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<DIV>I have experience with spayed females and intact females.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The issue is one of breedability. Is she healthy and sound, with good
temperament and from good breeding stock, then it is harmful for our
breed not to breed a healthy and sound basset just because it is
inconvenient. Now to me, that means her breeder should be guiding that
decision. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But then to do the right thing, you must be responsible for the
lifetime placement and care of any puppies, and your breeder should support
all of these efforts and be there for you. That means if one is born with
diabetes, you take it back and take care of it. If when they are nine, one
goes blind and the owner can no longer take care of it, you take it back and
take care of it. Now certainly you can work to find these dogs another
home, but I know with any dogs I breed, they are my responsibility for their
lifetime.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And anyone getting ready to get a new basset hound, either rescue or find a
breeder that guarantees their dogs and treats them like they are family.
You want to find the people who love their dogs like family because it is not
about your single dog, it is about the continuation of healthy, sound
bassets. The best place to find these people is the BHCA Breeder Directory
at <A
href="http://www.basset-bhca.org/Member_Info/Roster/roster1.htm">http://www.basset-bhca.org/Member_Info/Roster/roster1.htm</A>
These people are sworn, yes sworn, to only breed to improve the breed, and that
goes for health and temperament as well as any show qualities.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So to the list I want to say, if you get a female basset from good healthy
stock, from a responsible breeder, and the breeder says she is showable,
breedable, healthy with good temperament, and will back you up and support your
breeding her, then you can certainly manage her two times a year heats.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have what we call the "Campground". I have three intact
females. When one goes into heat, they all go to the campground. It
has a covered dog area and space to move about easily and they stay there until
they are all done with their heats. It is downwind from the area my males
are, so my males are never bothered by it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have also had intact females in my city apartment in heat from time to
time. We use those denim panties with the velcro and they work very
well. I also cover the furniture with throws that can be easily washed,
just in case.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Though we do not need more dogs in the world in general, we do need more
healthy, sound, responsibly bred basset hounds, and in order to have those, we
need to stop just arbitrarily spay/neutering what could be healthy additions to
the gene pool that will produce healthier and more well adjusted bassets.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Just my opinion.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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