…there are too many variables here.  why are your dogs not spayed and neutered?  keeping them together and letting them breed is irresponsible.  there are low cost spay and neuter clinics in every state.  please get her spayed, as well as your other bitch, if you’re not going to neuter the dogs.

Hello there. I am no expert but i still want to try to help you out. First of all, you didnt mention if it’s her first litter or not. Second, i think that the dog’s health, in some cases, is most valuable for a diagnosis than her age (as a number). I’ve seen 3 y old dogs in a awful shape and i’ve seen 11 y old dogs running after a surgery for pyometra. Crazy. That being said, if she’s fit and fine and healthy i think she is perfectly capable of giving birth at that age. Keep in mind she still needs to go through exams to check if everything is running smoothly. After that, you will need to protect the mother and the puppies and think about getting her spayed if you don’t want this to happen again.

Hope this helped.

Good luck!

Hi Eric, you should have made sure your Basset was up to date with innoculations; wormed and flea treated before she came in heat. Hopefully she is ok with all those. May I just add she is getting on a bit for a 1st litter so if you are going to mate her don’t leave it any longer.

Find a stud dog who has had all the relevant health checks for the breed. Bassets are prone to IVDD so bare that in mind too (research it ok). Be prepared to pay a hefty sum for the stud dog fee. Your bitch should have had these health tests too.

Bitches are usually receptive to a male between the 11th and 14th day of her heat. Its always best to mate twice, say 11th and again on the 14th day. She will carry the pups for 9 weeks.  Its the luck of the draw as to how many puppies she will have.

However, to care for the bitch and a litter is hard work and expensive. The puppies will need worming from 2 weeks old, and every 2 weeks after that….wormer from Vet not pet shop. Worms lay dormant in the bitch and pregnancy hormones kick them into life, passing through both the placentas and the bitches milk. Your bitch will also need worming from being mated right through…Vet can tell you which wormer is safe.

The puppies need clean bedding several times a day; they need to be kept at an even temperature of 24 degs C. Be prepared for Vet bills along the way….the bitch delivering the pups; a sick puppy or two ect. 

The puppies will need to be registered with the relevant Kennel Club and Pedigrees written. They should all be microchipped, up to date on wormer; puppy packs ect. You will also have the job of finding them the correct homes….Contracts should be prepared to say that you will have the dog back at anytime during its life should there be any problems. 

At the end of all this you will probably be out of pocket….and owing Vet bills. You may also be left with a puppy or 2 you can’t find homes for. Be prepared for all these things.

Having said all that….your bitch may sail through the whole thing and you have wonderful life long owners waiting for the puppies!

Good luck….and please do think very carefully before you go ahead with the mating. Have extra money to spare for Vet bills and be prepared for any scenario. 

Totally agree Krista….so many things can go wrong….you need to know exactly what you are doing and be ready for anything. X

also, read through this: http://www.basset-bhca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=183

if you are unwilling to test for these things and submit those results to OFA, don’t breed.  if you aren’t willing to do a LOT of pedigree research, don’t breed.  if your bitch isn’t registered, don’t breed.  if your bitch isn’t titled in at least something, don’t breed.  if you’re breeding to make money, don’t breed.

find a breed mentor to help you do this the right way or don’t do it.

do not give human medication without direction from your dog’s veterinarian. 

for how long has she been limping?  have you tried crate rest to see if this is something that will heal itself?  in your shoes, i’d put her on crate rest (no running around the house, no jumping on and off beds – in the crate, out to toilet in the yard ON LEASH, then back in the crate with toys/chews to keep her busy) for at least a day or two, minimum.

No that is no too much water if anything it’s not enough.  It sounds like he needs to go to the vet for treatment.

No, if he had drank too much he would have vomited

Hi, we cannot diagnose what is wrong with your dog….but we can tell you she is showing symptoms of pain and distress. 

Please take her to a Vet, she needs medical attention quickly. I hope shes ok.

Where is the callus located? If on the feet, I’d make sure it isn’t a corn (I don’t know if Rotties get corns), and I would invest in Musher’s Secret or bag balm.

If anywhere else, consult a vet first.

He has it on his elbow and near his rectum. Thank you 🙂

Since he is a guard dog, he stays out on his cage reason how he got those calluses i guess.

How awful for the dog. What kind of life is that? There is a huge difference between dogs that have been trained to guard and dogs that are being abused by people that say, “this dog is here because it is guarding my home”. If a dog has not been trained to guard then being kept outside on surfaces that cause sores and calluses that is just abuse. Plain and simple. You need to either start respecting this dog’s needs, or you need to give him up to an organization or person that can give him the life he deserves – in a loving home with interaction, training and surfaces appropriate to his comfort.
I urge you to do the right thing and correct this situation. This dog is not a guard dog if he hasn’t been trained to do this job, cause if the time, energy and money was spent to train him, he wouldn’t be “out on his cage”. A barking dog is NOT a guard dog. Get a lock and an automatic light and you will be just as safe and a lot more humane.