[Dailydrool] Breeding Bassets

[Karen]

Nancy,

I have to weigh in on this subject as well.  Everyone else has talked about the expense, the heartbreak and the time that goes in to breeding and raising a litter.
Yes having the stud basset will save you much of that but there is still the  moral commitment you and the females owner need to make to these future puppies.  Are they willing to keep all the puppies until they make the journey to the rainbow bridge?  Are you?  Are both of you in the financial position to handle all the problem that can occur with not only the bitch but the puppies?  What if the puppies need surgery to correct a defect, what if one gets stepped on by mom and needs a broken leg fixed?  Are you both willing to give up your time to help bottle feed puppies every 2 hours 24/7 if dawg forbid the bitch can't produce the milk or you lose her?  Just because your boy will be the stud doesn't mean that you are relieved of the moral, emotional, financial or time commitment.

The biggest reason I can think of right now  to not breed is the economy. Unless you have guaranteed homes for all these pups I would strongly suggest you reconsider offer your boy for stud service.  People are losing their homes every single day.  Many are having to make the difficult choice to feed their families or feed their furkidz.  Guess who ends up on the losing end.  Puppies are not selling and unfortunately they are given up to rescue or placed in shelters every single day.  The shelters and rescues don't have the room, the funding and unfortunately many of these wonderful bassets lose their life.  

I suggest you go to Golden Gate Basset Rescues website (www.ggbassetrescue.org ) and take a look at the 61 bassets we rescued on Dec. 18th.  Though many reasons were given why the breeder was surrendering them, the biggest one is they were not selling because of the economy.  She could not sell the puppies and yes she was more than irresponsible for continuing to breed.  (I won't get on my soapbox as I will let you read the story.)    Had it not been for some extremely wonderful and giving people (that I am forever grateful to) this rescue would have never happened.  This is just one story.  Believe me when I say the rescues are more than overwhelmed and having to turn away bassets because there is just no more room or funds.  

One last thing you also should know.  Many times the stud will have out of control hormones (similar to a teenage boy) after the first mating.  It will take at least a month for those hormones to calm down.  Every time there is a female in the area that he "smells" in season, that hormone surge is going to take over and he will only be able to think with his other "head".   He is going to do everything he can to get to that female, putting him at risk of being hit by a car or the owner of the female physically hurting him.  Are you going to be able to tolerate the incessant whining and mental change that your boy is going to go through during these times?  

All of this is things you need to consider.  I realize that you are probably feeling like the members here are telling you what to do and that can cause anger.  I won't tell you not to breed your boy.  Please just consider all sides and take the time just to consider what everyone is saying with an open mind.  The one thing that all the members of the Drool have in common is that we love our bassets and only want the best for them.  None of us want to see our beloved breed dumped, abandoned, put in to shelters, abused or God forbid euthanized. 

Just my thoughts,
Karen and The Dog House Gang
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