sandgrubber

There's no hard cut-off. The probability of catching parvo, if exposed, drops off with each later vaccination. The specifics . . . how much it drops at what age . . . vary with vaccines, and with individual dogs/breeds (Rottis supposedly are higher vulnerability), and may also vary with the season. So, yes, taking a risk . . . but it may be a tiny one. From recent findings on gene expression and season of the year, the immune system seems to work harder in winter, and there's less parvo around, so it may be fairly safe.

Personally, I think it was a mistake to split retrievers up by color way back when (somewhere around 1910). Flatcoat health, particularly cancer risk, is a concern, and the population is small enough that it may be difficult to breed away from the health concerns. The whole practice of breeding for solid colors was some silly 19th century notion of purity. Too bad it made it into so many standards. For some discussion of the origins of yellow in flatcoat lines . . . . http://retrieverman.net/2008/12/12/sewallis-evelyn-shirley-and-some-flat-coated-retriever-history/

With my first litter of puppies I ended out paying a $120 vet bill for some puppy buyers whose puppy threw up on the way home. Turns out it was simply carsickness. Thereafter I was careful to fast puppies for several hours before sending them off in the car.

Another test for pain is to give an appropriate NSAID. If the medication results in a general rise in energy and a more cheerful dog, it's likely the dog was in pain. Not a foolproof test . . . it's still possible that the painkillers weren't effective. But generally, if painkillers don't seem to be doing any good, there's little point in giving them.

No contest: Import semen. Quarantine fees are out of control, and the risk of importing a dog who turns out to be less than expected are horrendous. Surgical AI and frozen semen are expensive, but the cost is trivial compared to that of live animal import. Should someone offer to give you a great proven dog with health tests, etc., I'd consider importing the dog, but not otherwise.

It's amusing, though, to see PDE making a big thing about closed registries and the virtues of (responsible) cross breeding . . . then recoil when the KC starts making moves in that direction.

Sheridan is correct. Latest blog post on PDE indicates KC is mailing breeder education stuff to X-breed owners on their Activities Register! http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/2015/04/kc-mails-crossbreed-owners-urging-them.html PDE = Jemima Harrison is confused by the event. Quoting from the blog I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Is it inappropriate pimping in a country where several thousand strays/unwanted dogs dogs are PTS every year? Or is the KC is simply doing the right thing in trying to educate the pet or casual breeder before they willy-nilly breed their dogs? As it happens, I think well-educated pet breeders have much to offer and I don't think that breeding should be the sole preserve of show breeders. Personally, I'm surprised that the extra-mercenary AKC hasn't done this first :)

I saw that and the Basset article too. Is what they are saying untrue? i sincerely hope so I'd say the Dane and Basset articles are slanted, but basically true. Jemima Harrison tends to pick unflattering photos that make physical problems glaringly obvious and talk as though they apply to all show dogs in a breed. But IMO the tendency to reward exaggeration is real, especially for some breeds, and it has produced some unfortunate results.

Actually, I think it was an April Fool's prank :D . Good to see I wasn't the only one who fell for it :)

Not only in America http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9949491/Isle-of-Wight-moots-dog-DNA-database-to-tackle-fouling-problem.html If I remember right, there are pooh-DNA schemes implemented in Isreal and somewhere in the Benelux countries as well. Not that I take offense -- there's a lot of crazy stuff happening somewhere in the USA.

Dogs cope well with whatever human idiotic stuff they've learned to cope with. go to an AA meeting and talk with serious alcoholics about dogs and you'll hear lots of people talk about the dog as the only one who stuck by them when they hit bottom. A dog from a teetotaler family isn't going to be prepared to handle drink. dogs easily learn to spot and avoid drunks who take it out on the dog.. . .but may also recognize the sloppy drunk who will throw a ball for hours or scratch the places that itch.

KC report reveals plans for new crossbreed register A document leaked to pedigreedogsexposed by an insider at the Kennel Club reveals that the KC plans to extend its register to provide ancestry data for all dogs, whether purebred or crossbreed. The Kennel Club does, of course, already register crossbreed dogs on its Companion Dog Register, but this does not include pedigree data. This new move is the first step to a database which will allow people to track their dog's ancestry regardless of their dog's provenance. The confidential report makes no bones about the likely opposition. "Many KC breeders feel very strongly that the KC should be the preserve of purebred dogs only," it says. "However, there is much to be gained from embracing responsibly-bred crossbreeds." The report goes on to spell out the benefits: it is important that the Kennel Club is seen as a modern, inclusive organisation, representing all dogs. an increasing number of responsible cross-breeders produce health-tested puppies that deserve our support pedigree/health-test information for crossbreeds is of clear value to both breeders and buyers. an inclusive register detailing a dog's ancestry regardless of breed will be particularly useful in the outcross projects that are necessary in order for some breeds to survive. registering crossbreeds will provide an additional revenue stream for the Kennel Club The report even discusses the possibility of recommending that the conformation show-ring is opened up to the more recognised crossbreeds such as the Labradoodle and Cavapoo - but admits this may be for the future. A company search reveals that the Kennel Club registered the Kennel Crossbreed Club as a limited company on 20th August 2008, suggesting the move has been on the cards for some time. This might mean that crossbreed dogs will be KCC-registered rather than KC-registered - a small sop perhaps to the many breeders who will object to the KC legitimising crossbreeds. I would imagine over time, however, that this is a distinction that will be lost. The report finishes by stressing that the announcement will need to be handled with tact and diplomacy to prevent alienating core breeders. The move is not a complete surprise. During a chat with KC Chairman, Steve Dean, on the way back from the recent DogHealth Workshop in Germany, Professor Dean mentioned the desire of the Kennel Club to be "more inclusive". But may I be the first to offer my congratulations to the Kennel Club for this forward-thinking initiative. It's a bold move and makes sense - not something I say very often about the KC. see http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/

The Gumtree equivalent in the US, Craigslist, does ban pet sales, though permits small rehoming fees (on the order of $100 . . . $200 or more will get you in trouble as will price on asking). I'd say the general effect is highly detrimental for small breeders, but not significant for commercial breeders whose marketing strategies are well worked and who typically ask prices on the up side of $1000. The anti-breeder AR types who patrol pet listings on Craigslist search for listings that include registry (AKC, CKC, etc) and actively flag pedigree breeders. Result: pet listings on CL are full of BYB pit bulls being sold cheap, oops litters, dogs being rehomed due to personal circumstances, and pedigree breeders have a harder time placing pups through local advertizing.

Old familiar problem: Money talks. The dog community is divided and not good at standing behind a common cause, so they don't sponsor many projects. On the other hand, there are always people with strong opinions willing to shoot ideas down. I have no idea who is sponsoring this particular research. If pedigree breeders want input, I'd suggest helping to organise a group of subjects, and using the subjects as leverage to improve study design. I sleep beside the whelping box and handle neonates a lot in the first few weeks, especially if there's a little one or a few little ones. If someone wanted to put a camera into my whelping setup and record interactions, I would be in a position to ask for information on study design and make suggestions. To put it crudely, better to be on the inside pissing out than on the outside pissing in. Personally, I'd be glad to know whether or not early handling of pups had longer term effects. I have assumed handling is good, based on weak evidence. But I would prefer to see a study that followed pups to at least late adolescence . . . when behavioral problems tend begin showing up. I no longer live in Oz and was formerly in WA, so I was never in a position to influence this study. I have my PhD and spent a decade as a university lecturer who, among many other things, advised doctoral students . . . so have at least a modest claim to understanding the ropes.

Genes are in part luck . . . but dog breeders can/could select for them if the pattern were understood. I've looked and I find it kinda sad that no one seems even to have done research on basic things like searching for lineages with long or short lifespans within a breed. The Old Gray Muzzles guy seems to have made a name for himself on the question of longevity but his publications mostly have to do with cancer and his idea of dog seems to be Rottweiler. He drops hints about whole dog factors, like suggesting that dogs with a social life live longer, but doesn't seem to turn this into science.

Sounds interesting. Does he blog or post his tales/ideas anywhere?

The thread on help for PhD student got me thinking about canine research I'd like to see done. Top of my list would be a study looking at the life histories of dogs who remained in good health well into old age (eg, 15+ years). People, including myself, often tell stories about this or that dog who was fed rubbish food and given not much care, and still lived long healthy lives. I would love to see a study that systematically reviewed case studies of such dogs . . . looking at diet, exercise, breed, siblings fates (if possible), etc. I wonder if it's just random, or if there are common threads. Has anyone ever seen such a study?

Veronika If I were in a position to help you, I'd be glad to, but I'm half way around the world and my girls aren't breeding. I think you might get a better response out of the DOL crowd if you provided more detail on your research. What is your hypothesis? How are you testing it? What sort of sample do you hope to work with? Are you working alone, or is this part of a larger project? How are you going to analyze seven weeks of continuous data from multiple litters of pups? . . . also explain the isolation test . . . my guess is it's not stressful, but it sounds like it might be and the thought of it may scare people away. People would probably be more comfortable about this if they knew a little about you and your involvement with dogs and dog breeding. Having someone film for seven weeks in your home requires trust. It would make sense to post your appeal for volunteers in the Breeder's section if you can get permission to do so.

Hip scores confuse me. I've known dogs with bad scores live long healthy lives and dogs with good scores suffer arthritis. While I think it's worth scoring, I think the Labrador community is far too hung up on striving for the 0:0. In my experience, dogs with 7's and 8's are usually a-symptomatic throughout their lifetime and it's absurd to regard them as defective.. Because hip and elbow scores are the most conspicuous health data published by breeders, they seem to take on very great importance. This is especially problematic because it is well known that scores can vary considerably with positioning, and with who does the interpretation. Yes, there are Labs who need surgery, and because there are a lot of Labs around, most vets have seen a Lab or several with serious hip problems. Krontfeldt's PhD work showed that "HD did not have a large affect on the longevity of Labrador Retrievers or Irish Wolfhounds. Serious and moderate degrees of HD increased the risk of symptoms such as limping and hip pain and these symptoms occurred earliest in Newfoundlands. The Labrador Retriever was the breed in which symptoms appeared latest in life." See, eg., (http://www.nvh.no/en/Home/News/News-stories/A-number-of-environmental-factors-can-affect-the-incidence-of-hip-dysplasia-in-dogs/ Ie, except in extreme cases, radiographic HD causes old age arthritis . . . not nice . . . but not more serious in the swing of things than allergic conditions or IBD. Something a good number of us will suffer in later life.

Sadly I think the lawyer would end up costing more than the boarding and vet bill, and I just want to focus on the furbies now. The whole situation zapped too much energy. I just hope what happened to us makes kennels re-think their procedures and encourages owners to ask - or get in writing - what the procedures are for ensuring 100% separation. I know what you mean about lawyers and costs. Been there. But if you do the research and get the necessary information nicely assembled you may find someone who will write a demand letter for you for a reasonable fee. Alternatively, Google "how to write a demand letter". You'll find lots of DIY information, templates, etc.. A letter on a legal firm's letterhead looks more threatening, that's all. As 'court' in this case would be small claims court, you could try to sue them without a lawyer, though it would probably come down to your word against theirs . . . not a great basis for a legal case. I have no idea of how 'negligence' is defined in your state . . . someone else may be able to tell you. amend that: Here's a link that gives some info about QLD negligence law. http://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/legalinformation/livinginthecommunity/Dutyofcare/Pages/Negligencedutyofcareandloss.aspx I suspect that a boarding contract will be invalid insofar as it tries to exempt the kennel from liability for negligence. If it were possible to evade negligence law in that way, every childcare center would do so . . . I don't think a legal system could allow this.

I love that video and have posted it myself on occasion. However, ice retrieves aren't a big issue in Australia. I am generally against removing front dewclaws, and repulsed by the idea that it should be done for cosmetic reasons (clean lines). But some people have had real problems with torn dewclaws, and I can respect the decision to have them removed.

I would be making preliminary inquiries to a lawyer. I'd say the chances are very high that they have insurance that will cover the incident and they don't want strikes against their insurance record. A well-written threatening letter from a lawyer might convince them that they have called it wrong. You probably don't want to go to court, as those suckers will bleed everyone dry. It's really obnoxious that they didn't give you the rest of the antibiotics after charging you the vet bill. I suspect a lawyer could use this in building a case. p.s. I formerly ran a boarding kennel in WA. Sh#t does happen. But you have a moral, if not a legal, obligation to pick up after the messes you create. In my kennel days there was a little kennel owners' association that hired a lawyer to write boarding contracts that basically said: "we take no responsibility . . . you pay for anything that goes wrong". We had good insurance, and were able to get claims covered on the couple occasions when untoward events happened.

Just curious. How is the economic health of greyhound racing in NSW (or Australia in general)? Here in Florida, the industry is barely viable. The legislature is debating whether or not to kick the legs out from under the industry by removing legislation that requires card gambling establishments to provide live greyhound racing. The industry is in decline and will probably fade away if not propped up by gambling houses and legislation. (the issue is called Decoupling by people who want to take away the legislative prop). See, eg. http://www.grey2kusa.org/action/states/fl.php

Unless you're going to do retrieving on ice, in which case it's important to preserve the front dewclaws, I'd say don't let this issue weigh heavily on your decision about a breeder. There are valid reasons on both sides. I'm in the camp that's against dew claw removal, but there are cases of torn dew claws, and if I had experienced one of those, I might very well sit on the other side of the fence. If I really liked a breeder and wanted a pup from one of their litters, it would hardly bother me that dewclaws had been removed.

But fortunes rest on horse racing outcomes . . . and that was a long time ago.