[Fowgill Farm]

The farmer next door to us has 2 bitch collies and a heinz 57 male dog and he will not pay to get any of them done. So every year he drowns  numerous litters of puppies the minute they are born! Just can't get it thro his thick head to have the dog done and solve the problem!
Dumb Dumb Dumb 
Mandy 

[Rosemary]

Couldn't you just slip the dog away and get it done?

That's cruel and irresponsible (the farmer). Worth a word to the Dog Trust or RSPCA or local Animal welfare officer at the Council?

[Hopewell]

Sorry, but that is wrong - there has been NO vigilance by her owner and that is a damned disgrace.  Have you said anything to the owner?  If I knew them you can be sure I would.

That was really the point I was making - no real vigilance at all, and obviously not likely to change either. If you met the owner you would understand but I would prefer not to discuss particular circumstances in a public forum, except to say that this bitch is clearly a much needed companion. I just recommended that this bitch is spayed before her next season as remonstrating about responsibilities would have had no effect.

[funkyfish]

A recent study has shown that 80% of entire dogs over the agent 5 deveop benign prostatic hyperplasia. Not fatal in it's self but nasty as they can stop being able to poo and wee. But there  are now alternatives to surgical castration. There is an implant that lasts a year that chemically castrates ( and its effects ware off sdter a year with out impacting on fertillity apparently) and tablets to reduce prostate size.

Bitches are more important to neuter before the third season because of the high risks of pyometra and mammary carcinomas.

There is a good booklet called the effects of surgical castration you can buy from the apbc web site.

I think neutering for pet dogs( not necessarily working or show) along with microchipping should be made law. To reduce numbers of dogs and make people have to pay something for them, it might just make some people think twice about keeping them. Not many, but even if a few people didn't it might help keep the population down.

[doganjo]

I think neutering for pet dogs( not necessarily working or show) along with microchipping should be made law. To reduce numbers of dogs and make people have to pay something for them, it might just make some people think twice about keeping them. Not many, but even if a few people didn't it might help keep the population down.

So how do you decide which are which?   

The majority of show people over the years have started off with a so called 'pet' dog that someone said oh that's a nice dog, why don't you show it'

If your neutering scheme had been in place 40 years ago I, amongst the thousands of people I know in dogs, certainly wouldn't now be enjoying a  wonderful, fruitful, enjoyable, friend making hobby.  I didn't know when I bought my first Cocker that she would win a qualification to be shown at Crufts.  Nor did I ever think I would go on to import a French Breed into Scotland and work them. 

I don't know what the answer is, but it certainly isn't to neuter everything.  I certainly agree that there should be better control on numbers - I know of one woman in England who has a Brittany dog and numerous Springer bitches and is breeding them to produce 'Bringers' on the bitches every season.  She has been reported to various bodies who have believed what she has told them without checking the internet sites she sells the pups on.

My answer would be to bring the Kennel Club's Assured breeder scheme into Law, and that anyone who wishes to breed must adhere to the strict regulations for the rest of us - numbers of litters from a bitch, minimum and maximum whelping ages, health tests, after sales care, taking back dogs that require re-homing etc.  That would cut numbers straight away.  Any matings happening outwith that scheme would have to be stopped by the mis-alliance injection, and the bitch then spayed.  If it got past that stage the pups would be taken into the care of the authorities when weaned and neutered when old enough.  The only problem is it would need funding - and no-one wants a dog licence in case the government relocates the money instead of ring-fencing it.

[wellies]

I have just read this thread with interest as I am in the process of trying to find an Irish setter puppy. I have contacted several breeders to request information on genetic testing results for the sire and dam recommended for the breed (CLAD, Pcd-1&4 and hip scoring) and also to discuss history of bloat and epilepsy within the family line. A couple have been most helpful ad others just awful clearly breeding from what might be lovely dogs but without thought for any inherited conditions which maybe passed on or breed standard. I have been extremely worried about the amount of setter pups advertised on the web for relatively little money and what appears to be planning. My last setter who unfortunately we had to have put to sleep not so long ago was castrated even though he was genetically clear of all inherited conditions but did develop bloat at a young age despite all necessary precautions (luckily he survived although with a damaged gut and never put on as much weight as I would have liked). There is some evidence of genetic predisposition and I later found out others of the same sire had also developed this condition so it was decided that he should never be used as a stud dog and was therefore castrated. I think he was a happier dog for it and seemed more focused generally.   

[doganjo]

Have PMd you