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<TITLE>RE: What does a reputable breeder do when ....</TITLE>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">Sara</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I was not seeking advice</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> just sharing an experience. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">In regard to some of your comments:</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">*</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I think it is hard to place two from the same litter in one home. Especially sisters. They can age with adulthood and get extremely upset with each other long term. It is actually a known phenomenon in other breeds. In some breeds, bitches who are full siblings from the same litter have been known to kill or seriously wound each other after sexual maturity. </FONT></U></I></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">We have bred 16 litters in 22 years. We have placed littermates</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> (two males, two females and one male/one female) together multiple times. We have also placed puppies of different ages together</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">. All (except this one) have been very successful placements with the dogs growing old together with no proble</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">m</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">s</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">*</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">So far, my girls only throw one girl puppy in each litter, so I don't know.</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"></FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I prefer to match half-sisters and half-brothers, from different litters and subsequently, slightly different ages and developmental levels, and I feel strongly that mothers and a daughter should stay together if possible. But I like two dogs together with bassets, or four. Don't like three or five because that leaves one out, unless one is old and doesn't want anything to do with the rest.</FONT></U></I></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><U></U></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">How many litters have you bred and how many puppies of your own breeding have you placed? </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">You obviously have many strong opinions about placing dogs but what is your experience in actually</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">breeding, whelping, raising and placing a litter.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> Also, the pack nature of bassets lends itself readily to packs of various sizes and ages. My dogs (six intact males) range from age 10 months to 12 yea</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">rs. The 12 year old (as do the 11 year old, 10 year old, 3 year old and 2 year old) all play with the puppy every day. The three youngest play</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> together every day for hours. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> </SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">*</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">As far as screening the home, it is a tough one. I like home visits and trying to take a visiting dog of the same age and temperment for a weekend or overnight, once all else checks out. I have a "terrorist" adolescent I could take to someone if I really wanted to see what they could handle... but I would have to be very sure of security etc. first.</FONT></U></I></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I do think that many with older dogs forget what it is like having a puppy and training, and are really freaked out when little things happen like the dog won't go out the dog door on it's own to go pee. It is also possible that to really have them read stuff like "Before and After Getting a Puppy" by Dunbar, and reviewing things like chewing, housebreaking, sep anx and demand barking, and how to deal with all of that. But yeah, I have also found that seeing an older dog through a lifetime is not necessarily a sign of a good puppy home.</FONT></U></I></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">Obviously</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">, home visits are crucial</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> so crucial in fact that we have actually travelled 750 miles to do a home visit. We also have our puppy buyers visit us</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">multiple times</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> yes, even from 750 miles away. Our criterion for puppy placement is very intensive. We provide multiple resources (many of them written by us) and ot</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">hers in the public domain and purchased materials to assure a well-educated puppy owner. We also are in contact with them at least monthly through the first several years and meet with them (or attempt to) ann</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">ually thereafter. </FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">*</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I also get individuals ready by separating them and keeping them for a few hours during the day alone in the van. If they are going to be with a cat, I will stick a cat in with them. Also we do individual car rides and crating.</FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New"> </FONT></U></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><I><U> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">I have separated fairly bonded pairs pretty easily by using the group of bassets as distraction. Most will refocus on new dog friends and then I can wean them away from the dog they are attached to using different yards and parts of the house. I will start them sleeping together and then crate train separately but near to the other, then slowly move the crates away nearer to other dog friends.</FONT></U></I></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">Having raised multiple litters and prepared LOTS of pupp</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">ies for separation from their mother and littermates, we are well aware of separation techniques, optimal timing for separation, etc. As I said in my post, we could sepa</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">rate them, especially since they are under one year old. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">While I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">accept the fact that others may not know these techniques, I do hope you know that we are experienced and reputable breeders who do</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Courier New">not need to be lectured.</FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Sandi Wittenberg</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Red Bay Bassets</FONT></SPAN></P>
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