To put two people I know off of breeding their Mals. They know everything Flynn has been through with his hip replacements, they know about hip scoring and eye testing - which they haven't done and they know about the amount of Mals in rescue. They know about the risks to the bitch in pregnancy and whelping - even told them of a Mal on the Mal forum who died recently after an emergency caesarian. I have tried to tell them it's not a good way to go about breeding but they are intent on doing it - want a pup each as one owns the dam and the other the sire.

The potential sire is a gorgeous boy in temperament, I love him to bits he's so laid back but in all honesty he isn't a good example of the breed at all. He's a woolly for a start - not good in a Mal and his ears are both down, so he really shouldn't be bred from.

What more can you do other than advise? I don't want to lose touch so have tried to be diplomatic. Ah well at least I can tell them to endorse the registrations and vet all homes thoroughly as well as wording a puppy contract to include taking a pup/dog back in the future should the need arise. I just don't think they realise all the potential problems they could face and even though they know what my Flynn has been through with his two hip replacements they just see him as all fixed now and no worries but it's been blinking hard slog and emotional torment getting him to this stage at times.

All I can do is be there for the mum and pups as I haven't been able to sway them with my horror stories - shame eh?

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

all you can do is advise, but as you will have seen on here - when someones mind is made up, thats it regardless of what others advise/believe.

For the dogs sake, its good that you will be around to advise on endorsments, whelping advise and contracts ect'

however it might be worth telling them that as they have failed to test, if any puppies go on to suffer problems that the breed could have been tested for the owners are well within their rights to take the 'breeder' to court.

Ha ha, that's a good point bet it will fall on deaf ears though. The mating is impending and so far the dogs haven't done anything, well they wouldn't as it's only day seven but they are getting them used to each other. never know maybe the boy won't know what to do with any luck, he's like a great big puppy so perhaps he'll not know how to do it. Both dogs are 2 1/2, at least they listened to me on that score and didn't mate them sooner like they were going to.

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

At least you did try and that is all anyone can do.

I tried to dissuade my hairdresser the other day. She wants a litter off her dog because it will 'help her to mature' as she is still a bit bonkers - apparently sometimes they pay a local teenager to walk her in the evenings but otherwise she isn't walked .

She also wants a pup as their dog is such a lovely temperament. After telling me she is 'funny' as she hates all other dogs and tries to bite anyone who sits next to her Dad . It got so bad they sent her away for a week to a trainer and she has come back as a very different dog - they have lots of advice about being the 'alpha' etc etc now and how to put her in her place.

Anyway....I am pretty certain that little dog will be having a litter but at least I felt a bit better for doing what I could.

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poor dog and poor potential puppies

I think the fact that you have tried to advise them and they are not listening yet you will still help them now(against your own instincts) shows what a nice person you must be. Good luck I have a feeling you made need it with these people

I feel awful some times.

My OH would absolutely adore a blue staff. I would to as I think they are stunning, but both of us said we couldn't justify paying for one, when so many perfectly lovely staffs need rescuing.

So unless something dramatically changes, we'll be going down that route when the time comes.

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You are fabulous H&H, but were you thinking out loud when you posted this or have I missed the connection with the thread........

Is it true about the high incidence of cancer in Mals? I read 36% somewhere.

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Transplanted Geordie
RIP Jake, my best dog. 10.8.10
RIP Boomerang, beautiful horse. 27.5.08

It is awful when people dont seem to listen to 'reason'. But, you know, we dont live in a communist country (yet, lol!) and I truly believe in freedom of choice, I just wish more people could see the pros and cons and look at these sorts of decisions from all sides before going ahead gung-ho just because they want 'an ickle puppy from' whatever.

It does annoy, I can totally see wher you are coming from Malmum and I applaud you for not losing your temper, which I probably would have done. I hope for the sake of the dogs concerned, nothing does go wrong - including with the mating!

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Fere libenter hormines id quod volunt credunt

You tried your best and that's all you can do.Are they are aware that the dog isn't the best example to breed from etc ? It never amazes me how some people see their animals refusing to acknowledge defects that maybe passed on. I don't know what it is or maybe I'm wrong, I LIKE to know what are the bad bits ! I think there are lots of very rosy sunglasses being sold. My friend who got a tibeten terrier pup earlier this year, would like to breed him with a anothe beed, cos she would like him to have a litter ????? i am trying to talk her out of it.

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"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)