gets a lot of stud services for his male commented on going AI because of the risk of STI's and aggresive females that could injure his valuable stud dog, is this a legit concern, does anyone check outside females for STI's?

Yes, it's a legit concern on both counts, though the aggression towards the stud dog issue is a point against  even breeding such a bitch in my view--assuming that she is actually in the stage of estrus where she should be receptive to the male, not trying to fight him off.  Any stud owner with a lick of sense will insist that females coming to their dog for service will be arriving with a negative Brucella test under their belt, and a statement from the vet indicating that the bitch shows no evidence transmissable venereal tumors--it only takes one infected female to end not only the breeding career, but the life of the stud dog [because there is no cure for brucellosis, and since it is also transmissable to humans, infected dogs are typically euthanized].

I'm not anti-AI, but I do firmly believe that the first breeding act, for both the males AND the females, should always be via natural cover--just to be sure that the dogs CAN breed and reproduce naturally. That also means allowing the stud and the bitch to perform the 'courtship' rituals [which should be instinctive] prior to the mating, and given time to go through the post-mating pair-bonding of grooming, playing, pair-walking and other activities nature triggers the animals to do which help keep the hormonal levels elevated, all of which do serve to aid in conception.

I've had bitches clearly express a dislike for a particular male, refusing to stand for him, though they never attacked or tried to harm the stud dog  [different breed, not GSDs, eons ago].  I had one experienced brood bitch that was in full standing heat, and flagging every creature that passes by, yet she reject and chased off the inexperienced male of our choosing for no reason discernable to us, yet willingly allow his equally untried litter brother to cover her within minutes of introducing him to her. These courtship and post-mating pair bonding behaviors ARE important to the breeding of dogs with our interference, and I believe that not allowing time for them weakens the domestic canine. 

the breeder seems to only want to go the AI route very grudgingly, but he does have a lot of financial investment in his dog among welfare and other reasons you pointed out.

you mentioned STI screening of females, how many people actually do it at a guess, some, most, all, few. conversley how many stud dog service providers demand it with current medical documentation???

i have heard of forced matings where the female is immobilised with restraints.

I demand documentation of a negative brucellosis test done within 2 weeks before the breeding. I also test my male as the bitch owners want to see the same.

Most of the aggression I have seen is when the female is not ready. I had a female try to eat my male and he wasn't very dominant with her.  Those are two signs that she is early.  If she's on time, he will pursue her and is not dissuaded by aggression.  She came back the next day and they tied within 5 minutes of being introduced, no aggression. I will not tie down a female to be bred, if she's THAT aggressive than in my opinion she's just too nasty, probably nervy and that's not good for a pregnancy or the bitch being the one raising the pups and imprinting her temperament. Also my male doesn't like to mate with a lot of help, he gets a tie quicker and holds it longer if he can flirt and pursue the female (chase her around) for a few minutes. I don't care if a female is normally intolerant of strange people or strange dogs, but when she is in standing heat and flagging, she can't be going for the male's juggular.  Some flirting and enticing the male to work a bit to breed is fine.