If you collect boars for artificial insemination, you’ve probably noticed they like to chomp, nudge and nuzzle the dummy before mounting. (Sonya: I AM NOT A DUMMY!)

A fabric mat or rug may work fine to pad the dummy, but aggressive boars may tug on it and tear it up. (Sonya: No wonder my silk Teddy's keep getting torn up!) That leads to loose fibers and particles in the collection area. They pose a potential source of semen contamination, explains Sasha Gibson, director of International Genetics. (Sonya: Obviously Sasha has experienced this problem first hand!)

"When boars mount a sow, they’ll root her and lift her off the ground," says Bret Miller, who collects boars at the International Genetics’ boar stud in Maple Park, Ill. "They also will play with the dummy cover. "While the cover provides comfortable padding for the boar, he suggests you look for one that is durable. (Sonya: Maybe the floor mat from your boyfriend's Ford pickup!)

"Our dummy is covered with a pliable rubber floor mat that doesn’t pull apart," Gibson says. "You need a cover that doesn’t hold fluids or could become contaminated. It also must stand up to vigorous cleaning." (Sonya: My God, Men Are All Pigs, when have we ever stopped vigorously cleaning up after them?)