sandgrubber

I sympathize and agree with your intent, but I don't specially like the farmer analog. Farmers generally care about reproductive capabilities, true, but generally they don't care much about longevity or morbidity in middle / old age, and breed to meet market demands. What I would call true puppy farmering, like the Amish puppy mills in the US, are likewise inclined, although they see $$ in number and cuteness of puppies instead of weight gain or milk yield. I may be wrong, but I suspect there are few, if any, true puppy farmers in Oz. As to ANKC tendencies, health testing, etc.... yes there are some snobs who think they are superior because they check some boxes concerning health tests, but do a poor job of breeding for overall health and temperament. There are also many breeders who will remove a dog from their breeding program for reasons such as chronic skin problems, aggressive behavior, uneven temperament, or being slow on the draw when it comes to learning things expected in the breed. As for testing, I'd almost rather see several generations of good health and longevity than any formal tests of health. The need for formal health testing is, in part, testimony to many generations of breeding pedigree dogs without due regard to health.

If you get nowhere, there are a few working cockers breeders in NZ. More upland game hunting there.

In the US you can buy the C3, C5, C7, etc. and DIY. When I left it was under $10/jab, and half that if you buy in bulk. The only problem with DIY is that you don't have certification as required for kennels, etc.

No lockdown in NZ. Puppy prices are up, and mixes are often more expensive than purebreds. Trademe prices seldom exceed $4k (this seems to be the going price for a daschund). I've been following Springers.... usually $1500-$2000. Lab Springer crosses are a bit more expensive, as are pups near big cities. Huntaways and heading dogs and mixes thereof are still under $1k.

Curious. Is the fear of GST levy another factor driving people away from pedigree breeding?

I agree, in general. Harsh punishment to a baby puppy for wound up behavior is like giving a human baby a belting for messing its diaper.

At 10 weeks, be very careful about freshness, especially with chicken. Healthy mature dogs can handle Salmonella. It can kill baby dogs. I've encountered chicken mince sold for dogs that smelled putrid.

Thought : might be worth trying a whistle. I've been doing whistle based recall training with a Springer who does more alert barking than I'd like. She gets a treat when she comes. If she's barking when the whistle sounds, she immediately stops barking and comes.

Can't you talk to a vet nurse?

I don't know about mini poodles, but bitey Springer babies can often be convinced to cuddle and stop biting.

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I think once you have had several lipomas diagnosed, it's fairly safe to assume further lumps that look familiar are more of the same. Of course there's a risk, and a lot of dogs die of cancer. But I don't think many of the cancer deaths present like a lipoma. Based on experience with Labs, yes, some old dogs get lipoma like some teens get pimples.

Probably not, unless you can restrict him to a tick free area. Given the big coat on a Newf, tick control will be a challenge. Diet has little effect on the blood suckers. Rural VA offers great tick habit. You're lucky not to have paralysis tick.

Absurd. Too many hoops to jump through. Restricting entry is the last thing clubs should be doing when membership is in decline and unregistered pups are costing thousands.

Sympathy. I'm not of the hugging persuasion and not about to gush. I've lost two dear dog friends to cancer this year (diagnosis complicated, never clear, but it was clear that the future was bleak and painful, even if I chose to spend big $ on further diagnosis). It's hard to decide, when they still wag and show pleasure, when to make the awful choice.

IMO it's an evil trend. Breeders want monopoly and are closing the field to newcomers. One reason that puppy prices have risen. If you have no interest in having puppies it's not a big problem. I would ask them to sign a contract with you saying that they relinquish all claims to ownership and simply cross out the bit saying that they hold the papers.

Only if you are allowed to take the pup as cabin luggage (carry-on).

It's a hard one. I had a neighbor whose favorite Rotty bitch would kill her puppies, given a chance. They literally had to strap her down and muzzle her to let the pups feed. The puppies survived through a mixture of bottle feeding and nursing, but the whole thing was pretty traumatic. Here's hoping your problem isn't that bad.

Said goodbye to Bonza this afternoon. She developed a small lump on her belly. The vet aspirated it and found the wrong kind of cells. She had been waggy, but clearly uncomfortable. There seemed no hope of getting better and certainly of getting worse. Sad... but relieved it's over.

A couple years ago I bought an ESS, and, as I don't know a lot about the breed, have joined a couple of Springer FB groups. I am absolutely amazed by the diversity of the breed. Seems like it's more of a landrace than a breed...straight long coats, short curly coats, broad chests, narrow chests, big boned, little boned, even some legs that are very long or quite short. (Everyone, however, seems to have difficulty with pulling on the leash). The question of pedigree is mostly politely avoided. When it does come up it's usually a pedigree advocate scolding. I suspect that papered dogs are in the minority. I would love to put up some surveys to see if HD, blindness, etc. are significantly lower among the papered dogs, but I sense that such questions are not permitted. Are other breeds the same? Is this a situation created by increasing numbers of rules, use of Limited Register, and exclusive attributes? If so, I think the Kennel Clubs are digging their own Graves.

Thanks for the suggestion. Worth a try, but didn't work. I've had three vets do clinical inspections... all agreed that she shows a little pain in the shoulder, none in the paw. Toothpaste didn't show anything irregular on the pad, though she wagged a lot when I put it on.

You're not alone. I'm going through this now with Bonza. The vets can't figure out what is wrong with her. She has avoided putting weight on her left front foot for a couple of months now and her muscles are atrophying. She mostly just lies around, but still eats regularly and wags. Sometimes breathes heavily. If it were osteosarcoma she should be dead by now, and X-rays show no signs of it. It's so depressing to watch her, yet I can't say for sure that she's in pain, and I worry that pts would be more to ease my anxiety than to end her pain. The vets seem to be clutching at straws. They suggest expensive tests, but when I ask if the things they are looking for are curable, they say no. Nor can they say whether the test will yield a clear diagnosis. She's 10 yr 11 mo.

IF I SHOULD GROW FRAIL If it should be that I grow frail and weak And pain does keep me from my sleep, Then will you do what must be done For this – the last battle – can’t be won. You will be sad I understand But don’t let grief then stay you hand. For on this day, more than the rest Your love and friendship must stand the test. We have had so many happy years, You wouldn’t want me to suffer so. When the time comes, please let me go. Take me to where my needs they’ll tend, Only, stay with me till the end. And hold me firm and speak to me Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you will agree It is a kindness you do to me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I have been saved. Don’t grieve that it must now be you Who has to decide this thing to do. We’ve been so close – we two – these years, Don’t let your heart hold any tears. Julia Napier, copyright 1999