  Searching for a puppy should be a serious matter in your life since this dog will be with you for the next eight to ten years or more and you must consider where you will be in your life as far as college, a home, relationships and your job. Do not look for a puppy if your life is unstable and you do not know where you will be in the next year or so. It is not fair to get a puppy and then have to find her/him another home in 6 months, a year, two years, etc. It is not fair to the dog! Puppies are placed in their homes from 10 to 12 weeks of age and a great amount of time is spent socializing them, introducing them to many sounds, textures and people, being held and getting a lot of attention from those who they live with as well as mom and the other adult dogs in the household when ready. The last litter is doing incredibly well in their new homes with people and dogs. New introductions and socialization should continue when they go to their new home and it is important that the new owners understand what an important job they are taking on as well as the amount of time needed to have a healthy dog in mind and body . Health is important and when searching, please do ask many questions about health issues. If you purchase a puppy and you do not ask, you could end up with a dog that was "cheaper" than the other, but you may have to pay in the long run with hip or elbow surgery, allergy shots or other meds that are costly in the end. Some things can crop up even in the best of breedings with very few health concerns, but generally if you have two healthy parents with healthy grand parents and great grandparents, these concerns are few and far between. Every breeder should know what the grandparents and great-grandparents died from and the approximate age of death. OFA--the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is an organization that rates hip joints for hip dysplasia. Go to their website at http://www.offa.org/ and if you do not find the sire or dams AKC registered name there, there are no hip xrays done on this dog. From time to time, a dog may not pass due to a minor joint problem, but even then, make sure the grandparents and great-grandparents have some hip xray history on the OFA page. You should have some OFA if not the majority of the dogs that do have clearances. Otherwise you may be looking at up to $5000 or more for hip surgery or worse...the loss of your pet when you can not afford the surgery and cannot bear to see your pet suffer. I have had emails from people who have young puppies 6 months old who can no longer walk or trail and it can happen at any age depending on the dogs genetic makeup. Owning a bloodhound puppy can be incredibly fun and one of the most memorable experiences in your life and a dream for many people. Please take this job seriously! I do not have any litters planned. I would be glad to send you on to another American Bloodhound Club (ABC) member who does. You can at houndfancy@wildblue.net or call me at 763-755-7728. If you would consider a misplaced bloodhound please contact Bloodhound Rescue and they will be glad to find the right hound for your home. They can range from young puppies to veterans. All dogs are evaluated for health and social issues and placed accordingly.
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