Please help me figure out what's wrong with my dog?!

[dreamadream1]

Hi everyone

Posting for traffic.

My lovely, 5 year old sprocker spaniel has been whimpering/pacing/crying ALL day today.

He normally goes for a wee when I get up at 6-7, has some biscuits then lays on my bed or his bed and sleeps most of the day before a walk.

Today he has been the total opposite, I've filled his water bowl with fresh water, he's been walked off lead, I've topped his biscuits up, I've given him cuddles, all the fuss he usually has, he's weeing and been for a number 2, I've played with him on my lunch break with his rope.

I don't know what is wrong with him, I've felt his tummy in case he has tummy ache but he doesn't respond negatively to that, I've checked his paws, his mouth, his eyes there is nothing obvious at all.

He usually sleeps most the day and then has a walk and then he curls up for the night with us. I cannot figure out what is bothering him and it's driving me mad!

[Takemetothebar]

@Takemetothebar I have a hound breed too, and I don’t neuter either, unless medically necessary of course.

I only keep bitches as well, except once.... I had the dog back when he was 4 as the owner could no longer care for him. I didn’t want to place him with anyone else so he stayed. He’s still here as an old man on my sofa next to me now!

[dreams1990]

They both have 6 month health check ups at the same vet.

This includes heart and hip monitoring.

Both sets of parents are healthy, both sets of parents are KC registered although ours are not as they are sprockers.

We are both still in contact with the breeders we bought from and I meet up with them and his brothers and sisters for a walk every summer (not last year due to covid).

I don't see the problem with breeding them.

[isadoradancing123]

Why does mumsnet hate dog breeders , obviously puppy farms is different and can be very unethical, but where are people supposed to get their puppies from

[WhoWants2Know]

OP, re walking your dog along with a bitch in season can be dangerous because it can make him a target for any other males you might encounter. But if she only lives two minutes walk away, I think the pining is likely to continue.

It's a good idea for both of you to be extra conscious in case of escape. I've seen dogs easily scale an 8 foot fence in attempt to mate!

[dreams1990]

Also vet said 5 is absolutely fine for her first litter, anything 7 and above is a risk.

[dreams1990]

@isadoradancing123 thank you

[Wolfiefan]

@dreamadream1 it’s not a check up at the vet.
It’s sedation and x rays and a trip to a cardiologist if a heart test is needed.
It’s not let the vet move their leg about and listen in with a stethoscope.
KC reg is irrelevant.
Pedigree isn’t. Degree of inbreeding?
Meeting up for walks is also irrelevant.

[dreams1990]

@Wolfiefan I trust my vet. He was also vet to the rescue dogs we had when I was growing up. He signs him off every 6 months with a clean bill of health. I'm not interested in what you have to say. You're very clearly just against breeding, it's hardly running a puppy farm.

[Wolfiefan]

Your vet can be trusted to say your dog is healthy.
That’s not the same as being fit to breed.
I’m not against breeding. I bought two dogs from different breeders.
I’m against someone who doesn’t know about hip testing etc breeding a litter of cute puppies with a mate’s dog.
You simply don’t know enough to do this.
Find a mentor. Do some proper research or get your bitch neutered.

[Takemetothebar]

@isadoradancing123

I’m not against the right dog breeders. I’m against wing it and see, not taking full precautions and research breeders.

I support and indeed am, a responsible breeder, caretaking a breed that is millennia old, breeding for health, temperament, function and the benefit of the breed. I do not make money from it.

And I want people to have healthy, predictable puppies, with fully supportive breeders to guide them. I want people to be happy with their dog, and part of that is sourcing them from the right responsible breeders.

[Veterinari]

@dreams1990

They both have 6 month health check ups at the same vet.

This includes heart and hip monitoring.

Both sets of parents are healthy, both sets of parents are KC registered although ours are not as they are sprockers.

We are both still in contact with the breeders we bought from and I meet up with them and his brothers and sisters for a walk every summer (not last year due to covid).

I don't see the problem with breeding them.

Looks like your year of research was about as successful as your name change then.

No their vet check doesn't include hip scoring - for that they need rays under full anaesthesia, and the other tests require DNA, so no they are not health screened and there's no guarantee they'll have healthy puppies, they could both have terrible hips but not yet showing clinical signs. Or they could both be carrying recessive genes that when combined will cause disease in the puppies.

You haven't checked that they are healthy enough to breed from

So what if their parents are KC registered? that means nothing in terms of suitability to breed. If they're parents were good examples of their breed they'd have been bred to other pure breeds to improve the breed. Not crossbred for profit.

Honestly you sound clueless - please do some basic research

[Whatisthisfuckery]

Before he was done my old dog used to whine and scratch and pace when there was a bitch on heat near by. It drove me mad.

[HowManyToes]

[quote Wolfiefan]@chickychicchic it’s not fine. She may be on the lead but he isn’t.
A dog that is in season mustn’t be walked near any off lead dogs.
@dreamadream1 if you don’t know that much then you certainly don’t know enough to be breeding a litter.[/quote]
This.

[Veterinari]

[quote dreams1990]@Wolfiefan I trust my vet. He was also vet to the rescue dogs we had when I was growing up. He signs him off every 6 months with a clean bill of health. I'm not interested in what you have to say. You're very clearly just against breeding, it's hardly running a puppy farm. [/quote]
Does your vet have X-ray eyeballs and the ability to test DNA?

No he doesn't. Which is why all the trust in the world isn't the same as performing tests that are the minimum standard for responsible breeding

[Wolfiefan]

I wish I could like your post @Veterinari
I have two entire females. Vaccinated and healthy.
But should I be a breeder?
Nope.
Because I know I don’t have the skills. To choose the right mate, to see my bitch safely through pregnancy and whelping. To socialise puppies and support new owners. To take back a dog if needed down the line.
And my dogs are lovely.
Doesn’t mean they would make brilliant, healthy puppies.

[Takemetothebar]

@dreams1990, @Wolfiefan is right, being healthy is not the same as healthy to breed.

I have a bitch here who is carrying but not affected by a neurological devastating disease. She is totally healthy. If I breed her to another totally healthy carrier, probability is that half the litter will die.

It’s only by doing the relevant genetic testing I can be sure of healthy puppies.

[Veterinari]

@isadoradancing123

Why does mumsnet hate dog breeders , obviously puppy farms is different and can be very unethical, but where are people supposed to get their puppies from

It's not about hating breeders. It's about pointing out that people who don't even do basic research and minimal health testing are unlikely to be responsible enough to provide effective socialisation, veterinary care and lifelong homes for litters of puppies.

[Hugoslavia]

My dog had this on Xmas day last year. Was just very uncomfortable so ended up pacing. It turned out that he had a nasty infection in his anal glands. I felt bad that I didn't take him to the vets until the next day once they told me how sore he was.

[Hugoslavia]

P.s. my dog had his tail down between his legs. I actually assumed that he had nerve pain in his tail which can happen after a long walk/swimming in cold water. Anything bladder or bowel related needs checking out asap as can be sooo uncomfortable/painful.

[shamelessmcshame]

Dogs have mated for thousands and thousands of years successfully even when we lived in caves and wooden huts... pretty sure they weren't having eyeball tests and X-rays and everything was fine. Breeds still live on etc

Op sounds like she cares a lot about her dog and the dogs health, not every breeder has to be a bloody know it all to breed a puppy fgs it's not a puppy farm, you all need to chill out

[Nameitychangity]

Agreed with all of the above and as a veterinary nurse I can only second what has already been said.
Would just like to add that rehoming and rescue centres have seen THOUSANDS of puppies and young dogs handed in during this pandemic because people thought they could do 'a bit of breeding' with their family pets, and got a lot more work and heartache than they bargained for. There are so many unwanted puppies at the moment flooding the market, PLEASE do your research before you add to the problem.

[briebuiltthiscity]

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Are we to expect earthquake or something with all the dogs behaving oddly? 👀

There is storm Chrisoph on its way!

[Veterinari]

@dreams1990
I mean this kindly but just reflect for a minute. You don't have enough knowledge to be able to recognise frustrated oestrus-seeking behaviour in your own dog, when that behaviour is pretty clear to posters on this forum. What makes you think that you have enough knowledge to breed responsibly when you can't even answer basic questions from those same posters after a year of research?

If you think your dog is frustrated now, how much worse do you think he'll be once he's mated? He'll be endlessly searching for bitches in heat.

[Christmasfairy2020]

Have you posted in the dog house xx

[Veterinari]

@shamelessmcshame

Dogs have mated for thousands and thousands of years successfully even when we lived in caves and wooden huts... pretty sure they weren't having eyeball tests and X-rays and everything was fine. Breeds still live on etc

Op sounds like she cares a lot about her dog and the dogs health, not every breeder has to be a bloody know it all to breed a puppy fgs it's not a puppy farm, you all need to chill out

Most of the genetic problems we see now are due to intensive selective breeding since the Victorian era.

Back in the caveman days dogs with genetic problems would have eventually died out. Not been sold for 3k each to an unsuspecting family who fall in love with their new pup only to find out it has a totally preventable genetic problem that will cost them yet more thousands and cause untold heartache.

But i'm guessing that you aren't in a job where you have to deliver that heartbreaking news to families are you? So it's probably easy to be 'chill' about crap animal welfare and heartbroken families.