I see it's that horrible time of year again, when unwanted Christmas puppies are now being abandoned to rehoming centers as people are now bored with them, or can't be bothered to spend a little time house training, so getting annoyed with the mess!!!
Will never understand why people buy these pups in the first place, or even why the Breeders sold them to these people!!!
Oh yes I know why now, people bred their unhealth checked bitch to an unhealth checked dog to make a quick buck, with little regard for the outcome of the rest of the pups life that they brought into this world!!!
Who picks up the pieces???
All the amazing people out there that volunteer and work in Rescue, without these dedicated people, so many of these young pups would end up on Death Row!!!
But to my mind the worst, is people who dump their OAP dog, just because it is over stressed by a playful young pup. The OAP dog
may start to misbehave as a way to get attention, or at worse act aggressively to the new pup or other dogs around it..
may start to misbehave as a way to get attention, or at worse act aggressively to the new pup or other dogs around it..
They have been your faithful companion for several years, suddenly they are no longer favorite, how are they supposed to understand.. They are used to a peaceful life and a routine, when suddenly they have to march to somebody else's tune!!! Just because a thoughtless human has wanted a cute puppy, and not bothered with a gradual introduction, to have a happy house hold...
If you are thinking of getting a dog or puppy now, please consider a Rescue first, there are loads out there, just waiting for you to come and find them, and to give them a forever home... They will pay you back tenfold with the love they can offer...
There is no greater, gift than to give an OAP dog a forever home...
Can you imagine being pushed out because the youngster is cuter, or to be ripped away from what you know, because your owner has died and nobody whats you.. Ok, so an OAP dog may not have so many years left before they cross to the Rainbow Bridge... But how much nicer to spend their remaining years in a home, than in kennels being constantly passed by, because they have a grey muzzle or are a bit wobbly.. How sad must they feel living the rest of their lives being unwanted by Society...
Personally I love the OAP dog, they have so much to offer.. They are usually fairly well trained, are house trained, have quirky ways and really only want love, food and a comfy bed to see out their final years...
Please think about it!!!
So true!!!! I hate hearing about how full the kennels are, especially after Christmas! People need to be more informed before they purchase a pup, or rid themselves of an older one. Dogs have feelings, too. Their feelings get hurt, they feel emotional pain as well! Great blog! Betsy Kiehl (from Facebook)
ReplyDeleteVery true, and thank you for your kind words Betsy...
ReplyDeletePeople need educating on how to educate themselves!!!
There needs to be some sort of system to stop random people from breeding random dogs and then to wash their hands of them...
Breeders need to be made responsible for any genetic illness's or hereditary problems, if they haven't bothered to do any health tests on the parents to ensure the best outcome for healthy pups...
Joe Public needs to be educated to only purchase pups from people who have done the health testing, and have paperwork to back up the tests... Because if somebody has paid for all the tests, then you can at least be sure that every precaution has been taken regarding the pups future health... Plus they are going to take more care of who they sell their pups too, and want to keep in contact with the new owners to help and advise if needed!!!
The problem is, to bred dogs in an ethical and caring way results in no profit!!! The people who go to these backyard breeders have no idea that they are buying a potentially sick puppy, have put no thought into their purchase or how it will impact on their lives, or the lives of their current pets... So when things go wrong, or get a bit difficult, the problem dog is got rid of and their problem is solved!!!
But as any responsible owner knows, to get the best from your dog(s) time effort and traing is required...
Hope this works this time. Good morning lovely Dawn. This is such a hard subject for me, yet it's so important. When I was a little girl, I fell head over tails with Saint Berards, I was about 9 I guess. Living in Midwest America there are not a lot of breeders. I also thought people were generally good and trustworthy, after all we were dealing with animals, not used cars. We found a "breeder" in the next state and went to see the puppies. I fell for Bosley instantly. The breeders decided that since we lived out of state, we could go ahead and take him. He was 7 weeks old. I didn't know any better back then. 2 weeks later he started having seizures. I called the breeders, they wouldn't take or return my calls. I was in love, I didn't want to return him, I didn't want my money back......I thought they would want to know, so they wouldn't breed the same again. Yeah right. It was about that time I started hearing the term "backyard breeder". Bosley was put on medication, but by age 4 he was having 13+ seizures a day. His medicine wasn't working anymore, his personality was changing and he was becoming aggressive to my small human. The vet said it was time and humane because the seizures were going to kill him. I made the hardest decision of my life, I feel guilt to this day, and I grieve or the most beautiful soul God has ever placed on this earth. And I do it daily. I would gladly get ahold of those breeders and throttle them senseless, not for the pain they caused me, but for the pain they caused that beautiful, beautiful gift. This April he would only have been 8. This April will also be 4 years since he passed. I cannot bring myself o get another one, breeders have given me n ntense fear. I cannot watch another one go through that. The experience has left me broken, heart broken, mentally and emotionally broken as well. I love and appreciate you and Badger Boo. Hugs
ReplyDeleteAimee it brought a lump to my throat when I read your's and Bosley's story... I know how heartbreaking the decision to send a young dog to the Rainbow Bridge is... As I had to have Marco 18 months, and Tonka 2.5 years put down due to Ostio spondulitis *not sure of the spelling*... Please try not to feel guilty about your decision, you were being totally unselfish and putting Bosley's welfare before your own feelings by giving him a peaceful comfortable end to his very short life ((((hugs))))..
DeletePersonally I have had no experience with Epilepsy in dogs, but I have seen a video of a dog suffering a seizure, on the documentary "Pedigree Dogs Exposed" which was aired in the UK a couple of years ago and it was very distressing to watch...
I myself brought a Rottweiler puppy "Samson" 11 years ago, and although I knew the dogs in his pedigree *as I had been in the breed showing for many years* it turned out he had a very severe heart murmur when I took him to the vets for his booster, and although he had a good pedigree his mum was just a pet bitch... The woman had started showing Rotties with some success, and was so happy that I would be showing the puppy...
ReplyDeleteWe were heartbroken, we had just lost my partners dog Taz a few weeks before, he went for an exploratory op and was found to be riddled with Cancer... Meegan my Rottie had had her leg amputated 6 months previously to Cancer and she was 11 years old, which is quite old for a Rottie...
I made the heartbreaking decision to return him to the woman that bred him, she made things very difficult saying things like "What is your problem you can still show him" and "I'm only going to put him down if he comes back"... But I really couldn't deal with another sick dog at that time, so I stuck to my guns and took him back, and she returned my money... A few weeks later she phoned me to say that she had sold him, for more than I had paid and his owners weren't bothered about his heart condition, and that she would be repeating the mating and I could have pick of the litter!!!
To say I wasn't polite to her would be an understatement, I couldn't believe she could repeat a mating, knowing full well there was a high risk of heart murmur!!! I later found out from a reliable friend, that when she had sold Samson, she didn't inform the new owners of his heart problem and he dropped dead, aged only 9 months!!!
It was a difficult decision to make, but if I hadn't made it I wouldn't have got Badger Boo...
I was lucky she took the dog back, as she didn't what me to tell people about it, which I said I wouldn't, but of course I did, to prevent people from buying an unhealthy dog from her...
Sadly other people are not so lucky, and it costs them a fortune in money and emotions...
That is so sad, dont these people have a concience. Like you say the poor family who would have been heartbroken to lose their dog at 9 months and why would anybody pay more money than you if they knew the dog had a heart condition. glad you did let people know about this woman . june xxxx
DeleteTrouble is June so many people only want the money, they look at their pet bitch and think I could sell pups for X amount of money, and rub their hands in glee.. They have no knowledge about genetics or hereditary diseases,they never bother to find out, or they really don't give a stuff about it!!!
DeleteAs any responsible breeder knows, to raise a litter properly, will more than likely be at a loss!!!
By the time you have paid out for all the relevant tests to ensure the bitch is healthy, has good hips, eyes, elbows and maybe even other tests depending on the breed, then the stud fee for a dog that has also had all the tests done, which will be a lot more than using matey's dog down the road, you are already several hundred pounds down if not thousands depending on the breed, and there is no guarantee puppies will result... Although most breeders will offer a free mating next time, if the bitch doesn't take first time..
When the pups are born there are the vet checks that need to be done on bitch and pups, that is if you are lucky and not had to pay for a Cesarean which you do with some breeds... Plus worming, feeding, another vet check plus booster at 9 weeks before they go to their new homes.. Then add the petrol for the home checks, sometimes at the other end of the country and the time off work, I could go on and on..
Truth of the matter is, some people just don't care about the pups once they leave them, they've had their money "Thank you very much"
Hi Dawn,
ReplyDeleteWell said! I am from Belgium so I am not sure what an OAP dog is. I'm assuming that is an older dog that no one wants? Poor things.
Every summer many many dogs in northern Europe are just abandoned because their owner goes on vacation. It's a big problem here. Horrible.
Greetings from Belgium,
Joanne
Beowulf Agate's "Mommy" :-)
Hi Joanne, yes an OAP is an older dog, it means Old Age Pensioner.. I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to get a translate gadget on the Blog, as Myself and Badger have so many oversee's friends...
ReplyDeleteNever understood how people can abandon there pets!!!! It's a totally alien concept to me... My animals are my family, and I wouldn't abandon my family...
Makes you wonder how these people treat their own kids and families!!!