Age to breed

mike crabtree · Post by **mike crabtree** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:50 am

I bred a 10 month old Female last April, she raised 4 nice pups and Made ARHA RCH by Oct last year. She has placed at the spring Nats and won a Round at the World hunt. She has 2 Wins toward Grch. I think Breeding her helped her, because she was a little shy to catch before, after i handled the pups daily anybody can catch her.

S.R.Patch · Post by **S.R.Patch** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:36 am

I was always more concerned about breeding a male to young, rather than a female. Males were always slower to mature and breeding them early always seemed to add to their already lack of focus.
Females, on the other hand, were always quicker on the trigger and focused more on the task, sometimes to much. I found that breeding a bitch when young, that showed good quality and promise, seemed to hasten the bitch into maturity and settle her a great deal.
The pelvis is also more readily to spread when a bitch is younger, rather than waiting when she gotten older...

Ky Scott · Post by **Ky Scott** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:45 am

After 2 good Gun Seasons

gus · Post by **gus** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:52 am

simplepaliving, who cares what someone else says. Do the critics ask your opinion before they make a mating. If you like the bitch and she has no genetic flaws, that you are aware of, and you have a male available that is compatible with the female and you believe you are reinforcing the genes that you want in your dogs, go for it.
Get a copy of hounds and hunting magazine and thumb through the pages and see what decades of "improving the breed" has done to the beagle. Then get a copy of "Dog Fancy" and see the other extreme. There are beaglers throughout the country breeding dogs oversize, dogs that have seizures, and dogs with various inherited flaws, just to try to win a ribbon. If your bitch meets your criteria make a good mating.

simplepaliving · Post by **simplepaliving** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:29 am

Yeah I need to find a male with a good ear set and good bone. WE shall see what we can find.
Thanks guys

TOUCHSTONE · Post by **TOUCHSTONE** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:29 am

I would wait until the second cycle in most beagles. The female should be mature enough physically and mentally. You also need to know her running traits in order to choose a stud that is strong in her weak areas to improve your line. That may take until the third cycle to know her well enough and choose an appropriate stud. Dan M