Difficulty breeding my boxers

Question
QUESTION: My female boxer has just come into her second heat. She is a late bloomer and she is 2 years 6 months now and had her last heat 1 year ago last December. I also have a male boxer who is  2 years 1 month. I wasn't planing on breeding her last heat but I am ready to breed them this heat. I have concerns because during her last heat I never had to seporate them. He would lick her occasionally but never tried to mount her and they would still sleep together she just wore her diaper. Now that I am ready and they are grown up enough I am concerned because on last cycle. This is only the beginning of her 3rd day but he shows little interest and just licks her once in a while. What can I do to promote interest in breeding? I know she isn't ready yet and it will be a few days. My vet said I probably wouldn't need to separate them and let things go on like normal and they should breed when she is ready but I question that due his lack on interest last year? What do you recommend? Thanks

ANSWER: Hi. I suggest separating them. This will keep your boy's attention, he'll be able to smell her, be able to see her, but he won't be able to get to her. What may have happened last year was that your boy may have been too young to know what to do, not mature enough to get the job done. Some inexperienced boys will act like this. However, I do suggest getting his thyroid checked if he doesn't show more interest. A problem with the thyroid can throw off the libido. I would also suggest taking the female in for a check up if he doesn't show more interest. If by day 11 your boy still isn't interested, you can try to use a teaser male. Put your boy up where he can watch, but can't get to them. Put another male of a leash, and allow him to play with, and smell your girl. Just don't let them actually breed. After a while, put the teaser up, and let your boy out. This usually shows the male what needs to be done, and gets him motivated to breed. If that fails, you may have to resort to A.I. to get these two bred. If you try all of these things, and still fail to get your boy interested, then it's time to start doing some tests to find out what's going on with them. Has your boy ever been around another female in heat, and how did he act around her?

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QUESTION: Thanks for the advice. I will separate them with a baby gate! I will actually be traveling to my sisters this weekend and she has a neutered male dog thats always interested in her so I will use him as the teaser. So do you recommend separating them until about day 7 and then introducing them together daily? couple times a day? and then separating them again. Or should I wait till the bleeding changes? Any advice will help. I have been waiting a long time for this and I knew I wanted to breed them when I purchased them. No my male has not been around other females in heat. He really is just a baby himself- at least he acts like it very lovey and sensitive. I do have another male boxer that is neutered and 4 who didn't show to much interest in her last ear either. Maybe it is her. She has always been healthy maybe I will have to have her checked if nothing happens. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Answer
I would keep them a part until she's about 7-8 days in. Then, I would only allow them together for short periods of time until she is ready to be bred, see if this makes your boy more interested in her. Since there will be a different male around, this may also help your boy want to breed. If no male dog shows any interest in your girl, I would definitely have her checked out. Has she always had normal heat cycles? If she's fine, then you would need to check your boy, thyroid would be my first check. If both dogs are checked out, and nothing can be found, you may have to resort to A.I. to get this done, or possibly using a different male. If you have to use a different male, I would breed them where your boy can watch. Maybe that will give him a clue what he's suppose to do. Sometimes, they can be completely clueless, and need help in showing them what they need to do. Good luck!