The American Beagler Forum

What does everyone look for in a stud dog? I know its hard to really get a honest percentage of what dogs are producing F.C. and placing hounds. I would think AKC or other registries could provide us with these statistics. I've heard some dogs are bred almost 20 times a year and sometimes more, and only get a F.C. or some placing hounds every so offten. I know of a few dogs that have bred bitches only 1-5 times a year and pups are placing all the time or become F.C's I feel alot of these good dogs are being missed for stud due to advertising and wrongful measures of finding our top producers (malesXfemales). Does everyone ask the owner of the stud how many bitches he's bred and how many placing hounds are out there, before breeding? I don't want to take away any awards that some of these Top Producers have gotten, but I think there should be another way to find the most dominate stud out there. The way we are doing it isn't accurate and there are alot of other good dogs out there today. Before you bred get some statistics...just an opinion

To address your first question, UKC does have a program for that sort of tracking. You can give them the registration number of your hound and in one click they can tell you where all littermates, parents and offspring are and what titles they have accomplished. I'd like to see AKC utilize that same program. Secondly, I think the placement of pups will have a great bearing on the percentages of finished hounds in a litter. I can breed to the great "So-and-So", but if I don't get those pups in the hands of experienced trainers and active trialers, the numbers will be quite slanted against the breeding. Can't tell much about the producing power of any stud or dam if 6 of the 8 pups born go to homes as pets. I think the folks that keep all pups until starting age, or keep them close by will show better percentages.