[Kitchen Cottage]

Well, I have to say rehoming is a palaver!

Cute photo's go on the internet and people who have NEVER researched the breed come round based on the photo's...Are these people grown up?

The last one was a very large, manicured and blinged lady who turned up.... Very nice BUT works, have a 12 year old Chow and a 2 year old s**t Tzu (no idea how to spell that!) and wanted a WORKING COCKER SPANIEL PUPPY....She'd never researched the breed but "fell in love" with the photo.... I haven't had to turn anyone down because I've been able to persuade them that it was their choice not to have one of Misty's puppies.... So far that is 7 people I have persuaded...

This is how the homing reads so far

1. Tilly (choccie girl) IS ALL MINE !!
2. Archie (choccie boy with caramel on his face and feet) is going to the farm half a mile away with the farm manager.... 4 boys so he will have a ball!
3 Sox (black girl with white rear paws) is now Misty Magic and going to two teachers who work part time and have another working cocker
4. Aoife - (tricolor girl) going to feed merchants about 20 miles away.... their last dog was a Gordon setter so she will be a breeze!
5. Pipsqueak (black girl) is going to a cabinet maker in Stowmarket who works in a yard in his home and has a wife who works part time... he was adorable....
That leaves Aphra.... and I have 3 viewings over the weekend....

Moral decision is whether to "overbook" or stop when she has a home I am happy with...
All the 3 people have had working cockers before.

 
They are now in the utility room in the interests of my sanity!

[sabrina]

That was why i stopped breeding Irish Setters. The people who would turn up with no idea of the breed, worked all day, lived in town. I hated it.

[doganjo]

I'm lucky that my Brittany pups are almost always booked before they are born, because there aren't that many litters around, but way back in the 70's it was always a nightmare getting the right people for my cocker pups.  never had one back though, even though I always would if required, so all is well..

[Kitchen Cottage]

Bizarre woman phoned yesterday and asked if I would "swap one for two pedigree fancy rats".... and another, elderly sounding couple phoned; I concluded housing a pup with them would mean the pup had the highest IQ in the house.... they had had a show strain cocker before but they were so dithery about how to find the house etc.

I have a nice sounding lady coming today who has had IRISH SETTERS before so am hopeful.

The amount of people who come and have done no breed research is amazing.... I particularly liked the other chap who phoned yesterday who said "I've had dogs before, I used to have 2 Akita's and we had a staffie, but I had to get rid of the Akita's because they howled and the staffie growled so I gave it to a man off gumtree and it's gone to live on a farm".... seriously!!!  I actually hung up on him because I couldn't think where to start with his statements!!!

People be crazy!

[trish.farm]

OMG I don't know how you do it!!!  What a nightmare!!  That is exactly why I wont breed from my working lab.  She is the most perfect gundog, beautiful, fantastic conformation and 2 shooting friends want a puppy from her.  I still wont breed from her as I couldn't guarantee perfect homes for a whole litter.  Fills me with horror!!!   Good luck!!! 

[doganjo]

OMG I don't know how you do it!!!  What a nightmare!!  That is exactly why I wont breed from my working lab.  She is the most perfect gundog, beautiful, fantastic conformation and 2 shooting friends want a puppy from her.  I still wont breed from her as I couldn't guarantee perfect homes for a whole litter.  Fills me with horror!!!   Good luck!!! 

That pleases me although perhaps it's the wrong reasons,  You shouldn't breed from her if she hasn't had her hips and elbows scored by the BVA scheme, with acceptable levels fro the breed.

[trish.farm]

OMG I don't know how you do it!!!  What a nightmare!!  That is exactly why I wont breed from my working lab.  She is the most perfect gundog, beautiful, fantastic conformation and 2 shooting friends want a puppy from her.  I still wont breed from her as I couldn't guarantee perfect homes for a whole litter.  Fills me with horror!!!   Good luck!!! 

That pleases me although perhaps it's the wrong reasons,  You shouldn't breed from her if she hasn't had her hips and elbows scored by the BVA scheme, with acceptable levels fro the breed.

If I were to breed from her she would have her hips and eyes done!!  Even if they were perfect I wouldn't breed from her unless I had at least 8 fantastic farm/shooting homes with people I know.  To be honest, there are enough working black labs in this country without adding to them!!  Very impressed with Kitchen Cottage for being so fussy and finding perfect homes for the working cockers. 

[Kitchen Cottage]

Aphra is now homed with a local shoot

that is all done!  I have done all the contracts and they will go next weekend at 8 weeks.

Time to raid B&M for the puppy packs I think

In fairness I am getting so many calls from working homes, I am sure I could home these puppies twice.  I counted last night I had 27 viewings to get 5 homes, I probably put off about 15 other people.

I will get Tilly hip scored, but I don't need to PRA her because both of her parents are clear and therefore she can't have inherited the gene.

[trish.farm]

Well done!!! Your house will seem very quiet without them all!!  Will you do it again?? 

[Kitchen Cottage]

No.

I wanted a Misty line because she is so perfect so a choccie girl (Tilly) out of Misty is an absolutely perfect end.

I lost my Red/Chocolate sprollie a year and a bit about and the house isn't right without a brown spaniel in it!

Now it has one again...

[doganjo]

You are a star, KC, wish every breeder took as much care as you! 

[Bionic]

Well done KC. The pics are adorable so I can see why so many people were interested.