Steve

Id go younger

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out. I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'. Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them. Yes but the story isn't about their desexing - that's a DPI legislation issue for NSW. In VIC all dogs from pounds must be desexed before rehoming - BTP is not the only pound in NSW that does not desex before rehoming. Yes thats right but when they give the reasons they do for using that system as trying to keep down puppy farmers and backyard breeders buying them it makes little sense when they go out entire anyway????????????

No what Ive been watching from the window for a very long time and Ive witnessed hundreds of matings and Ive never ever not once had any damage or injuries.Ive mated a couple where the stud dog owner is in the mix and thats a lot more stressful for the dogs in my opinion. Given a choice I feed them a small raw meat meal which puts them in the mood , then put them in together and walk away and watch from a distance. If they dont tie in 10 mins I take em out and do it again the next day. Dogs have been having sex without humans for a very long time and Ive no interest in breeding dogs which cant reproduce without human intervention.

Exactly, the families who didn't win the tender could have selected another dog, no-one had to miss out. I find the tender system strange but this just reads like another 'boo-hoo I didn't get what I wanted story'. Those animals should be desexed before any one gets to buy them regardless of how they want to sell them.

http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/56279/ Researchers have delved back further than ever into the genetic history of humans, and found that the ancient population that gave rise to modern humans may have been nearly twice as genetically diverse than humans today, according a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientific reconstruction of a Homo erectus Image: Wikimedia commons, Lillyundfreya While most studies on the genetics of ancient humans have focused on the last half million years, this study looks at particularly old areas of the genome, allowing the researchers to look at the more distant past, said molecular geneticist Prescott Deininger of the Tulane Cancer Center in New Orleans, LA, who was not involved in the research. "This [study] is a little window to look back a little bit further," he said. When examining genetic diversity, scientists often use a measure called the effective population size, which describes how big a population has to be to carry its level of genetic diversity. Modern humans have an effective population size of about 10,000 -- a relatively low level of diversity. Chimps and gorillas, for example, both have effective population sizes of greater than 20,000. This estimate of 10,000 has been regarded as stable for about 200,000 to 400,000, maybe "as far back as a million" years, said population geneticist Chad Huff of the University of Utah. But looking deeper into human history, Huff and his colleagues determined that before about 1.2 million years ago, the effective population size of our ancestral populations was actually around 18,500. The researchers gained their insight by looking at mobile elements -- bits of DNA that can insert themselves into the genome -- known as Alus. Occurring in an estimated 1 in 21 to 22 births, Alus, which are about 300 base pairs long and the most abundant mobile elements in the human genome, insert into the genome at a rate at least three orders of magnitude rarer than the single nucleotide mutation rate. Because of this rarity, any particular Alu is likely to be much older than an average mutation. Furthermore, because the DNA just outside of these Alu inserts is closely linked to the mobile element, that surrounding DNA is also likely to be relatively old. The researchers can thus "use these elements they call molecular fossils to dig down through the strata of the human genome and arrive at some conclusions about human origin," explained molecular biologist John Goodier of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who did not participate in the research. Comparing these ancient areas of the human reference genome with the genome of a particular individual -- that of genomics guru Craig Venter, as it happens -- the team found that much of the DNA surrounding the Alu inserts was older than would be expected if the effective population size had always been 10,000. Based on their results, they concluded that the effective population size had been nearly double its current level before about 1.2 million years ago. While this is clearly a substantial difference, Huff said he was actually surprised the diversity of the ancient population wasn't even greater. "It is unusual that our [effective population size] is so small for so long," Huff said, especially given the success of our species. If our ancestors "really did live on three continents," he added, "you would expect a much larger [effective] population size." "I also wouldn't have expected our [effective population size] to be 10,000 for so long," Huff added. The small effective population size of modern humans was attributed to a bottleneck event that eliminated a great deal of ancient diversity sometime in the last 400,000 years. But if humans have maintained such low diversity for more than a million years, "I'm wondering if maybe it hasn't been [a] series of bottlenecks or if it's always been relatively small," Huff said. While the exact mechanisms shaping the diversity of ancient humans will undoubtedly require further research, this study makes a good start by identifying a potential tool that can be used to see further back into our history, Deininger said. "I'm always a little bit impressed by how sophisticated some of these population biology studies can be in terms of unraveling ancient details," he said. "It's fun to look at the dynamics of our history." Related stories: · On Human Diversity [24th October 2005] · The 0.1% Portrait of Human History [30th June 2003] · Genetic Variation Illuminates Murky Human History [24th July 2000]

http://blacktown-advocate.whereilive.com.a...lacktown-pound/ MORE animals are killed at Blacktown Animal Holding Facility than anywhere else in the state, yet it continues to use an archaic system where people have to bid to rescue a homeless pet. The system allows the council to make money but puts some popular animals usually the cute puppies beyond the reach of an average family. It also raises questions over whether it promotes pet adoption when the RSPCA has successfully opened its first non-profit pet shop at Rouse Hill. Early this month, a little female terrier at the pound grabbed so much attention she was bid for by a dozen people and eventually sold for $400. The Castle family, who missed out on the dog despite entering a bid of $150, 2 times the minimum sale price of $60, are outraged, saying 11 other dogs could have been rescued. Instead, 11 families went home empty-handed. ``Our kids (aged 11, 4 and 22 months) were very disappointed,’’ Glendenning father-of-three Sean Castle said last Friday. ``They had picked out names. ``All we wanted to do was rescue a dog $400 to rescue a dog? ``You can buy a dog for that in a pet shop,’’ Mr Castle said. A Blacktown Council spokeswoman said the bidding system was introduced to discourage semi-professional and backyard breeders who would go to the pound every morning and buy the desirable animals. She said animals within the pound’s seven-to-14-day holding period could be bid for. ``When the animal is due out, the highest tender is contacted and offered the animal,’’ she said. Cr Russ Dickens, a Blacktown vet, said the ``worthless’’ system should be eliminated. He introduced a no-kill policy late last year and said removing the tender process would help save animals on death row. In 2008, 1419 dogs and 3146 cats were put down at the council facility. ``We don’t want to make money out of them,’’ Cr Dickens said. ``We want to get them out of there and into a positive environment.’’ Another reader wrote to the Advocate online saying she was shocked when staff told her she had to bid on a staffy-cross puppy. The Castle family eventually bought a cavalier king charles spaniel privately for $260 much less than they would have paid at the pound. `It was an awful experience and we won’t go back,’’ Mr Castle said. ``It’s discrimination against people (on a limited income) who can’t afford to buy a dog, but who want to rescue a dog.’’ A council spokeswoman said the tender system was brought in to protect the average person. ``Prior to the introduction of the tender system semi-professional/backyard breeders would attend every morning on opening to see what animals were available to obtain,’’ she said. ``The average person who was unable to attend as regularly as the breeders would not have the same access.’’ At the animal shelters at Hawkesbury and Sutherland, there is no bidding system. The RSPCA declined to comment on the bidding system.

I prefer to watch from the window.

If its a natural mating its around 95% - when humans get in the middle telling the dogs when its time and guiding it in or with AI its less.

A big part of the issue for me is that all this on line breeding and how its the magic quick formula to fix the perceived problems overlooks the work done by some pretty smart people who have their qualifications in genetics specifically Canine Genetics.- Padgett,Bell,Battaglia and a heap more - not to mention what some experienced breeders have to say regarding what they have seen and encountered in their own dogs. They have a completely different take on how we should go about it all. Yet here and in the UK the OPINION of people who have no qualifications in canine genetics,no experience with breeding is taken over and above anything else. Makes you wonder why. It makes you ask how much of it is about trying to gain funding and support for a genetic diseases data collection software program. Sorry Jed I didn't mean to imply that Cavs are the only breed who have a particular problem.Its clear that others do too including F1 Crosses and mixed breed which have shown up in our survey. Just that if a particular problem shows up in one breed the breeders know how to work out how to rub it out rather than have it bubbling away all over the place.Its not possible for a mixed breed breeder to test for everything and a purebred breeder only needs to test for what's known to be an issue in their breed.You can only breed and screen and correlate a pedigree if you know what you're looking for.

If "we" refers to breeders, we already do. I know the major diseases my breeds are liable to acquire, and how (when known). I have personally to research into some of these, as opposed to the mandatory donation which my CC takes from puppy registrations. I also have a litte black book with noted hereditary problems in lines in my breeds, which I add to when necessary. I think all responsible breeders do the same thing. What bothers me is the spin off coming from this. Very similar to what happened prior to BSL and anti docking laws (as well as some other draconian laws overseas). It also bothers me that the report couldn't get the name of the breed right - or maybe they did mean King Charles Spaniels, which despite having a domed head, also suffer from SM I don't think most breeders will want to be told by "someone" that that cannot use this line, it is too close, or they cannot use that dog, or that the pups must be microchipped at birth, or the bitch checked by the vet every time pre mating, or checked post whelping (which is already law in Vic). Bet Hargreaves - absolutely no idea. I picked up on that too Jed. Other breeds also get SM. No mention of them. F1 cross get SM too.

No it does not and part of the problem in this regard is that when they make laws and guidelines they base their ideas on what boarding facilities are and what they need.Breeding dogs need different management ,different environmental conditions and different operating procedures. Dogs in boarding kennels are only there for a limited time and don't spend their entire lives on concrete miles away from humans.They need to see and interact with humans,other dogs and other animals more than just when its time to clean and feed.

The fact is that the "breed" of dog which has the most genetic diseases is a mixed breed dog. The RECESSIVE genes aren't eliminated by outcrossing - they are only hidden so when they meet up they will show. So what we are seeing in our survey is that mixed breed and F1 cross bred dogs as a group have more different diseases than purebred dogs - lots more. Purebreds have much less but higher incidence of these particular issues known to be bred related. So here is the question - look at Cavs for example where the two big deals for them are MVD and SM is it more cruel to keep it contained so we know what to look for and test for so the causes can be found and eliminated or to spread it around where it will just crop up all over the place? Purebred dogs don't get more HD or Patella issues or skin problems than mixed breed dogs.

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/4763/a...ersion-tactics/ Anti Puppy Farm Campaigners Hit Out at Kennel Club’s Diversion Tactics Puppy Love, an anti puppy farm group which works tirelessly to bring awareness to the horror of commercialised puppy breeding, has issued a statement in response to the recent Bateson review. The group have made it clear they believe the Kennel Club has hijacked the anti puppy farming message in an attempt to deflect attention from its own negative public image. Puppy Love points out that the Kennel Club has and continues to accept money from the puppy farmers they seek to condemn, publicly. The statement reads… We and other animal welfare campaigners have been saying much the same for years. However we are concerned that yet again puppy farming will be forgotten while the pedigree dog scandal is dealt with. In 1999 the sale of dogs act was amended to ensure councils could inspect and protect dogs bred in puppy farms and although it looked good on paper nothing changed. Inspections do take place but it’s just a paper exercise where boxes are ticked then the pup farmers are allowed to carry on their business as usual. Even when cruelty is pointed out to councils no action is taken. 20 years ago Martin Sennatt then chairman of the KC, made a statement on TV that the KC were scandalized for taking registrations from unscrupulous breeders and that they were changing their registration process to address the issue . If they did change their registration process it hasn’t deterred puppy farmers from registering their dogs and pups. The KC are now trying to lead the campaign against this cruel trade but at the same time they continue to profit from puppy farm misery by registering puppy farm bred puppies, hypocritical? Indeed it is. They tell us “As the secretariat and instigator of the Puppy Farming Study Group, which comprises representatives of the Kennel Club, animal welfare organisations across the whole of the UK, LACORS and government, the Kennel Club is at the forefront of moves to try to end the complex and obscure world of puppy farming” In that case they should explain just how much success they have had and how much longer we have to wait for them to get the situation under control. The public are still mislead into believing all KC reg pups are reared in an ethical responsible way. The pedigree dog scandal is a disgrace to our country, after all we are meant to be a nation of dog lovers but make no mistake the puppy farming scandal is just as bad perhaps even worse. We are assured that the Welsh Assembly are working towards improving the situation on puppy farms in their country where thousands of breeding bitches and stud dogs are incarcerated in unsuitable accommodation such as pig sheds, barns, sheds, garages and even old refrigerated containers. Puppy farm dogs have no veterinary intervention when they need respite from their pain and suffering, they are left with infected wombs and die in agony and panic or they die a grim death when there is no vet to perform a caesarean section to save mother and pups. Luckier ones go through life with ears running with infected pus, eyes with severe infections, open tumors, rotten decayed teeth, mange, hernias, coccidosis, lice, fleas, mites the list goes on. Some have no beds or bedding they give birth on concrete and according to one council official some female dogs prefer to deliver pups on cold concrete!! They live in filth, sometimes without food or water, in summer they are too hot and in winter some will be frozen to death. Their coats are matted with faeces, their nails are overgrown, and some are blind but still expected to produce pups. Many are slowly going insane. They spin in circles or pace back and forth in their cells, some never see daylight, and the outside world is a foreign place to them. This also applies to stud dogs, as many are kept in total isolation until they are needed to perform their duty. Should any dogs be lucky enough to be rescued once outside in the open they still circle and pace as if they are still incarcerated? They shy away from human hands as they have never known kindness. This is cruelty on a very large scale that takes place day after miserable day in the name of commerce. It should be banned but we know it won’t be, there is too much money involved for breeders, dealers, pet shops, advertisers and even government all taking their blood money cut from this horrendous cruelty. Shame on them all. The public also must take some responsibility for this sorry state of affairs as they are the ones who fuel demand and are willing to buy pups from unscrupulous sources rather than make an effort to source a good ethical breeder. The puppy buying public are mislead at very turn thinking that by buying a pup in a pet shop or a local authority licensed kennel they are purchasing from a decent source when sometimes nothing could be further from the truth. Time and time again puppy farms dogs have been abandoned and let down by the leading charities and large organisations in this country who have more than enough funds to expose this cruelty, instead its left to the small goups of campaigners like ourselves to organize protests and try to inform the public and to complain to councils who disregard us as cranks. All evidence we have collected has been sent to RSPCA and we wait and wait and wait for action that probably will not happen. In a few months time will Professor Bateson’s recommendations regarding puppy farms lie on a dusty shelf somewhere, forgotten and abandoned just like the puppy farm dogs? We expect so as the people in power have let the problem get so big and so out of control no one knows where to start on this huge issue of cruelty to man’s best friend . These abused dogs need help and they need it now . Puppy Love website =>

Why all the sugar and cornflour? That was the recipe that was on DOL. I am pretty sure it was originally posted by Dianne. I dont think I would have sugar cornflour or vanilla - it would look and smell yummy for humans but thats a lot of wasted carbs. It would be great for puppies without it.I let my puppies eat anything their Mums eat when ever they are ready.

This one - http://www.waggaboardingkennels.com.au/contact_us.html

I chose the pup.She was very particular about wanting copies of the pedigrees to be sure they werent in bred. She also grilled me pretty well too. Im not worried - Im a bloody good breeder and this is a beautiful pup which has never had a minutes sickness and it acts just the way I want it to act too. .

Id rather one liners so I can answer back quickly the same way. either with "sorry none available at this time - next litter due in 6 months" or " some pups still not spoken for and the price and they are welcome to phone me." I get hundreds of puppy enquiries a week - there's no way I can write an essay to each one and it wouldnt make any difference anyway because I dont sell puppies via email and I dont remember what is said after I repsond and delete them. Its good for first contact but if you want to get serious you do it in person or over the phone.

Good with dogs but has never been exposed to cats so we dont know how it will go.

Ill check Julie

I have a pup here which has been sold to a vet.Wish me luck

We are looking for foster carers in the Brisbane area for 2 Siberians. They are purebred and need to be looked after for a couple of weeks while the breeder is able to sort her life out a bit due to a marriage breakup. They dont have to go to the same home. Julie

Why all the sugar and cornflour?

Of course it can work but it does make it more difficult to make it as successful as it is with one at a time.I wont sell two pups at a time. I recommend they take one now, bond with it and love it ,train it etc and then come back for the second in say 6 months time. Then the second is a walk in the park and you get an opportunity to do all of what you need to with th esecond as you did with the first. When you get two at a time its harder to bond and often you end up with two dogs rather than two pets or familiy members.They both know their position in the pack and there aren't competion for dominance issues like you see with two the same age either.

Quote - Fortunately, there is a readily-available strategy for decreasing the occurrence of such disorders in a particular kennel, namely avoiding the mating of known relatives end quote The effect of out crossing is to hide the gene not eliminate it. The higher the frequency of affected animals, the easier detection of any gene can be and then we can use strategies to eliminate it altogether from our kennel and our breeds.Under this strategy you decrease the occurance in a kennel but spread the news far and wide throughout the population at large. There are several available strategies for decreasing and eliminating occurances - one of which is well documented and set out in Padgetts Work. http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0031.htm

Can you shoot it to me please? [email protected]