Problem w/ Stud dog

Question
I have a female who has been in standing heat for almost a week now.  She's been in with the male the whole time.  This is a first breeding for both of them.  The female is standing fine and the male will mount her.  But I don't think they are tying up.  He is very willing as I've seen many attempts, but he is either not penetrating at all or not enough.  He only mounts for 10 to 20 seconds or so, and then he dismounts.  Is there anything I can do to help him, or should I be looking for a vet that can do AI?  Thank you for any suggestions!

Answer
Hi Jayne:

Novice dogs attempting their first breeding may have some difficulty. You might try helping next time he's "in the mood" & is mounting. You'll have to be careful not to interfere too much but enough to help - it's a tricky scenario! Once he's mounted the female, try placing your hand just under his tail & push him gently slightly up & forward. You may even be lucky enough to guide his penis as near the vaginal opening if he'll allow such handling. It can be a taxing & extremely frustrating process so be prepared! Some dogs really resent any human interference while others don't. If you're unsuccessful in this, you can either wait until her next cycle or as you stated go the A.I. route. Waiting might be in everyone's best interest - with some additional age he might very well perform much better & be more confident. One other thought - you might also try separating them for a night & then allowing only a few times throughout the day of togetherness - sometimes absence makes the heart grown fonder! And he might be more focused on the task at hand if he's not allowed unlimited access to her.