Dear Breeding: First, you should take the bitch to the vet to confirm the pregnancy either by ultrasound or x-ray after 54 days of gestation (if you know the approximate breeding date). The average gestation for a dog is 63 days. If she is pregnant then you need to prepare for the birth of the puppies. Work with your vet and also visit the library and read up on the process of whelping.

There are also several helpful resources for breeders available on the AKC website at: http://www.akc.org/breeders/resp_breeding/Articles/breeder.cfm

After the puppies are born, weaned and raised for 8 weeks, then as the “breeder” of this litter, you are responsible for finding homes for these puppies. Dropping them off at the shelter should not be an option. If you are serious about becoming a breeder of purebred dogs then this exercise will give you an idea of what the process will be like to find suitable homes for the puppies you produce. Also, responsible breeders will take back any dog they created for the life of the dog should the owner not be able to care for the dog. These are all points to ponder before embarking on breeding a litter.

My question to you would be why are you interested in breeding your bitch? Most responsible breeders plan litters to better a breed through improving their own breeding stock and to produce quality dogs for themselves and other pet owners they have screened as suitable for their breed. Making sure that an owner’s lifestyle fits the breed’s requirements is paramount. Most breeders also research stud dogs and conduct all age-appropriate health screening tests prior to breeding. Bassets are usually tested for eye and blood diseases. You can visit the Canine Health Information Center at www.offa.org to find out what specific tests should be conducted on Basset Hounds.

Old Wives’ Tale

To answer your question, an impure breeding does nothing harmful to the bitch. It is an old wives’ tale that it “ruins” future litters or leaves behind some hidden genetic material that might pop up in subsequent litters. She will certainly be able to have future litters of purebred Basset Hounds. Also, you do not need to spay the bitch simply because she had a mixed-breed litter. If that was the case then you wouldn’t see the trend of the recent Designer Dogs (Labradoodles, Schnoodles, Puggles, etc.) that is currently featured in the media.

Finally, I would seriously weigh all the pros and cons of breeding a litter before deciding to proceed. In my experience most pet owners report back to me that they had no idea of the amount of work, lost sleep, time and financial resources needed to successfully raise purebred puppies. For those of us that took the leap of faith and made it our life’s passion, we are truly committed to all the dogs we produce for the life of those dogs. The best way to learn about breeding is to ask the breeder of your bitch to be your mentor and show you the ropes. For more information on breeding Basset Hounds please visit the parent club at: http://www.basset-bhca.org/

However, should you decide not to breed in the future, then after she has this litter of puppies I would have her spayed to prevent any future “accidents” should she escape from the confines of your yard again. Spaying not only prevents unwanted litters but helps decrease the likelihood of certain illnesses in the bitch

 

Lisa Peterson is the Director, Club Communications, at the American Kennel Club, 260 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 (212-696-8360).