to want to buy a puppy from a reliable person

[AuntiePickleBottom]

how can i tell if the owner is not just breeding for profit.

Oh and if anyone is interested, Many Tears are always on the look out for Foster Homes for their rescues, we can't do it from here, but will do as soon as we are in our own home. It could be a good idea for someone who isn't sure how much a dog would disrupt (and enrich) their lives.

(photo of my mutt on my profile - I challenge anyone not to fall in love with her like I did!)

Val or Scuttle, i' d quite like for you to clear up for me the whole issue of being an inadvertent dog killer.

It's being weighing heavily on my conscious ever since I watched that link.

Is is a real or hypothetical dog I have killed ( genuine question) ?

Just a quick update on the Welsh situation. I've already mentioned the Kennel Club's opposition to the modest improvements suggested by WAG. Currently, live on the WAG website, is an e-petition on behalf of breeders campaigning AGAINST the new proposals. Sorry haven't got a link but will post one later. In Carmarthenshire, home of some of the worst incidences of puppy farming, often at licensed breeders premises, breeders have been lobbying hard, holding meetings, and pressurising Council officers. To improve welfare standards? To make Welsh breeders something to be proud of? No. To water down and delay the implementation of the new regulations.

Midori/Slubber - on the actions I can see round me right now here in Wales, and have seen in the early stages of this process, legitimate breeders are not doing a very good job of demonstrating their commitment to better dog breeding welfare.

Welsh Assembly consultation paper on the breeding of dogs duly read ( Including consultation documents) and on line form filled out and sent.

LteEVE The problem your friend had is she did not use a reputable breeder. There is no such thing as a 'registered' breeder. It is the dogs that are registered and KC registration is a minimum standard, puppy farmers and those like them can also KC register, it is a purebreed registry, not a mark of quality, although breeders that do not KC register will not be good breeders. Breeders can be licenced but generally this is not a good thing as in order to need to be licenced (depending on the local authority) you need a certain amount of breeding bitches or number of litters per year and no-one should be breeding in quanitity.

Had your friend's dogs breeder been a responsible one then a) they would never have allowed her two puppies in the first place, that is madness and likely to end in tears and b) one of the dogs wouldn't have ended up in rescue as the breeder would have taken it back. So the real problem is people generally don't know how to find a good breeder or identify them. SO many people think fi the dog is KC reg. that means 'good'.

Scuttle I'd be interested in the link. Surely you are actually aware that good breeders are likely to be unaffected by the changes as even if they own the allocated number of breeding bitches they are unlikely to breed enough litters per year to need to be licenced? When you say the petition is for 'breeders' to object, surely what you mean is 'puppy farmers'? When you say 'breeders' have been holding meetings, surely what you also mean is 'puppy farmers'?

Perhaps you can give your definition on what you think a 'legitimate' breeder is as I wonder if our definitions may differ quite a bit?

Gluconeogenesis - - some further info on the Irish situation. I was involved with these rescue attempts (on the English side, working alongside this rescue and others). These are just some of the dogs we couldn't save and an insight into the mentality over there.

Unregistered pedigree dogs.

There's a puppy farm a few miles from where I live. They supply Harrods. The puppies are not KC registered. They have always got litters of puppies - about 3 or 4 different breeds. They do sell elsewhere and when buyers go to see the puppies they are in the house in the kitchen with their mum. The dad is at the house too. All seems ideal unless you know that the dogs are actually kept in a couple of agricultural buildings and have no human contact apart from cleaning and being let out in a secure field to exercise.

One of the DDs is in their daughters class at school and has seen it first hand. Adverts are not always what they seem to be :(

Sarah, report to Trading Standards please, and to the farm's local council Environmental Health department. In fact, go to the Council first.

I have contacts who take in such accounts and who can pass the information through to the right channels, so increasing the chance o, getting something done about it. Mo Davie of A Dog's Life is particularly known in rescue and AR circles for her tireless work and endless knowledge of the subject - she's a lovely lady too. If you'd care to, please contact her for support and help - [email protected]

Otherwise I'm happy to help myself and have a fair amount of knowledege and connections but Mo's are by far greater than mine,

Sorry to hijack, but reading this thread has scared my witless about finding a breeder...and I'm looking for quite a hard-to-find breed too: a miniature dachshund (short-haired).

The US seems to have such a wide selection of breeders, that are listed on appropriate authorities' websites. However, even the Kennel Club here in the UK, I think, is a little sparse on the ground with info for this breed. Using a US breeders obviously entails the rabies, pet passport, puppy-in-aircraft-hold situation too.

Does anyone know of a reputable short-haired miniature dachshund breeder?

To be honest I'm pretty suprised at some of the venom being aimed at very well intentioned, educated people here.
I think many of us (myself included) had no idea about the 'one in-one out' policy - I thought that things like that only happened over seas.
But, none of this is a personal attack on anyones previous descisions wrt buying a dog.obviously everything is clearer in hindsight.

Also ( sorry I've got my preachy pants on )
it's important not to tar rescue dogs with the same brush, they're just like people - if a Geordie nicks your handbag you don't avid all Geordies at all costs, if one Manc is rude to you, it doesn't mean the whole of the north lacks in manners..

Just sayin'

Spenguin, can I ask why you want that particular breed?

Also, those on the know within breeding do NOT recommend that you go via the KC for a dog but that you go via the breed clubs, as Midori said further up this thread.

Lady, it's very true that the majority of people, even dog owners who have adopted from rescue, have no idea of the extent of the problem or the harsh realities of it.

Dachshund Rescue:

Gillian Goad South of England 01458 850745
Valerie Skinner North of England 01142 847425
Colette Gorman Scotland 01506 834261

Hi Vallhala - the short-haired bit is because of allergies, asthma and the like. Mini-Dachshund because its dinky size in a London home would be better for everyone (inc the puppsydoodle) concerned; had that breed as a child; temperament suits the family and urban environment more than, say, a greyhound etc; it's just so darn cute!

In keeping with the thread, childhood dogs (without a pooch atm):

Henry - JRT
Lambchop - Old English Sheepdog
Rompers - Old Eng Sheep.
Coco - Bichon Friese
Caligula - Mini-Dachshund

Spenguin, if you do decide to get a puppy of that breed, please find a breeder via the UK breed club and please look back through the thread at the other points I have mentioned to expect when finding a good breeder. Sadly, even puppy farmers are on the KC Accredited Breeder Scheme so it's a minefield. Also, currently, licenced breeders are not a good thing, no good breeder needs to breed in volume.

A Grey would be ideal in terms of coat, temperement and laziness and would be fine in an urban environment as long as you are prepared to give him the same amount of walks as any other dog - they don't need miles of walks, as I'm sure you know, but I can see your point about space. Though, that said, they don't take up a lot... they have a tendency to walk and then lay on the sofa, sleeping on their backs, with their legs in the air.

Could other considerations be a (rescued of course) whippet? Poodle? Shih Tzu? Schnauzer? Cairn? Border Terrier? Bichon Frise?

Thank you Val. I'll get the ball rolling tomorrow.

I've got 2 dogs, both rescue. One came from Battersea (LittleDog) and the other from the breed rescue. Both were very helpful. The breed rescue spent ages with us to match us to a suitable dog.

You're welcome, tis my pleasure. :)

Your breed rescue did as they all should do - as I said, they aren't all what they should be, sadly - it's essential to match dog and owner and saves so much heartache in the long run. I get frustrated with rescues who will roll out dogs ASAP without giving as much consideration as they should to weighing home and dog up. It ends up with hurt, often angry owners, a totally confused dog with a reputation because he's "bounced" (i.e. returned to rescue) who is less likely to be offered a home again because of that reputation, albeit not his fault, and rescue slips further down in the estimation of people, particularly those who have little understanding and/or respect for it in the first place.

Sarah - just wondering... I know nothing about this dog whatsoever save she is considered to be a whippet cross collie by the pound, which is where she is.

If I could get her out and fostered and an assessment carried out, would you be interested?

<a class="break-all" href="//[IMG]i184.photobucket.com/albums/x162/paulsspangle/4314_-_Tinsel.jpg[/IMG]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tinsel

I'd love to Val, but I can't, homelife is an absolute mess ATM, loads of shit going on and I don't think it would be fair right now.

BigDog is on his way out basically. I've known it was going to happen one day but it's come sooner than I thought. I want his passing to be as unsettled and peaceful as possible :(

Maybe in a year or so I'll be in a better position.

Oh bollocks. You didn't mean me did you

Oh god, so, so sorry, Sarah... I was talking to SPenguin and named you by mistake.

I'm really, really sorry and didn't mean to upset you. I hope things improve for you.

Ah thanks, no problem. I knew his days were numbered when I rescued him. He's had a lot longer than I thought we would have with him and he's a great dog. I'm not upset as I've known it will happen. I'm just glad we have had him in our lives.

I will get another dog though eventually as LittleDog will be lonely.