Mairead

When was that part of the standard or the extension written? Are there breeders/producers who therefore think albino is OK?

Publicity for the shelter?

Not in the same level of importance, but a ranger phoned me to tell me (who reported it) that they had caught the goat. Two rangers attended that day. I told them the goat wasn't tame but one of them bolted after it with a catchpole and didn't check the little kids were out of the way before the goat ran down the driveway and ran over the littlest kid. It was the other ranger that phoned me.

One of my neighbours has a brindle chi. The stripes (not many) only developed as it grew older. Same with another neighbour's blue staffie. Solid coloured when young, now has a few pale stripes.

So what is meant in the breed standard by "ruby" eyes? I'm picturing an albino rat.

I found other sites that say that white is rare and some have pink noses, and some owners of white chis saying they are deaf. Sounds like a colour to steer clear of. Perhaps white has become a desirable colour with people who don't know the downsides of it. I had a quick look at the shortcoat breeders on this site (Menu, Breeds, choose the breed then Breeders) and the majority of photos were of dogs with dark eyes and nose.

Even some horse people have gone overboard with what I am tempted to call Disneyfication. Friesians and Gypsy Vanners with manes and tails so long they are in danger of tripping over them. Arabians with grotesquely dished faces. Quarter horses with muscles like Belgian Blue cattle. If there were printed or spoken critiques it would give the judges a chance to say "too much".

Glad to hear it. I don't have experience with Chihuahuas but I've had a look at a chihuahua owners' group, and white doesn't seem to be particularly rare. It is possible that breeding pale cream to pale cream produces what looks like white. Some people wrote that their dogs developed some tan markings as they got older. The problem with the paler noses is that they may (depending on which genes are involved) be subject to sun damage. Ask your vet. I did see a photo of a very pale one with blue eyes, which the owner called albino. Definitely a colour to steer clear of. Lack of pigment is also associated with deafness in dogs.

I was sent a "before and after" dog grooming clip showing a blue merle oodle. I spent some time explaining about merle and double merle to many of the people who commented "gorgeous colour". A few people thought the colour was known as brindle (particularly by Pitbull people). One person mentioned cryptic merles, and one mentioned that the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA, which is a Pitbull registry) had banned merle. Their website has a sensible policy statement which mentions the disadvantages of merle and [the dangers of] popularity. There are now merle and lilac French Bulldogs, on that tree named site of course, and specialist rescue groups for deaf and blind dogs, many look like double merles.

First what is meant by pure white? Is it very pale cream? Because the genes for cream (C ch), and the genes for restriction of dark pigment (ee) are known in the chihuahua. The colour of the eyes and nose will give an indication of the genes involved. Second, there should be no additional value in a "rare" colour over a more common colour. Indeed some colours have associations with health problems, and if people are breeding only to produce rare colours they are neglecting more important aspects in choosing breeding partners, and might even be producing puppies only to turn a profit.

And something else.

We are probably not an average population of pet owners. How about asking at petshops and dog parks?

Do you have any intention of becoming a member of Dogs Victoria?

Just looked it up on Dogs Victoria website. The breeder is the first owner and chooses Main or Limited register for each pup when they register them. To change register Dogs Victoria requires written authorisation from the breeder. If you didn't say you wanted to compete in conformation shows (and you would have to become a Dogs Victoria member to do that) there would be no reason for the breeder to choose a Main Register puppy for you.

So you paid a main register price for the pup? And were clear about wanting a main register pup? Do you have a receipt which shows you paid for main register? Which activities were you hoping to do with the pup? Because you can do a lot of activities with a limited register. Someone with Victorian experience will have more answers for you.

OP - "since my husband couldn't deal with it due to his work schedule ...returned the dog". I should have asked, but it sounds to me like a socialisation and/or training schedule was suggested by the "seller" and neither of them wanted to follow it ("there was a disagreement") so husband returned the dog, then wife had second thoughts.

In your other topic I mentioned (late-last comment) exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as a possibility because Chows are mentioned as a breed with this problem and not all breeds have the typical symptom of voracious appetite. TLI test will detect it. I have since read Inflammatory Bowel disease can be a problem in Peis, with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth as possible disorders to exclude or consider when rumbly tummy and intermittent vomiting are the symptoms.

Could exocrine pancreatic insufficiency be a possibility, with atypical symptoms? TLI test should discover it. Chows are mentioned as one of the breeds affected. Not all dogs have the ravenous appetite. I knew of a rescue dog labelled a picky eater so the vet wasn't going to test for it. It was known but rare in the breed. Positive TLI. Dog's appetite improved so much it then needed a weight management diet. PS Before the diagnosis the owner said the dog looked like she was convinced the food was poisoned. Rumbly tummy and improved with low fat diets can be indications.

I didn't write that the laws are different.

If you go to the Breeds section of Dogzonline you will find breeders' ads. If you are approved for a puppy or an older dog you may have to go onto a waiting list because you want a specific colour.

So the OP might have that tendency?

Reserved or withdrawn might be more understandable terms.

Remember you are taking on a living being not a handbag. You should not be expecting to apply consumer laws that are meant for handbags or toasters.

By KC do you mean Kennel Club England? On your dog's pedigree are the colours of the dogs mentioned? It is possible, depending on the colours of the grandparents that you could get some washed -out unhealthy looking and non-standard colours from the combination of Ay and d genes. Is there a recommendation that blue should only be bred to black, as there is in the Great Dane? Colour should usually be the last thing you consider when breeding but because you mention blue, are you familiar with colour dilution alopecia? The most important thing before breeding would be to know as much as you can about not just the proposed parents but also their relatives. I put it this way: the dog you know and love is just one hand of cards in a big deck. The relatives will show you what other cards might be in the deck but when you breed you will be shuffling those cards and hoping to get only the good ones.

I chip away. "Don't run. Don't yell. Let the dog approach you if it wants to."