The present study investigated the effects of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) on the nuclear maturation of canine oocytes. Oocytes were recovered from mongrel female ovaries in various reproductive states; follicular, luteal or anestrous stage. Oocytes were cultured in serum-free tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with various concentrations of FSH (Exp. 1: 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 10 IU) or hCG (Exp. 2: 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 10 IU) or both (Exp. 3: 1 IU FSH + 1 IU hCG) for 72 hr to determine the effective concentration of these hormones, and to examine their combined effect. After maturation culture, oocytes were denuded in PBS containing 0.1% (w/v) hyaluronidase by gentle pipetting. The denuded oocytes were stained with 1.9 μM. Hoechst 33342 in glycerol and the nuclear state of oocytes was evaluated under UV light. More (p<0.05) oocytes matured to MII stage when follicular stage oocytes were supplemented with 1 IU FSH (6.2%) compared with the control, 0.1 or 10.0 IU FSH (0 to 1.2%). Significantly higher (p<0.05) maturation rate to MII stage was observed in follicular stage oocytes supplemented with 1.0 IU hCG (7.2%) compared with the control or other hCG supplemented groups (0 to 1.5%). However, the combination of FSH and hCG did not improve the nuclear maturation rate of canine oocyte (2.4 %) compared with FSH (6.2%) and hCG alone (7.2%). In conclusion, FSH or hCG alone significantly increased the maturation of canine oocytes to MII stage.