WreckitWhippet

;) Thank dog for someone with some common sense, who understands the breed and the real picture here is Australia

Out of interest did he have to go through K9 and push the issue with council ? or did they just have a change of heart ?

Once again the blue breeders leave me shaking my head and wondering what in the hell a 28kg dog and 20 something kilo bitch, can possibly contribute to the breed.

It appears if you don't take your dog to the vet on a regular basis and have it jabbed for heart worm, that you score very low indeed

I couldn't get past the questions re socialising with other dogs. Which we rarely do and it's not because I don;t have time

:D good point! Basically, I'm just being a neurotic first-time puppy owner. Also I read a thread about bitches killing each other and scared myself silly a few days ago :p If only DAP would fix that problem

It's not ideal but if it comes to rehoming him as your last option I would shave him off. I do it for plenty of Goldies, Labs etc and yes even two Pugs. I know it's a crime but the dogs get to stay with their families and both sides are happy. The shedding will be minimal, if any, I have also shaved off my own double coated dog before (ticks and other health reasons) and the difference was astounding. Just give it some thought, as I said I know it's a sacrilege but if it means you can keep your gorgeous boy.... from one groomer to another, they still shed though and they still have and regrow exactly the same number of hairs. They just blow tiny short prickly one's, until it drops and they grow new coat back to full length. ETA: it would be more of a case of mind of matter

Is he bald ? If not, then he's a normal Pug

Fortunately for the locals in our area, there is a choice and you don't have to buy your dog supplies from a large chain and get the advice from kids that comes along with it. Some of the things I've heard make me shudder and it's certainly not always correct info or in the best interests of the customer or their pet.

These last babies were born from a bitch who started on the Friday morning, the was restless, then settled and not doing much. By Saturday morning she was doing much the same. I did a quick utlrasound on Sat arvo and everyone was fine. She took until 1am Sunday before she got serious and the first was born at 3am. All 8 were on the ground by 5.50am. I wouldn't panic but there's no harm in a vet check. I've called my vet up to the house twice before, just to be sure and within two hours of them leaving, the bitches decided to have them.

That one is a cross breed! Even the breeders of them acknowledge that as fact. Also known as 'confetti schnauzers' Yes but isn't that the case with all purebreds? All purebreds started off as a concoction of different breeds. Wouldn't take too long for merle schnauzers to breed "true".... oh my dear dog.. The title is rare or disqualifing colours in breeds, not post a heap of cross bred pics. Yes yes yes....another to add to the list of posters who are making it their mission to hound me, LOL. THEY ARE NOT crossbred dogs, they are IN FACT disqualifiable colours so I suggest you check your facts before spluttering nonsense! Don't paint yourself as a KNOW ALL when in fact you don't know it all! Highlighted the bit that you appeared to have glossed over. The "merle" that you posted a pic of, is not of a "rare" or "disqualifying" colour, it's a cross bred.

That one is a cross breed! Even the breeders of them acknowledge that as fact. Also known as 'confetti schnauzers' Yes but isn't that the case with all purebreds? All purebreds started off as a concoction of different breeds. Wouldn't take too long for merle schnauzers to breed "true".... oh my dear dog.. The title is rare or disqualifing colours in breeds, not post a heap of cross bred pics.

if they are Newf's I'll eat a hat

training and guidence will set the tone and frame of mind, not a poof of DAP into the room. + 1

Yep. I make liver treats or little gift baskets with pigs ears etc in them

If the standard has disqualifying colours such as the toller standard does then breeders shouldn't select for them or they become nothing more tha colour breeders and as tollersowned says there are so few of them that if selected and bred for you will end up with all sorts of other problem due to inbreeding. They can be sold as pets on the LR no problems (except for white shepherds and white boxers but that is another debate). In breeds like the border collie, where there are NO disqualifying faults, colour or otherwise, in the standard and the non showable colours occur quite frequently and are very hard to select against unless you colour DNA test, it is silly to not allow them to be put on the MR. You can have a ee red dog who is allowed to be shown and on the MR but because the ee red masks the expression of other colours he can genetically be a tri chocolate merle which can't. It doesn't matter whether you are involved in the hobby of showing and breeding ANKC dogs (flame suit on) or breeding working dogs to help you earn your living, racing greyhounds etc they should alll be bred with the aim of improving on what you have aready and producing sound healthy dogs. I personally would prefer that there was no such thing as inbreeding but unfortunately it is very much a reality as it is and as you would know, this isn't happening due to breeders concentrating on the colour factor. Outcrossing doesn't guarantee a healthy dog , infact if you've closely bred for many generations, producing quality pups that are healthy and sound, you take a big risk everytime you introduce a new line and the " unknowns" that come with it

oh and links if anyone has them, so I can see what else they make or sell. You can never have too much dog stuff LOL

While ever there is a demand for the colour, probably not. But it's simple enough to remove them from the gene pool by desexing. Even if the registered breeders ceased to produce them, I'm sure the BYBers would happily pick up the slack. I know it's a simple answer but if you want to avoid dilution alopecia, don't breed dilutes

Could you post some pics ? I'm always looking at leads and buying them, I'm a sucker for them and love to see whatelse is out there

For the SBT breeders it's simple... don't breed blue and remove the accidents that crop up from the gene pool.

And there lies the challenge. Educating puppy buyers of the importance of selecting a breeder who breeds for soundness and type, not one single attribute. It so often falls on deaf ears, no matter what approach you take. There is some good news though, we've had quite a few calls from people saying they aren't interested in a blue, how many of them are about and that they want a "Staffy" that looks like a real one. It's interesting and encouraging to hear average Joe's saying that many of them don't look like "staffy's" any more, so hopefully we are on the way to seeing them being less sought after and the colour breeders disappearing.

Staffords dont' have a monopoly on colour breeding. Sacrificing temperament for colour has occured in at least one breed I can think of and if you haven't got good temperament, then you don't have a good pet. Sadly RSG, a lot of folk don't understand the link between sound conformation and good pet health. Yep, for many it's precieved to be all about ribbons and the show ring. No dog is perfect and every dog will have it's faults, but geeez, why wouldn't you give yourself the best shot at buying a pup that has good conformation and the potential to remain sound.

It had to happen! I hope it gives some explanation as to the manner in which breed standards were developed. "Cute" is subjective. How closely a dog adheres to an objective description of desired breed features is less subjective. I've said it before here - criticising people's dogs is a bit like criticising their kids.. you just don't go there. However show exhibitors "go there" every time they exhibit. We know we all take the best dog home but gee don't expect every judge to agree with you. Dee-Al, if your dog will never darken a show ring, unless his conformation is bad enough to cause him problems, does it matter what people think of him as an example of the breed? I think you went in knowing that blues are generally considered to be less than prime examples from a show perspective . I recall the advice given about that at the time. Few dogs produced by "colour breeders" are because colour becomes the prime measure of ideal and other things fall by the wayside. But he's a pet. You think he's cute. What other people think certainly doesn't matter to your dog so don't worry about it. Of course if you decide to breed from him, then you'd really need to have a hard look at him in terms of the breed standard. You are right about all other things falling by the way side. Many have forgotten about the simple things like a good turn of stifle, good strong back ends, a front that doesn't point out east and west for you or toes in excessively, weak pasterns and large splayed feet, elbows shouldn't be popped, the heavy overdone bodies that are being supported by less than ideal frames. In a breed that is supposed to be active and agile, it's a recipe for disaster, but hey, what's the breed standard matter ? after all, you're just buying a pet and not a show dog.

Brett sits on his bum ( picture a brown bear ) with his paws on the roof of his crate, tolley and trailer berth and proceeds to send my rather emotional Whippet into a melt down We find it hilarious, Sessy finds it so traumatic that Brett had to move house Sway Sway speaks and also likes to carry things in her mouth, the entire 5k's we walk each night. She bring things she collects home and puts them in her crate. Pinky's way of expressing affection to those she really likes, is to bite them. She's really only attached to me, so I'm the one who cops it from her. She enjoys standing and walking behind me, pretending to sniff me and then pinches me on the back of the knee. Sessy does mad arse zoomies, on the lounge, the bed or anywhere that she can turn a circle. Macy doesn't really have a claim to fame or a party trick, she's a bit "spethal"

Just when you think you've heard it all. The things that some people have gone or are going through are horendous. Donation on it's way