new to Basset Forum looking for info on heat

[Scully]

Originally Posted by Soundtrack

Ok, first of all, they are MUCH too young to breed. Bitches need to be at least two years old so that they are fully mature. Breeding her now would be akin to a 12 year old child having a baby.

Kinda dumb question, but at what age can males be used for breeding? Just curious because I've heard of them being used pretty young, so I was wondering if that's a "red flag" or not when choosing a breeder. (Sorry to get a bit off topic...)

[Soundtrack]

Males it doesn't hurt them physically to start young, and some breeders recommend breeding once when they're young to help them learn while they're young and hormonal and so that by the time they're mature you can have an idea of what they throw, the drawback is that they're really too young to properly evaluate their full potential, you're going on promise and pedigree. So there are pros and cons and no "wrong" answer. But with the girls they're not physically or mentally ready to carry and raise a litter until at least two. When my girls come in heat for the first time I look at them compared to the mature girls and they look like such babies it makes me sad that people want to breed them at that age.

[Swimming-duck]

MaeMae was used as a breeder for the first few years of her life. I'm wondering if that's why she's small for a basset - from carrying litters while still a puppy herself. At 38 lbs, she still needs to put on weight, but she will likely be roughly 45-48lbs at her ideal weight for her build.