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How to
choose a healthy gundog puppy
Check the ancestry of the dog
If you are buying a
pedigree pup, check the
pedigree and breeding of your potential purchase.
Gundog puppies tend to descend from ancestors who
were either bred for the show ring, or
who were bred for working in the field.
With the exception of one or two specific gundog
breeds, the differences between the two types
of gundog - show or field -
are often dramatic. With some breeds (
cocker spaniels for example ) the two types
are hardly recognisable as the same breed.
If you are not interested in competing in the show
ring, and think you might like to train and
eventually work your gundog -
either in the field or in competitive obedience
- then do seriously consider restricting your
search to field bred dogs only. Remarkably,
prices for field bred dogs even from champion
parents, are often currently considerably
lower than for show bred dogs from far less
illustrious parents.
Check the health clearances
Dogs, like people, are
susceptible to a range of
health problems.
There are now some standard
health schemes available
for each breed and you should ensure your dog's
parents health clearances are in good order.
At the moment these schemes are not compulsory,
but are run on a voluntary basis. Some have
been more widely embraced than others.
The current health
screening programmes test the 'breeding animal'
not their puppies. Buying a puppy from
parents that have been screened under all the
appropriate schemes for that breed is not
necessarily a guarantee of a healthy dog, as
some schemes only test parents for the
symptoms of
inherited diseases rather than an exact DNA
test. But screening greatly increases the buyer's
chances of getting a healthy puppy.
Hips scores, eye
certificates and elbow scores are basic requirements
for retriever breeds. It is harder to find spaniel
breeders that provide these, but more breeders are
now participating in these schemes. The
results of health screening information are not
always simple to assess. What is an
appropriate hip score for example will vary from one
breed to another. Research
your chosen breed well and make sure you are well
informed.
Kennel Club
registration - important!
It has come to our
notice that many people think that KC registered
puppies have all come from health screened parents
and that the parents' health screening results have
met some kind of approved standard. This is not
currently the case. The fact that a puppy is
KC registered does not mean that puppy
has necessarily come from health screened parents.
Nor does it mean that any health scores the parent
may have, are up to an appropriate standard for a
breeding dog. At the time of writing the
onus is on the buyer to check that their puppy comes
from parents that have been screened for all
the relevant diseases for that breed.
The Kennel Club will register puppies from
parents that have poor hip scores or that are not
eye tested for example. You need to check this
information carefully yourself. The
breeder will have copies of certificates available
for you to see.
Try and find a breeder by recommendation
If you
are inexperienced it is important that you get some
help in finding a puppy. Choosing one from a
newspaper advert or from the internet when you know
nothing of the source, can be a risky
decision. Not all breeders are responsible.
If you want to buy a pup from top working
parents, then in some breeds you may find the
pups are all sold very quickly. It can be
disheartening to phone advert after advert only to
find all the pups are gone. It pays to plan
ahead. If you do some research, locate a
really nice bitch, and book one of her pups
before they are born, you may find the whole
process a lot smoother, you will also be able
to enjoy visiting and photographing the puppies
whilst they are growing.
What about the Accredited Breeder Scheme?
The Kennel Club runs an
Accredited Breeder Scheme. Buying a
puppy from an Accredited Breeder is not a guarantee
of a healthy puppy or proof of health clearances.
Accredited Breeders agree to certain standards and
practices but be aware that these are not currently
'enforced'. The Kennel Club prefers a
persuasive and educational approach. The Kennel Club
states:
The Kennel Club does not have legal or statutory
powers to make breeders follow healthy and
responsible breeding practices – but by having
breeders register puppies with us, we have the
opportunity to influence them and a better chance to
educate and encourage them to follow the most
responsible breeding practices for the welfare of
all dogs.
Accredited Breeders
agree to allow inspections of their property by a
scheme representative to check that dogs are kept in
a suitable condition, and they also agree to provide
feedback forms for puppy buyers to advise the Kennel
Club of their individual experience of the breeder
and the quality of service offered. If you buy
a puppy from an Accredited Breeder be sure to fill
in your feedback form and send it back to the Kennel
Club - feedback is vital if any scheme
is to be successful in weeding out poor practice and
encouraging the highest standards
Consider the puppy's environment
Some
puppies will be raised in the home with the family.
This can be ideal, as the pup will have been
accustomed to people and the hustle and bustle of
family life from the very beginning. Be
aware though that not everyone who has a litter of
puppies knows what they are doing. Look
at how the pups are handled and how clean their
quarters are. The pups should smell
nice, and look bright and healthy.
If you don't know what a healthy puppy looks like
take someone experienced with you. This is vital
whether you are chosing a pedigree or a mongrel
puppy. Never be tempted to buy a puppy because
you feel sorry for it. Health problems can be
heart breaking and very expensive.
The
litter you visit may have been whelped and raised in kennels.
This is perfectly acceptable. An experienced
breeder will have made sure that the pups have
had plenty of human contact. Again look
at the surroundings. A responsible breeder
will run a clean and tidy kennels.
Check the
puppy's parents
Always
see a puppy with its mother. If
possible see the father too. The parents
should be friendly, and relaxed. The mother
may not look her best seven or eight weeks after
giving birth, but she should look healthy.
Again - if you doubt your ability to
make a judgement on a puppy or his parents, take an
experienced person with you.
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