When it comes to breeding hounds there is a lot to think about when selecting which two to breed. It also becomes very situational based on if you breed two from your own pack or whether you are working with another hound owner to have a litter. Another thing to consider when breeding is what your purpose for this litter is. Breeding hounds is something that can take a little bit of thought or can be a very thought out process and it will be shown in the resulting litter.
The main thing to be considered when breeding is looking at the female. It is important to know if she can handle it or if she is ready. Make sure you do your research on the healthy breeding age for your hound. The age of each female can differ based on which breed of hounds you hunt with. From personal experience I tend to wait until the female is at least 2 years of age before breeding. Certain hounds also achieved their “grown” body size sooner than others. If the dog does not appear to be mature or healthy enough to support puppies, do not breed. This requires you to keep a close eye on females and males in the pack because female hounds start having cycles as young as 4 months. Understanding when your female is in heat is important to prevent unwanted litters.
The genetics of a litter is very important when breeding two hounds. Not every trait is hereditary so if you are breeding for a trait that is not inherited then it may not be seen in the puppies. Behavior genetics are a small part of inherited traits in canines. The physical traits of hounds are going to be the majority of the passed down genetics. Traits such as color, height, tail shape are going to be the most important factors. Studies have shown that training ability is genetically heretic in some cases. Everyone has seen hounds that train much quicker than others, that is something to be considered in breeding. Another major genetic factor is health genetics. A key example would be labrador retrievers. This breed is susceptible to joint problems at an early age and that is an inherited trait. However just because the parent does not have joint issues does not mean they are not a carrier and could still pass the trait.
Why you want to have a litter is a key factor in breeding selection. The purpose of the litter can be personal or from an annual breeder it could be for selling purposes. Then you get into what the desired puppies are. In rabbit dogs you may prefer a style that is lower to the ground with shorter tails that won’t get as cut up in the woods. In another case someone who has treeing hounds may prefer the lower, more blowing bark as opposed to the “choppy.” Thinking about what you want to see in your puppies before ever breeding will improve litter success with hounds.
Breeding hounds and having litters is no quick thought task. A common motto among breeders is breeding for better. The goal of having puppies with the intent of them becoming working/hunting dogs is for improvement. In theory the puppies should surpass the quality of both parents because a combination of the positive qualities of both of them were considered before breeding.
