hi, my bitch comes on heat every 4 mo - she had a litter 8 weeks ago and is on heat again so she is locked up - a breeder in town told me it is very unlikey for her to get in pup anyway as they only release eggs twice a year? im keeping her locked up anyway better safe than sorry - but is this true?

A bitch who has normal heat cycles ovulates at each one whether they are 4 months or 12 months apart.  The average inter heat cycle is 6 - 7 months but bitches/breeds vary.

Bitches that have abnormal cycles (less than 4 months apart) may not ovulate with some of them, but you have no way of knowing unless you run blood tests.

So you are Right to shut her away from the risk of being mated.

http://www.ovulationpads.info/

this may be a cheaper way than a blood test.
good thing to lock her away.

> this may be a cheaper way than a blood test.
>

It isn't cheap if it's a waste of money.  Which, for me personally was a useless experiment.

> im keeping her locked up

Could you define that statement?

May I slightly hijack the thread, I haven't seen these ovulation pads before, do they work? I tried Mate-Tel but it's virtually impossible to get enough saliva, and the pre-mate test at the vet is expensive....

i havent used them, and there are alot of people that dont like them on here, but a friend that has 'brussles griffons', she said its really hard to get them in pup, so she used the pads and she didnt realise her two bitches ovulate at day 4!! so she then new when to put them with the stud the next time round.

i will use them on my bitch next time she is in season, but i have a nuetured dog that helps me know when she is ovulating(i think, as she has never had a litter)

If there was any scientific evidence that these pads (which appear to be the glucose testing pads for diabetics) then surely reproductive specialists would use them in addition/instead of the intrusive blood testing?????  Ditto matetel. 

Maybe I am cynical but I think both these are items are designed to get peoples money on a placebo effect as bitches are pretty fertile creatures so likely to get in whelp than not anyway.

Lots of good testimonials on their site....hmm, tricky! My bitch shows colour right through the 3 weeks and isn't overly flirty until she's about finished - she needs to read that book!

>which appear to be the glucose testing pads for diabetics

I had asked what they were testing for with no response, but then I am guessing that if they told you that, you'd be able to source them much cheaper elsewhere! They gave a false positive for me and then nothing after.

>Lots of good testimonials on their site....hmm, tricky!

They are hardly going to put anything bad on there, they don't have enough confidence in their product as it is.

Jean , my dogs usually have free run of the yard but when she is in heat she sleeps in side and goes in a run during the day in a 2 metre by 10 metre run that has a roof and concrete floor with hard mesh and electric fence around the outside so no dogs can get it and I only let her out while im out with her 4 or 5 times a day while I lock my male up  in the run . Why do you ask ?