this could be interesting

[Lisa McIntyre]

Originally Posted by swad1000

After seeing that and the ignorance of a lot of breeders, I was glad to know that the Newfoundland club has several genetic testing schemes in place for various problems with the breed. While they can't force you to have them carried out it does seem to be followed mostly.

But I must agree its about time the kennel club made these type of test mandatory before then offspring can be registered.

Hi (sorry dont know your name)

I have copied a post I made on a molosserbreed breed forum earlier.

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But surely that is a massive part of the problem which isnt and cant be policed (although I understand this wouldnt involve the showing part). The type of breeders and even pet buyers that frequent forums like this are concerned about welfare and the betterment of the breed. But, Joe Bloggs isnt. I have someone in my road that breeds chiwauwa's (cant spell that<g>). Her dogs arent KC registered and obviously nor are the puppies. She says her buyers dont care and quite obviously they dont because she sells all the pups even after god knows how many litters a year. So even if the KC put health screening in place, surely the majority wouldnt take a blind bit of notice because as they do now, they just sell the pups thro the local papers etc and as long as Joe Bloggs get their latest designer dogs, they dont care either.

I think the only way (and there are probably plenty of flaws in this<g>) is to blanket police. All breedings need to be covered by some law and every puppy sold needs to be sold with a certificate by law.

I know I harp back to the tortoise world in things like this (its what I understand<g>) but certain species of tortoise have to be sold with certificates issued by DEFRA (CITES) and to sell these species of tortoise without these is against the law. I wish it were all tortoises but currently its not. If all puppies had to be sold with a certificate by law, surely it would be easier to police who is breeding and what they are breeding?

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Lisa

[lizzy k]

Lisa you have never met the other half!!. I tell him he can't complain he paid the adoption fee for the dog for me. Think he tolerates all the animals for my benefit. Mind you I have to tolerate his kids!!. I suppose I can't complain too much about him as he bought both my tortoises for me, and the other day he went to his scuba diving club and came back with two rats.

Getting back to the topic I guess it's like a lot of animal breeding you have some good breeders and some bad. Sad thing is they (bad breeders) profit and the animals suffer.

[scrambled legs]

did anyone watch that programme about pedigree dogs last night on the gogglebox?

its such a shame dogs are being bred for beauty rather than being healthy,

they showed a champion alsation that could barely walk but because the kennel club description says thats how the legs should be... they keep breeding them that way..

king charles spaniel things that have headss so small that their brains can't fit in... yet they still breed them that way!

pugs that can't breath and culling of baby ridgeless ridgebacks..

i couldn't believe what i was watching..i feel like i do't want my pedigree poodle to be a stud anymore because most pedigree breeds are suffering so much nowadays..

poor dogs..

[70ridgeway]

yes i watched it and it was so cruel but im afraid while theres a demand for such dogs they will still be breed,the bulldog has altered so much over the years they carnt even produce a litter of puppies without help in doing this, people even admitted reproducing litters by keeping a strain by putting mother to son and daughter to grand daughter which in itself cant cause problems later on in life.How these people sleep at night i will never now

[sarah]

I didnt see it im afraid.
It was a nightamre trying to find a pure chihuahua, people cross breed them and say they are chihuahuas and expect the high price tag.

[ME SHELL]

I couldn't watch it, Jo let me know some of the things they were talking about and I just couldn't watch. It would have broke my heart to watch and I get so angry as I feel there is nothing I can do to stop it.

My dog has had a tumour removed and she still has a few tiny lumps on her. The vet said they were ok though and if she had to go under for any reason he would remove them, but he didn't see the need to put her under just for them. I worry about the sun with her and always make sure she has factor 30 sun cream on. She hates it though, and if it is very hot I have been known to put a tshirt on her. She is not insured but I do have a saving account for her, which I started when we first had her and so far we have only dipped into it for the op on her tumour and for her injections and once a steroid injection, as she had an alergic reaction to something.

When she goes it will break my heart and I can't imagine life without her, but I will not be having another dog.

[Pretty Penguin]

I am strictly a Labrador person, with Collies for working.

My beautiful girl is a pedigree Labrador, but she is very much as the breed used to be, and not as the KC see fit to promote. She has outstanding intelligence and loyalty and beautiful looks! She was bred by a local gamekeeper who breeds his own working dogs, and her parents both had good hip/eye scores, as did her forebears.

I intend to breed one litter from her providing her own hip/eye scores are okay as I want to keep a puppy to bring on, but I will never breed for the show ring. The sire will be chosen for temperament, health etc NOT because the KC say 'this is what is in fashion at the moment'. Any puppies sold will only go to carefully vetted owners, with a lifetime buy-back guarantee. It is only right that I take this responsibility.

Far too many dogs in this day and age are kept because they appear 'cool' or because the so-called celebrities keep them. They are seen more as disposable fashion accessories than the loyal companions they truly are. One only has to visit the rescue kennels to see how many are dumped - or worse - once the novelty value wears off and the reality of dog ownership kicks in.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of attending lectures by an RAF dog trainer who worked with German Shepherds: the dogs he demonstrated looked so different to the near-cripples some are today...

I'm afraid there will always be some people who breed purely for the love of money than for any notion of canine welfare, but this is sadly true of most animals - one only has to look to the world of horse racing or indeed, the world of show ponies.

Even the Victorians bred for show, whether it be domestic animals or farm. It is a sad, sad indictement of humanity.

Maybe the only answer is a massive education programme for potential/actual dog owners, and the licensing of all breeders, but it will never happen! All anyone can do is research the breed they wish to own and avoid those that the KC have condemned to a life of suffering. Maybe then, man's best friend will have humans truly deserving of their love and loyalty.

Anna