boys vs. girls in the litter

[Jelena Kreitmayer]

this discussion was brought up on another list and I can't remember what result was. Thought it would be fun to see more international viewpoint/experience around this subject.
I know from the recent forum that Red Tails had 5 girls and 2 boys, Hanna said that her bitch had 1 boy and 8 girls, etc....
So, according to your own experience, has anything influenced the proportion/ number of boys vs. girls in a litter? Variables like:
-if mating occurred before or after ovulation
-if it was natural or frozen or chilled semen
-if the bitch was at home or at sire's
also if anyone can think of any other variables
thank you !!

[Kristina Brannlund Westin]

Hi Jelena!
What I have heard, and this is "only" what heard is that the "female" sperms are stronger and lives longer than the "male" sperms, so in that case an early mating gives more bitches,(correct me if I´m wrong). In my own two litters I had a lot of bitches and Alma was not mated particular early or late, and I went to the sires with her and in my opinion on the right time. Can also say that Alma (the mum) was born in a litter with 70% bitches.

[Anna Przywecka Saturnii]

Well...I had two times a litter of 12 pups (6+6) one from Anna and the other from her daughter,also 6+6.This was few years ago,now the same bitches have litters almost in the same time and it's 10 pups (5+5) and 6pups(3+3) heheh...Reason? I have no idea,my bitches are always stud by natural way around 10/12 day of they seasons.
There was also other litters in my kennel like 3 gilrs + 4 boys and 3 girls+5 boys.I never do test for my bitches to check when they are ready for stud,always Mother Nature decide!

[Kristina Brannlund Westin]

Oh shit, you are right. My mistake! She was born in a litter with 70% boys;-).

[Teresa]

In fact, female sperms last longer but are slower (the X cromossome is "heavier") and male sperm does not last as long but is faster. so in theory if the ovulation has just occured you'd have more males, if it hasn't occured then you'd have more females, but this is not a linear science.
But there's one funny thing....It seems most of you have 50/50 litters or a majority of females, and where I live, apart from setters being rare, litters with "many" females are very rare.

[Agnieszka Dufrat 'Neiven']

7 boys & 3 girls
- after ovulation
- natural + insemination
- at sire's home

[ursula wilby]

I have not noticed that there is any difference either way.
Nowadays I take bloodsamples from my bitches just to make certain that I will arrive on the optimal day. When studdogs are far away, and time is limited...

But it is said that female fetuses in humans are "stronger" than male ones...less abortions as far as I have heard. But I have no idea if this is 100% correct or if so - if it can be translated to dogs.
I would not count on it :-)

[Jelena Kreitmayer]

maybe you can enlighten some of us that are apparently still in dark with well substantiated scientific info?

[Carmel Murphy]

I always believed that the bitch determined how many eggs(size of litter) and dog determined sex of litter(boys v girls) Rua has had three litters all similar size( 7, 7, 6 ) with two different stud dogs! The two litters with same stud dog had almost same sex ratio(with one slight exception of 1 male in first llitter and 0 males in second) but both litters had 6 bitches!!!!!

[Angela Roberts]

Only had 4 litters but there were 6/5, 4/5, that bitch always mated quite late (day 15), her daughter had 7/6 mated early (day 9 and day 11) and her daughter had 5/7 mated day 12 & 13 after a blood test taken late on day 11 confirmed she was ready to ovulate.