LizT

Some people don't even own a crate. My GSD has never been in a crate. I certainly never crated anything bigger than a cat until I got the Cavaliers. And yes, I didn't use a crate at the vets unti lrecently because I have one now, but I didn't put them on the floor either. And what does your puppy stand on when you weigh her at the vet? A community scale!! ;)

I live near Mittagong in the Southern Highlands...there is a pet shop on the main road in the middle of town, and they are constantly advertising purebred puppies amongst all the oodles....most recently seen - Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Labradors, Maremmas, Toy Poodles, Jack Russells and Siberian Huskies Maremmas??! I've seen it here in the Yarra Valley too, and GSD's pups and Rotties! Always worries me when I see large breeds in Pet Shops. They grow quickly and aren't easy to "move".

There is a law that came in on January 1st. that states that anyone owning more than 3 entire breeding dogs or cats must become a registered business and have an ABN number regardless of how many litters they do or don't breed and regardless of whether there is a profit made or not. Those not required to conform to this are those affiliated with certain groups such as if you are a member of several organisations listed such as DogsVic, Cat Protection Sociey etc. thats interesting! is that just in VIC or Australia wide? haven't heard it here in QLD I can only confirm Victoria.

There is a law that came in on January 1st. that states that anyone owning more than 3 entire breeding dogs or cats must become a registered business and have an ABN number regardless of how many litters they do or don't breed and regardless of whether there is a profit made or not. Those not required to conform to this are those affiliated with certain groups such as if you are a member of several organisations listed such as DogsVic, Cat Protection Sociey etc.

See - I just don't think of this as BYB - to me BYB and Puppy Farm is the same thing but the scale is different - people breeding for the money and no other reason. Agree with this. And I think this is where the division and problems arise. When people used to "home bred" a dog it was usually sold for a small token sum or even given away to friends and family. An affordable pet to those who could not afford the prestige of a Pedigree papered dog. But now retail has gone crazy with Pet Shop puppies costing so much more than they did say, 25 years ago. This has been the root cause of the division amongst the dog buying public. Some people believe if they are paying top dollar for something it's because it is something good, fashionable, trendy and sort after, therefore increasing in popularity and becoming even more of a moneyspinner and consequently competing for the same market that was the domain of the papered purebred dog. Therefore belittling the efforts, blood, sweat and tears of the purebred Registered dog breeder and this is what causes the division and angst IMO.

Are you kidding us???? All 21 rejected, how frustrating for you.

That's good to hear. :)

Facinating! :)

Homeostatis is the process by which the body uses feedback mechanisms to keep within the normal range, whether it be temperature, water retention or the like. I don't know whether the sensory aspect of it simply refers to the fact that the body has to register that it has moved away from the normal range before it can rectify that and return to homeostasis (which sounds more likely, as the daughter doing Uni biol has never heard of 'sensory homeostasis') or if it refers to some balance of the sensory organs and their function? ie. over sensitive, or not sensitive enough?

My youngest daughter was about 2 going on three. I put a dog breed book in front of her for fun and asked her what doggie she liked best? She flipped through the pages for a while, then while pointing at a page announced, I like this one, (a Cavalier) in this colour (Blenheim) and her name will be "Bonnie"! Well she had to wait until she was 7 for her Bonnie and Bonnie is now 4 years old, I've become a Reg. Breeder and Show Nut AKA Exhibitor (my daughter is my Show Buddy) and we now have four Cavaliers. :laugh:

I was told dark red (sorry dont know what the offical colour is called) cockers can have a snappy temperament too? idk how true that is, just something i was told by reputable trainer. Everyone has their own opinions i guess. There was line line of red (not all) some years back that threw dogs of very questionable temperament, that became dangerous and were PTS and so the colour got some real bad press for a while.

Not papered no, but purebred. Most people don't differentiate between purebred and pedigreed. True. As far a the Pet shop is concerned if it looks purebred good enough for them to call it such. I wonder if the new microchipping laws will include those selling to petshops or if it will be up to the petshops to microchip the dogs now?? Technically, the original seller, the breeder, should be the one microchipping in the true definition of the new laws.

So they bulk them up when they show but then have them lean to hunt? Prety much the case with this particular dog. He was sleek but well covered in the Show Ring and was a "lean mean trialing machine" when doing field work. :laugh:

when I made them bigger to get a better look they went blue. You might need a new monitor BB, the pictures are clear when enlarged on mine. They are gorgeous! :D It was on the phone. An Iphone can only do so much. :)

In most instance a unregistered breeder wont do any kind of health testing, unless you think a 6 week vet check, worming and vaccination is a health test (don't laught,some do). Most health testing required the registration details and microchip numbers of both the sire and the dam. And no, the pet shop dogs will not be papered as Pet Shops are not permitted to sell Papered dogs. $1200 for Cavaliers, that's more than most registered breeders will charge.

It's interesting, a few years ago a Lab person posted two pictures of the same dog. One was of the dog in "Show condition" the other was the same animal when doing "field" work. You would swear they were two different Labradors.

I never expected to see such a controversial statement on this board. However, you express my views perfectly. And mine. I think it's terrible that so many animals are put to sleep each year but the end justifies the means for me. Dogs will be in a very dire situation the day that we only have the registered breeders producing new dogs, in my mind that is not enough to sustain the species. Nobody here can deny that a lot of breeds are in trouble. Unfortunately in a society where everything is recorded and catalogued it will do no good for a dog to be and look like a good specimen of any breed if he isn't able prove his pedigree. Several hundred years ago it would have been an entirely different matter. If it looked like a good "Collie" then it could be used in a breeding program. Today many "Home and Farm breed" dogs could have more than a dash of something else in them, therfore not the breed it appears or represents itself to be. The point is moot in 2012.

Yep, seen a woman do this on a large agistment property. She was driving her car and leading the horse alongside. I have a very old "Horse Owners Manual" pocket size book that shows an illustration of this and strongly suggests this not be done as it is danergous. :) I'm sure there are a lot of laws that have a blind eye turned to them. Watch out though, they could become revenue raisers.

Yeah, but I try not to let the dog know because I don't want to hurt it's feelings. Especially if he/she really likes me. ;) It's usually an individual and not a breed. Sure there are breeds I know I would never want to own but I never judge a breed as a whole.

I'm wondering how old this dog is? I'm assuming he is desexed. How long has this behaviour been going on? Surely this should have been 'nipped' (no pun intended) in the bud at the first sign of aggression?? Way overdue for the help of a behaviourist. They should get right on it.

Both so nice and so different from each other. Certainly not doubling up at all.

Wouldn't most Studmaster prefer to start the Male well before 5/6 years? Isn't this what the breeder had in mind when making her offer to 'use' the dog for stud purposes? But the OP only wanted the dog used for the one litter didn't she and wasn't comforable with the other offer? Isn't the risk of testicular cancer increased if the dog isn't being used? Could be an Old Wives tale, maybe? Anyway, I just didn't think it was worth keeping a dog entire for 5/6 years on the off chance he might be mated for a litter of which one pup would go to the dogs owner? But then perhaps the OP had not intended to desex her male dog in the first place so the option would always be available to her. Who knows. On the stud front, you'd need to ask a breeder but as long as the semen's viable, I don't see why a stud dog can't be older. As a caveat to that, my own dog's sire was 13 or 14 when he was used. Three pups, two died last year aged fifteen and Grumpy turned sixteen today. Guess there was nothing wrong with those genes. No idea on the testicular cancer. Grumpy wasn't desexed until he was eight. As to the worth, again, up to the individual owner. No one's business but hers unless it's against a local bylaw. But I'm sure it wasn't your dog's sires first attempt at 13 or 14...was it? Remember the OP wanted to use this dog only for her one pup/litter. It was the breeders suggestion to use him at other times (be he good enough) and for the owner to get a commission. That offer was rejected. Just makes me glad I use a desexing agreement with my puppies and ALL is clear before they are allocated. Sure I know it's worth zilch as a legal document but it makes intentions clear from the onset, the new buyers sign it, I sign it and it is a written document in which I make a pledge to refund them $100 if they present a Vets desexing certificate at 6 months of age and it seems incentive enough for those who "don't want to breed but want just one litter". It makes people think about what it is they want from their dog. There is nothing wrong with someone wanting to keep their dog entire if they are resposible pet owners, with the correct checks and balances in place (training, adequate fencing etc.) and the breed is not of a type that an entire male may prove unsuitable as a family pet. (there are more than a few breeds who fit this category and are best left to the experienced to raise and train).

Why so keen to make him someone elses problem?

Owww...that's a big tube needle to put in a newborn toy breed!!! I wouldn't consider it until 6 weeks personally. You can feel it under the skin even then, I think you'd be able to see it in a pup a few days old. They are too fragile before two weeks IMO.

Christina, My recent girl was sired by a South Austrlian Dog and he is over 5 and not microchipped but his breeder told me that ALL puppies as of January 1st this year must be microchipped. This also included imports.