heat tolerant

I haven't been on the board much lately and it was interesting to see this thread today. A buddy of mine and I had a similar conversation a week or so ago. I have always tried to have a litter born in the winter time. Its easier on the momma and the pups when its not 100 degrees. It doesn't get that cold for long here in Fla so the winter litters were what I always tried to have.

About 3-4 years ago I had a planned litter of Monkey x JJ pups and they were born in the winter. Most got to be 60-65 lb dogs , when grown, and the ones I hunted with seemed like they did better when it was cold, and worse in the woods, when it was hot. My Spur dog was a winter pup and he is the same way.

Last year I had a litter of Monkey x JJ pups born in July ( Monkey's idea...not mine). They are a year old and most are about 45 lbs. There is one BIG male out of the litter but the rest seem to be under 50 lbs. They also seem to be lighter built, not as heavy bodied and finer boned, than the full siblings that were born in the winter. I don't own one from the first litter but have two of the one year olds. Around the house they seem to be more heat tolerant than some of the other dogs. I haven't actually started hunting them yet but intend to as soon as it cools off some.

So I am curious if being born in the summer prepares them better for the heat. It surely seems like the summer pups, with the same parents, didn't get as big as the winter pups. And is it youth, or being born in the summer that makes my year old pups seem more heat tolerant? Or a little of both?

I will see how they do starting next month, in the woods and in the heat.