Thanks hun, really couldn't live with myself if Ifound out I bred a dog with cataracts.

I'd go for it as well, you both enjoy it and Isla's lovely.In my breed the number of dogs with high hipscores who are champions is mind boggling.... as is the number who dont bother to test because thet know theres a problem.

I know, Isla's breeder said the exact same thing goes on in the English! Doesn't bare thinking about, guess I have more of a conscience than that!

Yes, of course, only thing you should and I am sure will not do is breed her until or if you know the reason for her to have cataracts.

If you were not the sort of person who had your dogs checked for health problems you would not have known so why should you be stopped when others go on in ignorance.

I would keep showing, if you and your dog enjoy it... Showing is not all about winning, but about participating..

Give in and I'll travel ooop north and slap you woman!
We both know that there's dogs with significanntly worse and more serious problems than this in the ring on behalf of ess experts and longstanding breeders, she's always seemed a really nice and level ESS so get her out there!

If you enjoy it and treat it as a hobby then I think you should continue, although you will have to declare the results of her eye tests will you? And I guess then that would affect her success?

Great you have the annual test, and I'm so sorry you have lost Isla from your breeding programme....I know you had great plans for her and were researching hard.


For me the answer is different as I see shows as an opportunity to view stock (more than as a hobby), so in my breed I like to view the healthiest exhibited as potential breeding stock. There are dogs in our breed exhibited with less good hips but i would prefer this to change.

Mary

This kind of answer went through my head also, and that is mainly the reason for asking whether the eye test results would have to be declared - which I think they should, then at least people viewing Isla, as well as the other dogs at the show with all the information.

Showing is quite often put forward as the yardstick by which breeds should be measured (rightly or wrongly) and therefore I do think that dogs with health issues should be flagged up as having these issues.

However, I do still stand by my first answer, in that if it is a hobby and the dog will never be bred from etc, then I think it is fair enough to continue that hobby.

While I do understand what your saying and agree to an extent,

I also think, that it makes it sound like all show dogs are there to produce and everyone that shows dogs should breed dogs,
Stock is a word common in farming so the new anti ped people would likely pick up on this as..... "puppy producing machines"

Im split over this,