Well there's something I didn't know about breeding!

[Vallhala]

I've been gathering and reporting info about illegal actions by a licensed breeder today and in the process raised some issues with friends in rescue. Another volunteer has my favourite of all my fellow rescuers' dogs, THE most beautiful, gentle and affectionate huge Malamute.

I knew that he came from a breeder and today she said something which came as a revelation to me. Telling me that pooch's breeder had about 6 bitches but that, breeding responsibly she didn't have another litter from any of these for 3 years after my favourite boy had been born, my friend added that the breeder had imported sperm from the US in order to improve breed lines in her kennels.

Well there's a thing! A new one to me!

And it makes the point that anyone who advertises pups who have been sired by a friend's dog down the road or from a dog in a nearby town is to be avoided on the grounds that they don't have breed lines and the breed's best interests at heart all the more clear.

As much as I love rescue dogs best of all, I really can't quibble with responsible breeding because I do love certain breeds and want to see them continue. Nice to hear a 'responsible breeding' story, especially where it concerns one if my fave breeds!

Oh Rhinestone, if you could meet this boy! He is THE most friendly, adorable soul, the pet of my friend's DH essentially but a real lady's man - he loves women and makes loads of friends when he and pal's DH go out tin-rattling for the PDSA. If I could run away with him I would! :o

We share the same values on rescue but I have to agree too about responsible breeding. If I were PM I'd ban all breeding until no pound ever PTS but I ain't and it ain't gonna happen so responsible breeding is the beat alternative.

Dammit, it's the BEST alternative! I'll save the beatings for Belfast City Council, DDA supporters and my ex husband! :o

Don't tempt me, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the northern breeds!! I am a HUGE fan of rescues and cross breeds and mutts. But I do love some breeds too, I can't deny it. We need rescue and we need responsible breeding.

And the return of dog licenses to prevent some scumbags from ever owning a dog. And the banning of puppy farms. And MUCH harsher penalties for cruelty. And the repeal of the fucking DDA. And compulsory 'dog awareness' lessons as part of the National Curriculum. And a waggy dog emoticon on MN.

I could go on.

We have thought about doing that for one of our bitches as the are from nz show lines and we wanted to carrying on promoting the breed. It is very expensive but well worth doing to promote the breed etc. Also with the kennel club new rules that a bitch can only have 4 registered litters in a life time as from next year. It is even more vital do make the right decision on the breed lines.

Val, that's interesting to know. So there are some very responsible breeders out there.

I wish I could meet the malamute, I love them!

Importation of sperm is common for greyhounds. One of the dogs farting contentedly near me was sired by a dog in Australia (quite a feat, when the dam was in Kent!).

Also, Valhalla, if the good breeders didn't breed, the only dogs being born would be the ones produced by the bad breeders - and then where would the gene pools be, in a few years time? Good breeders regard themselves as custodians of their breeds, aiming to hand them on to future generations in as good a state (or better, hopefully) as they found them in. If all the good breeders stopped breeding until all the pounds were empty, then (as the reproductive life of a bitch is so short) there would be no healthy quality stock left to breed from afterwards (except some sperm on ice here and there).

AI is pretty common in dogs (Guide Dogs use it a lot), although the English Kennel Club (predictably) are a bit whiny and narrow-minded about it. I once had a lady from the Netherlands whom I'd never met come and stay with me on Boxing Day to get some sperm from the stud dog I had at that time. She took the sperm back to the Netherlands (by plane) in a little tube within her bra, to keep it warm, and got her vet to inseminate the bitch within an hour or so of touching down. The funniest part of the whole enterprise was that the postman rang the doorbell to deliver a parcel just as we were in the very middle of collecting the sperm sample; but it was all worth it, as she got 4 puppies out of the trip.

Of course, the right dog for her bitch might have been in the neighbouring town rather than another country. A good breeder will plan the mating thoughtfully, though, not just use a dog because it's there.