Detecting ovulation in dogs

First off the cheapest way to check when your dog is close to ovulation is the PH stick.
PH of the vulv- a drops from 8.5 to as much as 7.0 during Ovulation. This can be used as a rough estimate for natural breeding's or as an indication as to when you should start the more expensive, but highly accurate progesterone testing.
The best time to test is just after [ half an hour or so} the female has urinated .
Before inserting the PH test strip wipe the vulv-a with a damp cloth {no soap} When inserted in vagin-a, the indicator end of the sticks turns colour to indicate the pH of the vagin-a. At ovulation in response to pH and carbohydrate changes the colour changes to indicate 7.0 on the colour scale. The cost of a bottle of these is around $14 a very affordable way to help you determine when to breed . a bottle of these will last you for several litters.

Fertile-Focus is designed for use by women, but it works on dogs to. A drop of saliva from under the tongue is put on a glass slide and allowed to dry for about 5 minutes. Then look at the ferning results on the slide through the microscope that comes with the Fertile-Focus kit.
This tester is reusable so is very cost affective and very easy to use .
I have been breeding mastiffs for many years and this is the product I use , it is easier then the PH strips and I Find it very accurate .
Using this ovulation kit is very simple .For best results, collect a sublingual saliva sample from under the tongue. Pull (do not unscrew) the lens from the housing. Collect a dab of saliva and place it on the surface of the lens. Try to avoid making bubbles and allow the sample to dry for at least five minutes before attempting to read results.
Look at the chart that comes with the tester and compare pictures , You are looking for a ferning of the dried cells.
I Personally have used this product and find it an easy and reliable test .

Ovacheck says this is a quick and easy test. This kit tests for progesterone levels and dose require the drawing of blood to do the test.. If you have the skills to draw blood this may be the test kit for you.