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Responsible
Breeding and Dog Ownership
Being
a responsible dog breeder and owner is something
that all at Emeraldcity take very seriously.
This means a responsibility to our dogs, all of
the dogs we breed, our dog owners, to our breed
and to ourselves. Please have a look at the
various issues outlined in this section, and
feel free to contact
us if you have any queries.
All
puppy owners are required to register their dog
with their local authority. Emeraldcity also supports the
National Pet Register, as an additional means of
identification for all pets. The National
Pet Register is an Australia wide free pet
ID service, which was established and is
operated by The Lost Dogs' Home and Cat Shelter.
The Pet Register service operates Australia
wide, 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year, provides a
tag to be worn on your pets collar with a 1800
number free call number if your pet is found.
Subjects
on responsible dog breeding & ownership
addressed in this section are:
Does
your breeder pass the test?
(Article
from the Terrier
Breeders site)
Terriers
are wonderful dogs but they are not for
everyone. While they are clever, happy,
gregarious and intelligent dogs those same
traits can make them difficult to live with.
That’s why you should be very careful when
choosing a breeder to purchase your dog from.
Once you’ve decided what breed of Terrier you
want, remember this dog will be your companion
for many years.
A
responsible breeder cares very deeply for all
dogs but most especially their own breed. They
will devote time and money they can’t spare in
order to do what is best for their dogs. They
are so devoted to their breed they will do
anything possible to assure that a puppy
receives a proper home. Often this will mean
that you have to pass an extensive background
check and endure a lengthy wait for the newest
member of your family.
Why
buy a puppy from a registered, responsible
breeder and not a Pet shop?
Why
should you go to this extreme you may ask. Why
should I wait? Why do I have to answer all these
questions? Why not go down the street to the
local John’s Puppy Place and buy a dog there?
I can put right on my Visa card! This is the
worst possible idea. The reason is the majority
of puppies in pet stores are purchased either
from puppy mills or brokers who act as a middle
man for puppy mills. Puppy mills are horrendous
places. A puppy mill is a commercial breeder who
produces puppies and kittens only for the money
and with no thought as to the welfare of the
animals. Dogs often spend their entire lives in
wire cages (similar to a rabbit hutch) with the
filth accumulating beneath them. They receive no
love and attention and are often severely
neglected. Females produce puppies each and
every season. They receive no prenatal care. No
testing is done for inherited disease. If they
die whelping they are merely replaced with
another. Puppies, if they survive, receive no
special care. They are often weaned at 3 to 4
weeks of age and are transported across country
to pet stores. Many times they are packed into
trucks for transport and do not survive the trip.
NO
RESPONSIBLE BREEDER EVER SELLS THEIR DOGS TO A
BROKER OR PET STORE or anywhere the well being
of the puppy is in question.
Each
person who buys from a pet store is putting
money back into the system to keep the puppy
mills and pet stores flourishing. Many times you
may want to rescue that poor sickly puppy from
the pet store but it will only put money back
into the puppy mills pockets and assure you of
costly Veterinary bills. Many puppies in pet
stores are sold with a communicable disease and
if they survive will cost you dearly, just not
financially but in terms of heartbreak.
The
difference between a registered, responsible
breeder and a "Backyard Breeder"
A
Back Yard Breeder (BYB) is a broad definition of
either a small puppy mill, your neighbour who
decides to breed Fluffy to Duke down the street
or someone who is only breeding to make money.
Some BYB are nice people who when educated will
see the error of their ways and want what is
best for their dogs. The ones that are strictly
in it for the money will turn a deaf ear to this
education and often justify their behaviour in
misleading ways. BYB do not perform health
checks or temperament testing, do not have a
long term commitment to the breed, sell their
puppies very young and do not offer support to
the owners.
Irresponsible
breeders fill shelters and harm dogs. Avoid
buying from them by doing your homework.
RSPCA’s and Shelters are not filled with just
"mutts" but also purebred dogs from
unscrupulous, uncaring breeders. If you do not
purchase from them then you are taking money out
of their pocket and preventing them from making
a profit from dogs.
A
responsible breeder will belong to breed clubs,
shows their dogs or do something with their dogs
in competition; they learn about health problems
in the breed and test their dogs for these
problems; they know about pedigrees and plan a
great deal before allowing a mating to occur;
they only have a few litters a year at the most,
and hope to get a promising puppy for themselves
out of the litter. They usually do not place a
puppy before 12 weeks of age and when they do,
it is on a spay/ neuter contract. A pet puppy
from a responsible breeder is the product of
careful breeding and rearing. The responsible
breeder is there for the life of the puppy to
assist and if necessary, to take the dog back if
the owners cannot keep it.
The
most important part of being a responsible
breeder is finding quality homes for pups. The
breeder should always be ready to keep pups as
long as they need to until that perfect home
comes along. To protect the pups, the buyer and
the breeder, a responsible breeder will have a
purchase contract. This will outline what is
expected of the breeder and the buyer but is
primarily designed to protect the puppy. The
contract will cover the breeders guarantee, what
care they expect the puppy to receive, a
spay/neuter agreement and that the puppy/dog is
returned to the breeder should the purchaser no
longer be able to care for the dog, throughout
the dogs entire life.
ALL
RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS PROVIDE CONTRACTS ON THEIR
PUPPIES!
If
you have questions or concerns about your puppy
(behaviour, physical development, etc) at any
time after your purchase, call the breeder
immediately. Don't be afraid to ask for help! It
could save you a lot of heartache in the long
run. Remember, by purchasing this puppy, you are
committing to its care for the rest of its life.
But, in the event that you cannot keep it as you
had planned, call the breeder immediately. A
good breeder always wants to know where their
pups are. They will also help you place the dog
or approve a new home if you have lined up. It
is very important that you maintain contact with
the breeder of your puppy. If you do not feel
comfortable doing that, perhaps you chose the
wrong breeder to purchase a puppy from. You buy
the breeder as well as the puppy so try to be
sure you get a good one of each!!! Make a list
of questions and interview the breeder
carefully, fully think through your decision to
get a dog and do not get a dog on impulse.
Further
articles on how to find responsible breeder are
available at the Dogs
Owners Guide site and the Rose
Croft Cairn Terrier site.
Why
spay/neuter your pet?
(From
the vet
info
site)
Currently,
an ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or spaying
operation, is a "standard"
recommendation for female dogs.
When
an ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is performed prior
to the first heat period in a female dog, the
risk of mammary cancer later in life is less
than 1%. When OHE is performed between the
first and second heat periods the risk is
about 8% of mammary cancer later in life.
Anytime after the second heat period the risk
of mammary cancer in female dogs is about 25%,
whether an OHE is performed later, or not.
This is perhaps the strongest argument for
spaying female dogs.
The
other major medical risk to female dogs that
can be avoided by OHE is pyometra. This is
infection of the uterus and it occurs in
roughly 8% of female dogs sometime during
their life time. In dogs uterine infections
are a greater risk than in other species, due
to the unusual way in which dogs
have estrus cycles. The long interval between
cycles with a closed cervix leads to severe
infections developing with minimal clinical
signs and so the condition often is life
threatening at the time it is discovered.
Overall,
I think that it is best to spay female dogs
because it really seems to help them live
longer. Non medical reasons include: not
having to isolate your female dog for 4 weeks
every six months while she is in season, no
bleeding occurring and not having to be
concerned about stray male dogs hanging
around.
For
male dogs, the benefits of neutering
(orchiectomy) include a significantly
decreased risk of prostate hypertropy and
infections and it removes completely the
threat of testicular cancer.
It
helps to keep the dog from wandering and to
avoid complications associated with seeking
out females in heat, such as being hit by cars
and fighting with other suitors of the female
in heat. Neutering makes urine marking less of
a problem which many owners also consider to
be a major benefit, and can often calm a dog,
due to the removal of testosterone from their
system. Desexed male dogs are not prone to
fighting or dominance aggression. I think that
neutering male dogs often provides a better
life style for them and their owners.
Any
surgical procedure involves some level of risk,
however I believe that the benefits of
spay/neutering outlined above outweigh the
risks, and I encourage you to discuss these
issues with your veterinarian.
Mike
Richards, DVM
10
commandments for a responsible pet owner
-
My
life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any
separation from you will be very painful.
-
Give
me time to understand what you want of me.
-
Place
your trust in me - it is crucial for my well
being.
-
Don't
be angry with me for long, and don't lock me
up as punishment. You have your work, your
friends, your entertainment. I have only
you!
-
Talk
to me. Even if I don't understand your
words, I understand your voice.
-
Be
aware that however you treat me, I'll never
forget it.
-
Before
you hit me, remember that I have teeth that
could easily crush the bones in your hand,
but I choose not to bite you.
-
Before
you scold me for being lazy or
uncooperative, ask yourself if something
might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not
getting the right food or enough fresh
water, maybe I've been left in the sun too
long, I may be injured or my heart may be
getting old and weak.
-
Take
care of me when I get old. You, too, will
grow old.
-
Go
with me on difficult journeys. Never say,
"I can't bear to watch it" or
"Let it happen in my absence."
Everything is easier for me if you are
there.
Remember,
I love you. (Author unknown)
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