Dog offered at Stud

John | blog | January 27, 2011

Contained in the advice on purchasing which is on every page of www.pedigreedogs.ie the following can be found

“In relation to Pups on the site (or Dogs being offered at Stud) we would recommend asking the owner if the pups parents (or Stud Dog) has had the relevant breed specific health checks, and request to see proof of same”

Is it due to the economic downturn, that every second ad on the dog section of the general classified sites these days is a dog offered for stud.

Maybe it’s the owners last ditch attempt to raise some funds in order to keep the dog, with the last step being advertised for sale for a genuine reason.

Any suggestions regarding educating the general public that all dogs should have the relevant breed specific health checks, before mating, would be most welcome.

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Pedigree Dogs Vet – RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP

Paul | blog | January 26, 2011

Keep your pet healthy. All new pets should be brought to your vet for a check-up, even if it has had all its vaccinations. After your initial visit, you should bring your pet annually to the vet for a health check and yearly vaccinations. In between vet visits, you should monitor your pet’s weight and energy levels, as well as the condition of its skin and coat, teeth and nails, and eyes and ears. Bring your pet to the vet right away if you notice anything abnormal.

Spay or neuter your pet. This not only helps with population control, but also decreases or prevents the risk of certain conditions, including some types of cancer. Spayed and neutered pets are also less likely to roam, go missing, get in fights, or get hit by cars. Spaying and neutering should be done when your pet reaches 5-6 months of age, preferably before the first heat.

Treat your pet for fleas and worms. Flea treatments should be done every one to two months, depending on which product you use. The incessant scratching caused by flea infestations can be quite debilitating to our furry companions. Worm infestations can cause weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly in puppies and kittens. You’re your pets every 1-3 months. Remember that you too can get flea bites and worms.

Groom your pet daily. Long-haired breeds should also be professionally groomed every 2 to 3 months to keep the coat in good condition. Grooming also helps you to bond with your pet, and to notice any cuts, lumps, or parasites.

Keep your pet at a healthy weight. Overweight animals are more likely to develop health problems, such as diabetes or arthritis. Daily walks, ball chases, and swimming can help keep the pounds off. Feeding your pet a good quality, complete, dry pet food at the recommended amount will also help to keep weight down.

Make sure that your pet has an identification tag and a microchip. If your pet is lost or stolen, it can then be reunited with you. A microchip is an invisible form of identification that is implanted under the skin between the pet’s neck and shoulder. The microchip number and your contact details have to be registered with a database that will help to reunite you with your pet.

Get your pet insured. This will allow your pet to get the best possible veterinary care, without being a financial worry. Unfortunately, pet insurance doesn’t cover routine veterinary visits, such as vaccinations, worm and flea treatments, pregnancy, or spaying and neutering. It does, however, cover accidents, illness, and theft.

For further enquiries, please phone 045 480478 or www.animalsfirst.ie

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Pedigree Dogs Exposed

Joe | blog | January 25, 2011

The following excerpt is from the Blog Pedigree Dogs Exposed, written by the now well know Jemima Harrison

“In other words, just being a crossbreed or mutt is no guarantee of superior health and if a breeder of Labradoodles, Goldenoodles, Cockapoos, Puggles or any other cute mix tries to claim otherwise, vote with your feet and walk away – particularly if they insist there is no need to do any health-tests because their pups will be the automatic beneficiary of hybrid vigour. It ain’t true.”

You can read the whole article here http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/

There is a lot of reference made throughout the article, and IMO it’s quite balanced.

I know this is an ongoing argument, and to be honest, I think the UK have a better handle on it than we do in Ireland. You just have to look at the general classified web sites here to see the ridiculous mixes that are been spurned out in the hope of making some easy money. To be honest the worst one I have come across was a Rhodesian Ridgeback crossed with a Dachshund !! They couldn’t even come up with a name for that one

Here’s a few links to articles I have posted in the past on the Pedigreedogs.ie blog re the same.

What’s the worst “Designer Breed” you have come across ?

http://www.pedigreedogs.ie/2010/11/21/good-post-on-dog-forum/

http://www.pedigreedogs.ie/2010/09/30/pedigree-dogs-v-the-labradoodle/

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Dog Ownership – In an ideal world

Paul | blog | January 24, 2011

In an ideal world the following statement might be true

“In the past, pedigree dogs were an issue of status. Today I would judge people who get pedigree dogs as individuals who like to plan their lives and think ahead, after all you have a fair idea of how this dog will turn out in regards to size temperament, grooming and exercise requirement”

If the above were true then the following excerpt which makes distressing reading, surely wouldn’t be happening. I’m not saying all the dogs mentioned hereunder are Pedigree Dogs, but you would have to assume that some of them are.

“People are losing their homes in record numbers. More and more dogs are being surrendered since the economic downturn. Ten thousand dogs a month are being put down in California,”

On the 07-12-10 my blog was “A Dog Is For Life Not Just For Christmas”

As I have noted on the blog before educating the buyer is as important as cracking down on these puppy farmers that mass produce dogs, even in this country and export to “Markets” like the USA.

If the “market” is not there, the supply will have to dwindle

We are always asking people to do their research before getting a new puppy or older dog, and included in that research you should ask yourself if you will be able to provide food & shelter plus veterinary care for the duration of the dogs life, taking into account that smaller breeds can live up to 16 + years.

Try and forecast where you and your family will be in 15 years time, do you have ideas on travelling once the kids fly the nest ? If your child really really wants a dog, will they take it with them when they leave for college ?

Obviously it was difficult to forecast this down turn in the worlds economy, but I would urge anyone that is considering breeding to make sure they have a waiting list of potential buyers that are prepared to wait for the right pup to come along.

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Dachshund

Paul | blog | January 22, 2011

ORIGIN : Germany.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 13.03.2001.

UTILIZATION : Hunting dog above and below ground.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :Group 4 Dachshunds.
With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : The Dachshund, also called Dackel or Teckel, has been known since the Middle Ages. From the « Bracken », dogs were constantly bred which were specially suitable for hunting below ground. From these short legged dogs, the Dachshund evolved and was recognised as one of the most versatile and useful breeds of hunting dogs. He also has excellent achievements above ground, hunting while giving tongue, searching and tracking wounded game. The oldest Club devoted to the breeding of Dachshunds is the « Deutsche Teckelklub » e.V., founded in 1888.
For decades the Dachshund has been bred in three sizes (Teckel, Miniature Teckel and Rabbit Teckel) and in three different kinds of coat (Smooth-haired, Wire-haired and Long-haired).

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Pedigree Dogs Vet – The Skin Your Pet Is In

Paul | blog | January 21, 2011

Did you know that the skin is the largest organ of your pet’s body? The condition of its skin and coat serve as an indicator of overall health. Both are helped by daily care. Brushing your pet every day, even if it has short hair, helps to remove dead hair and to stimulate the lubricating oils produced by the skin. This daily ritual can be very enjoyable for your pet, and can help the two of you bond. Brushing also makes you familiar with the normal condition of the skin and coat, so that you can notice any changes. Skin problems can be as simple as fleas, or as complicated as allergies and glandular problems. Your veterinary surgeon is the best person to diagnose the problem and suggest treatment.When animals develop skin problems, they start to scratch and may become smelly or look greasy. Scratching damages the skin, which can lead to infection. Scratching also causes hair loss, redness, and swelling. Parasites such as fleas, lice, and mites are the most common cause of skin problems in pets. These can be extremely irritating to dogs and cats, so it is important to safeguard your pet with spot-on treatments. These are safe to use and easy to administer. Allergies, another common cause of skin problems, can cause the animal to be extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Allergic reactions can be caused by food, fleas, pollen, and even dust. Because it can be difficult to remove the offending substance, allergies can be difficult to treat at times. If your pet is diagnosed with an allergy, ongoing treatment may be necessary.

There are steps you can take at home to improve the health of your pet’s skin. Many people notice that their pet has dandruff. This is due the loss of moisture from the skin, which causes the top layer of the skin to flake off. It can also be caused by poor diet, lack of grooming, and illness. To help prevent the skin from becoming too dry, you can put a dish of water on the radiator or the cooker to humidify the air. A meat-based diet will also help to improve your pet’s hair and skin. Such foods are generally more expensive to buy, but cost less to feed per day because smaller amounts are needed. Oils such as borage oil, evening primrose oil, and cod liver oil contain essential fatty acids that are beneficial to the skin, as well as the joints, heart, brain, and kidneys. These fatty acids are not produced by the body, but they are vital to forming new skin cells. They also form a protective film under the skin to prevent loss of moisture and flaking. Essential fatty acids are available in capsules, as well as in pleasant-smelling sprays and shampoos.

For further enquiries, please phone 045 480 478 www.animalsfirst.ie
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How many dogs can you look after ?

Joe | blog | January 20, 2011

Someone came to visit our house last week in relation to our 5 dogs.

During the course of the conversation, they mentioned that they had recently heard of a person that kept 35 dogs, a toy breed with a coat that requires constant care & attention.

Now I’m not sure about you but our 5 are small with a short coat, but yet when I go to clip nails, check teeth eyes and ears it takes me about an hour and a half.

The annual boosters etc takes the same amount of time.

I read somewhere that over the life of your dog, you can spend upwards of Euro 20,000 between feed, Veterinary care, Insurance etc. Multiply that x 35, and you’d want to have a nice bank balance to begin with, or some nice benefactors.

Working from home has many advantages, but when you spend all day every day with your dogs it’s easy to pick up on small things, which is of major benefit, before they develop into something more serious.

My question to you is, what number of dogs do you think is acceptable for a single person to keep ?

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Shih Tzu Club of Ireland forthcoming Limited show:

Paul | blog | January 18, 2011

Shih Tzu Club of Ireland forthcoming Limited show:

It takes place in The National Show Centre at Cloghran on Sunday Jan 30 – judging at 2pm.

Entries taken before judging starts. Rosettes/prizes for the winners of all classes

For any additional information contact Marshall Craig

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Internet Pharmacies to be Vetted !

Elaine | blog | January 17, 2011

In April of this year in the UK, there will be new regulations in relation to the control of internet pharmacies that supply veterinary medicines.

Commenting, Harvey Locke, President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) said: ‘Without proper regulation online pharmacies could be sourcing drugs from overseas and selling counterfeit medicines that look genuine to unsuspecting pet owners. These medicines are placebos at best and dangerous at worst”

Recently I was looking at maybe having to switch one of our dogs onto a veterinary diet, and although I order my everyday dog food online, this would have to be bought from a veterinary practice. I’m sure there are good reasons for this, but I don’t think that if this was available from the normal outlets people would feed it to their dogs just for the fun of it, after all it is more expensive. Surely if it was available and you had written confirmation from your vet that your dog was in need of this food , then you should be able to order online etc from approved stockist’s with the approved logo, as per the quote hereunder.

“the BVA supports the use of a logo on approved websites to help consumers buy medicines from reputable sources”

Would love to hear your comments re same.

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Great Staffy Video….

Joe | blog | January 15, 2011

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Pedigree Dogs Vet – Arthritis – An Age-Old Disease

Elaine | blog | January 14, 2011

Arthritis is one of the oldest diseases in history, dating back to the dinosaurs. It strikes animals and humans alike. The joint pain and stiffness it causes can affect your pet as well as yourself, especially if your pet is a dog.

When arthritis strikes, joints become inflamed and mobility becomes impaired. The signs range from slight stiffness to severe lameness. Arthritis can be caused by infection in a joint, accidents, immune disorders, age, and physical abnormalities. It can affect animals of all ages and sizes. The inflammation is painful to the animal, so it is less likely to move around. Most owners will notice a dog getting slower as it gets older and attribute this slowdown to “old age.” The pet, though, may really be suffering from arthritis. Your veterinarian can assess your pet and suggest treatments to reduce the pain and inflammation.

In the meanwhile, be alert to the following symptoms. Your pet may take a long time to lie down or to get up. After getting up or after exercise, the pet might seem stiff. Arthritic animals may also have difficulty jumping into a car and climbing stairs. They become reluctant to exercise or unable to go on long walks. Visible lameness is the most obvious sign of arthritis. An arthritic dog can even exhibit behavioural changes, such as isolating itself or snapping when touched in specific areas. The pet may also lick sore joints excessively.

How can you manage arthritis in your pet? First and foremost: Keep its weight down! An obese animal is an arthritic animal. Just losing weight can dramatically improve activity level and mobility. So can planned activities. Gentle, controlled lead walks are more beneficial to an arthritic dog than unchecked runs. Swimming is particularly helpful because the buoyancy of water relieves pressure on the joints. And don’t forget that a soft bed to lie on also relieves the pain of sore joints.

Dogs with joint problems can also benefit from special diets that contain ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, green lipped muscle extract, and omega fatty acids. These ingredients protect the joints and decrease inflammation. A veterinary surgeon may also dispense a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication. NSAIDs work by rapidly decreasing inflammation and pain. Frequently, though, after starting treatment, the dog stops showing signs of arthritis, so owners stop giving the medication. But once a dog has arthritis, it will always have arthritis, so treatment must be continued for the rest of the pet’s life.

Unfortunately our pets can’t speak for themselves, so we have to be aware of what they are trying to tell us with their body language. If your dog seems to be in pain, it probably is. Modern medical practices, however, can greatly relieve the suffering caused by arthritis.

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I wonder what our dogs really think of us

Paul | blog | January 13, 2011

We often hear the phrase, a dogs love is unconditional, but I wonder what our dogs really think of us.

I think that dogs kept by responsible owners, must think that we are not that bad. We feed them good quality food, exercise them and take care of their general welfare, and spend as much time with them as is possible.

Having said that we do things on our terms, walk them when we want, let them off lead when we want, bring them to a dog show when we want, neuter or breed them when we want.

For all that sometimes it’s like the first time your dog ever saw you when you come home from work or have been away from the house for a day or more.

Thankfully there are lot’s of dogs in Ireland that are rewarded for their love and companionship by responsible dog owners and as a result lead happy and long lives.

You can only imagine what the poor dogs featured in tonight’s programme on TV3 must think of their captures.

On a lighter note, what do you think the dog in the picture thinks of his owners ? Answers on a postcard please.

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Some Classic Dog Classifieds !!!!!

Paul | blog | January 12, 2011

Trawling through some of the General Classified sites this week I came across the following adverts. (Spelling mistakes and all)

These three alone are enough to make any GENUINE Dog lover sick, but appear on an all to frequent basis on these sites.

Breed: Kerry Blue

KERRY BLUE BITCH FOR SALE.FAMILY PET NOTLONGER WANTED.VERY FRIENDLY WITH CHRILDREN.GOOD TEMPERMENT,IKC REGISTERED,PURE BREED WITH PAPERS.5 YEARS OLD.GENIUNE REASON FOR SELLING.KIDS WANTS POOL TABLE.

Breed: Dachshund

miniature smooth haired dachshund. pure bred dog.red in colour. 6 and a half years old and she has had 5 litters of pups.

IK registered. she will make an ideal family pet very timid nature and good with children. fully house trained.

Breed: Boxer

2 year old female boxer in pup about half a month abit more. They carry for 3months and on average have 5-7 pups easy money as boxer pups are worth alot of money and sell easily you can check prices on DD yourself father of pups has papers and papers can be got for bitch if they are wanted. She is a friendly dog and can be timid at times loves attention and running around. Would like a 5* home as shes a lovely dog and the money for her is money towards a car.

Are the people that place adverts like these on the General Classified sites in the minority of dog ownership in Ireland ?

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His bark is worse than his bite !

Joe | blog | January 10, 2011

In a recent study in Budapest, Hungary, It was established that Dogs can tell the size of another dog by just hearing it’s growl…Specifics in the article hereunder. Having been the owner of Standard Smooth Dachshunds for over 9 years, people often ask me what they are like to own as dogs. I always advise that I can’t understand why they are not more popular, they are small, require very little grooming, will take as much exercise as you can give them, and are generally a healthy breed as long as you keep them at the right weight, and don’t let them run up and down stairs etc. After this I also add that they make great house protectors, as for their size they have a very deep bark. They do of course have a deep chest where this bark resounds from, and this was put to good use when carrying out the task they were bred for, when going to ground after prey and holding it at bay by using this bark and other methods until the hunter could dig down to this location. If my dogs are out in the walled garden and somebody approached the gate, and heard the bark they would I’m sure think it was a Rottweiler…According to this study, if another dog came to the same gate they would know instantly what size comrade was on the other side….Just another case of dogs being smarter then their owners !

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Going Down ?

Paul | blog | January 9, 2011

My wife loves a bargain, and the January sales are the perfect hunting ground.

She just can’t resist anything that is marked down

The other day she came home with an escalator !!!

I hope our dogs manage it better than our little friend in the video

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Labrador Retriever

Paul | blog | January 8, 2011

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987.

UTILIZATION : Retriever.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :Group 8 Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs.
Section 1 Retrievers.
With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Strongly built, short-coupled, very active; broad in skull; broad and deep through chest and ribs; broad and strong over loins and hindquarters.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Good-tempered, very agile. Excellent nose, soft mouth; keen lover of water. Adaptable, devoted companion. Intelligent, keen and biddable, with a strong will to please. Kindly nature, with no trace of aggression or undue shyness.

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Discover Dogs Ireland ?

John | blog | January 7, 2011

After reading the statement below I wonder is it possible to obtain the statistics in Ireland, in relation to how many litters are produced by Show Kennels versus the Hobby Breeder ?

Personally I think we in Ireland still have a long way to go in relation to educating people in relation to dog ownership. Educating the buyer would certainly put a dent in some of these puppy farmers profits.

Whilst exhibiting at Pet Expo last summer I was amazed at the amount of people that I spoke to that hadn’t heard of breed specific disease’s like Hip Dysplasia etc.

The Kennel Club in the UK run Discover Dogs at Crufts and Earls Court London twice a year, and this is seen to be a great aid in educating potential puppy buyers.

I think that something like this was tried in Ireland before in the past, and reckon that it would do no harm if it was given another go….It may even generate a bit of revenue ?

“Figures released by the Australian National Kennel Council, detailing all litters bred by registered breeders during 2009, show clearly that their membership is not causing the problems occurring in animal refuges, now overflowing with unwanted dogs.

In 2009 it was estimated that the dog population in Australia was 3.41 million (TNS & BIS Shrapnel). From an estimated annual demand of 341,000 puppies, ANKC registered breeders produced only 66,588 puppies. That’s only 20% of puppies born in Australia. In fact 70% of ANKC breeders bred only one litter.

These statistics give the Australian dog organisation the most powerful defence it has had to date against animal welfare groups, who attempt to lay blame against registered breeders for the excess of puppies that are finding their way into the pet market.

Puppy farmers not taken into account

In an interview with Dog News Australia, the President of the ANKC Mr Hugh Gent OAM said, “Since the screening of Pedigree Dogs Exposed I have been concerned, when meeting with Animal Welfare organisations and other bodies, who are seeking to influence our breeding practices and modify our Breed Standards, that they attribute all problems with pedigree dogs to ANKC Members and do not take into account the large numbers of breeders outside our influence, who are not subject to codes of ethics or breeding restrictions”.

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To sit or not to sit..This is the question ?

Joe | blog | January 6, 2011

In our constant quest to bring you the very best Dog related information on this Blog, I came across this statement by one of the worlds best known Dog Trainers

“Ask the breeder to demonstrate that at the very least, the puppies have all been taught to come, sit, lie down and roll over on cue. If the breeder says that they haven’t taught the puppies to sit because they are “show dogs”, leave the puppies with the breeder because they certainly have not been trained to be companion dogs”

Like the above, I remember my first ring craft classes and being told not to let the dog sit, as that is what will happen when you are in the show ring.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that if you can teach a dog to sit you can teach a dog to stand, and both commands are as necessary as each other for your dog / show dog.

Anyone out there with any comments / feedback re same?

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Sherlock Holmes The Original Dog Whisperer

Paul | blog | January 5, 2011

I am in the midst of reading all the Sherlock Holmes short stories and novels.

These were written over 110 years ago, and the fact that they are re published every year speaks for itself.

In the case of “The Creeping Man” the following passage can be found…..

“A Dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family,or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs,dangerous people have dangerous ones.And their passing moods may reflect the passing moods of others”

The story is about a man that has suddenly started to act very strange, and his dog, a Wolfhound has bitten him twice.

All these years ago Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may have hit dog training / behavior on the head…..If he was around today, would he have been “The Dog Whisperer !!!”

Maybe there is something to be learned from the passage ?

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