Return To Competition Of Bitches After Whelping

[Guest CaptainCourageous]

DOGS Victoria Notice to members as of 28 October 2010

Return to Competition of Bitches after Whelping

The relevant Regulation that requires bitches to be rested from competition until 10 weeks have elapsed after whelping is currently under review.

Until such time as the review is complete, bitches may return to Conformation and Obedience activities before 10 weeks from the date of whelping if a veterinary certificate of clearance has been obtained.

- DOGS Victoria

[Rebanne]

gees now they want us to pay for a vet consult to tell us what we already know, our bitches are healthy and happy, otherwise we wouldn't be showing them

[jacobite]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but if you enter a bitch in a show how is the secretary going to know if she's had puppies in the last 10 weeks or not. I don't think the VCA checks all show entries with pupy registrations and anyway people may not register the puppies by 10 weeks so how is this regulation policed. Seems to me this is just another ploy by the VCA to get us to spend more at the Vets.

Pam

[WreckitWhippet]

Insane isn't it.

[Rebanne]

maybe the VCA is going to set up a computer program that will automatically check what the dam has been up to when the pups are registered, complete with cross references to all those marked show catalogues that are sent in :D hmm will they strip the bitch of any points won before the pups are 10 weeks :D

of course seeing as how the VCA still can't get their web site up and running correctly I doubt we will have much to worry about

[dunnwarren]

Just more rules and regulations to cope with, getting to the point where we will need a secretary to just keep up with what we can and can't do.

[Guest CaptainCourageous]

The rules need to be taken seriously to avoid the sanctions that come with breaching them. They are demanding changed practices from some of us.

I guess the vet cert out is a cup Weekend special.

The background to the rules is a bit weird though. My vague recollection is that they started off as a Canine Health Committee discussion paper which was fully adopted by the Rules & Regs people before the Canine Health Committee gave it any endorsement.

I took a pregnant bitch to our breed specialties this year and got Best Opposite in both shows. With the new rules which came into place since then that's not permitted, so it is important to know what you may and may not do. I also found it important to ask why they were bought in.

CC

[Bilbo Baggins]

The rules need to be taken seriously to avoid the sanctions that come with breaching them. They are demanding changed practices from some of us.

I guess the vet cert out is a cup Weekend special.

The background to the rules is a bit weird though. My vague recollection is that they started off as a Canine Health Committee discussion paper which was fully adopted by the Rules & Regs people before the Canine Health Committee gave it any endorsement.

I took a pregnant bitch to our breed specialties this year and got Best Opposite in both shows. With the new rules which came into place since then that's not permitted, so it is important to know what you may and may not do. I also found it important to ask why they were bought in.

CC

:laugh: :o Our very first point for Ruby was when she was 4 weeks pregnant and looking absolutely gorgeous. :happydance:

[experiencedfun]

many many years ago I had a shepherd bitch who took best in show at a large all breeds champ show when her kids were 6 weeks...they had been weaned for two weeks....the day after though she dropped her coat and i wouldnt take her till it grew back.....this same bitch took a best in group at 5 1/2 weeks in whelp...................she lived for the show ring and when she was pregnant she wasnt sick just out doing what she loved. I must remember if I was ever to get pregnant again that I should not go outside after....hhmmm how many weeks/months.

[elmaro]

Years ago we whelped a litter for a newcomer to our breed ... 8 weeks later we were at the vets putting down the entire litter that had been born deaf because the bitch had been taken to a show whilst in whelp to win a pretty blue ribbon by her owner... The memory still haunts me to this day and there is no way in hell I would put my bitch or her puppies lives in jepordy for a sash ... Yes the bitch probably is fit enough to compete, but with parvovirus etc are you seriously willing to gamble the lives of your dogs??? For Christ sake it's not like it's a long period either!! Rant over and flame suit on

Ellen Mooney

[EISHUND]

Years ago we whelped a litter for a newcomer to our breed ... 8 weeks later we were at the vets putting down the entire litter that had been born deaf because the bitch had been taken to a show whilst in whelp to win a pretty blue ribbon by her owner... The memory still haunts me to this day and there is no way in hell I would put my bitch or her puppies lives in jepordy for a sash ... Yes the bitch probably is fit enough to compete, but with parvovirus etc are you seriously willing to gamble the lives of your dogs??? For Christ sake it's not like it's a long period either!! Rant over and flame suit on

Ellen Mooney

How could taking a dog to a show cause it's entire litter to be born deaf?

I have no issue with people who 'responsibly' show a bitch in whelp, but I can see that this rule was put in place due to the irresponsible people. I have personally seen & been disgusted by someone rocking up to a show & showing a heavily in whelp bitch whose boobs were engorged & hanging. And it was a hot day.

[elmaro]

The vet confirmed that the bitch had picked up an infection while at a show ... In a perfect world if people left dogs at home that were sick ie kennel cough or parvovirus etc I probably wouldn't have a problem, but we all know that isn't the case ... Just my preference to not take the risk

[Crisovar]

In a perfect world dogs that are incubating a disease would flash pink lights too, you can be exposed to disease anywhere, you can even walk it into your yard or drive it in on your tyres.

[experiencedfun]

so are you saying that taking other dogs from the same kennel to a show and then home to a bitch in whelp is risky.....so we should show for six months a year and then stay home and breed......hhhmmm

remember during the six months of preparing the bitch, mating (well that would have to be at home to our own dog), whelping and rearing no person could leave the house in case they stepped on the footpath after someone walked their dog across it.

I am sorry about your experience but we all take chances every day of our lives and those of our dogs. Showing is not all about winning blue ribbons, it is getting out and socialising, well in my case at least. I believe that most of us take the utmost care of all our dogs and responsible people do not take out dogs who are ill or been in direct contact with others who are ill. I like to think that most people do the right thing.

[elmaro]

In a perfect world dogs that are incubating a disease would flash pink lights too, you can be exposed to disease anywhere, you can even walk it into your yard or drive it in on your tyres.

I agree but there is more chance if you do take them to the show ... Personally I only breed every 2 years (as did my parents before me) so taking time off is not a yearly occurrence for us ... When I last bred I continued to go to the shows but my dogs stayed home until the pups were born and had had their first shots before I started showing again ... I went to handle other peoples dogs and the protocol was that when I got home clothes were taken off in the garage, shoes were disinfected and I had a shower before I came into contact with my dogs... Yes at the end of the day there is disease and infection everywhere but there is less chance of that occurring in my back yard and for me it's about minising the risk. Each to their own I guess

[rakaaz]

Well that's just great, we had to pull a girl we bred out of our Rottweiler Specialty last weekend, as she missed the 10 week rule by 2 days

Would have been nice to know this was the case a couple of weeks ago. :D

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but if you enter a bitch in a show how is the secretary going to know if she's had puppies in the last 10 weeks or not. I don't think the VCA checks all show entries with pupy registrations and anyway people may not register the puppies by 10 weeks so how is this regulation policed. Seems to me this is just another ploy by the VCA to get us to spend more at the Vets.

Pam

Don't worry Pam, our fellow exhibitors would have been more than happy to do the maths and notify the breed club and Dogs Victoria and have any awards/gradings rescinded.

Dogs Victoria wouldn't have to do the work.

Unfortunately people doing the wrong thing and not caring for their bitches ends up biting the rest of us on the bum to make sure all is done right by our dogs.

I hope this is adjusted to a more sensible rule, and really if it is not nation wide it is just a joke. We could have gone interstate and competed with this girl last weekend and no one would have batted an eyelid.

[SpikesPuppy]

Well that's just great, we had to pull a girl we bred out of our Rottweiler Specialty last weekend, as she missed the 10 week rule by 2 days

Would have been nice to know this was the case a couple of weeks ago. :D

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but if you enter a bitch in a show how is the secretary going to know if she's had puppies in the last 10 weeks or not. I don't think the VCA checks all show entries with pupy registrations and anyway people may not register the puppies by 10 weeks so how is this regulation policed. Seems to me this is just another ploy by the VCA to get us to spend more at the Vets.

Pam

Don't worry Pam, our fellow exhibitors would have been more than happy to do the maths and notify the breed club and Dogs Victoria and have any awards/gradings rescinded.

Dogs Victoria wouldn't have to do the work.

Unfortunately people doing the wrong thing and not caring for their bitches ends up biting the rest of us on the bum to make sure all is done right by our dogs.

I hope this is adjusted to a more sensible rule, and really if it is not nation wide it is just a joke. We could have gone interstate and competed with this girl last weekend and no one would have batted an eyelid.

Did the entries for the show close before the ruling was gazetted? If so you would have been ok to show her even before they brought in this 'review'.

Otherwise the club would have had to refund your entry fees for the now ineligible bitch. It was not a retrospective ruling.

We had a bitch with young pups shown recently and it was ruled by the committee that she was allowed to compete as the entries were closed before the ruling was in place.

Not that it matters now for you - but handy to know for future rulings as ridiculous as this!!

[rakaaz]

No she was entered a long time prior to closing, we didn't notice it gazetted, but apparently it was well before the closing date, we found out about it much later.

Our breed club seemed pretty happy to enforce it, as they reprinted the rule in our catalogue :D

The Secretary emailed me to ask if the bitch's puppies were within the 10 weeks, I informed her she wouldn't be shown due to the 2 days. She did not even appear in the catalogue so I assume there will be a refund of her entry in that case.

Obviously our club was not aware about being able to get a vet certificate or we would have been told she could have been exhibited.

[BittyMooPeeb]

In a perfect world dogs that are incubating a disease would flash pink lights too, you can be exposed to disease anywhere, you can even walk it into your yard or drive it in on your tyres.

I agree but there is more chance if you do take them to the show ...

Do you have any proof of this? I would be suprised if you did, because I doubt it is true.

Ask any vet about the number of pets (who have never been near a show ring) that contract Parvo each year. Some have not even left their yards! others get it from footpaths, visitors etc. Showgrounds and other exibits are not the only source of infection. I feel that the average exhibitor/breeder is more likely to pay attention to disease control than the average pet owner, and would feel much safer with my dog at a dog show than at other places dogs frequent (ovals, footpaths, free run areas, beaches etc)

Plenty of bitches pick up infections and have not been to a dog show while pregnant!

(and the vet in question in the example given previously could have no way of knowing where the infection was picked up, so to state that the vet KNEW it was picked up at a show is irresponsible)

[Bilbo Baggins]

I find it extraordinary that a vet would say an infection would cause deafness.

Funny think is the placenta protects things from getting to the pups in most cases.

Deafness is usually due to a failure in the nerves conduction sound to the brain and it genetic.