Question of the Week
Marlene Depalma
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tommy O and I collected one of our first Siberians in 1979. I still have several of those dogs in storage, and used them a few times and had beautiful outcomes.
Sandy Bingham-Porter
Charleston, Illinois
I collect semen on all my dogs. My breed is considered rare, and its registered litters are dropping every year. The “sperm of the month club” can be detrimental to any breed, especially those in low-entry status. Frozen semen and eggs might be able to help a breed if catastrophic breeding choices happen by taking a step back in time. I believe we have at least one AKC-recognized breed in this situation today.
Karen Mull
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Yes, I have frozen sperm from my first Grand Champion blue-merle Border Collie. I really wish I had done it sooner and collected more from him; I only have enough for one future litter. I love the idea that the AKC is going to start a sperm bank to help all breeds continue into the future.
Janie Hecker
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Our oldest Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, born in 2012, was our first purebred dog. Toby’s breeder told us that he would like to see Toby bred when he was old enough. At around three years of age, we took him to Country Companion Animal Hospital in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, which has a reproduction practice. He was collected and frozen. The process, using a teaser bitch, is very effective and efficient. We almost lost Toby to bloat in the summer of 2016, so we are glad we had him collected. Knowing nothing about showing a dog, he was handled professionally to his Top 20 ranking in 2016 and a Silver Grand Champion title in 2017. He did sire four litters, at ages four, five, six and eight. Each time fresh sperm was used. He sired 31 puppies born alive. Toby is now approaching his 11th birthday on May 17. I do not know if the frozen sperm will ever be used. Time will tell.
Susan Shephard
Deltona, Florida
Yes, I have frozen semen on most of my boys going back 20-plus years. I have used it successfully several times now and am grateful that I have it.
Alicia Moore
Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
I didn’t know you could collect eggs from a bitch! DAMN!
I have frozen from two of my boys stored. You never know what can happen. I did lose one of them, so I am glad I have his frozen.
Linda Sallee-Hill
Canterbury, Connecticut
I had my Smooth Fox Terrier, Ch. Foxwell Rama Power Strike (“Patton”), collected, as he was heading to Europe to be shown for a couple years. I figured it would do no good to have insurance, as that would not replace him if anything happened.
He was also collected in Europe by a famous kennel in Hungary, Agria, as some of the bitches they wanted bred to him were not in season when he was available.
He was in Europe for two years, obtaining his Polish, Romanian, Czech, Luxembourg, Lithuanian and International championships, three BIS, two RBIS and a club winner. Qualified for Crufts and took third place in Open.
Collecting him was a great idea, as I lost him four years after he returned home. Thankfully I still have his semen to use judiciously.
He produced more than a dozen champions, including specialty, group and BIS winners from Russia, Scandinavia and many countries in Europe. The majority of his offspring look like him, as well as his grandkids and great grandkids.
Barbara Miller
Brookville, New York
Considering Norfolk Terriers are a low-entry breed, I have been collecting semen from my stud dogs for years. I do not hesitate to offer frozen semen to fellow breeders without charge. I first gather information concerning the dam before I agree to have the breeder use my dog’s semen. The breeder of the dam pays for the shipping of the semen. As with even for myself I find frozen semen works and when it doesn’t it is very disheartening, as the process is expensive. I haven’t collected eggs, and at my age not so sure I would.
Lori Pendergast
Dodge City, Kansas
Yes, on two of my top-winning stud dogs. No on bitches.