According to the poster it is "fact" not hypothetical

Not everyone follows the rules.................

It is absolutely a fact that not everyone follows the rule. This is true throughout humanity and anything we do. Yep, there are some unsavory character/breeders/exhibitors/handlers/trainers.

IMO they are a small minority. In my experience most people who have dogs dearly love them and care for them as best they can.

Not unusual in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels either even with the established heart protocol recommendation (started 10 years ago) that Cavaliers not be bred until 2 1/2 years. The latest BRS shows a 9 month old dog mated to a 14 month old bitch and a quick look back at many top pedigrees shows dogs used younger than a year.

I agree.

Ruby

Yes alot of people rave on and on about tempermant and type, when health is just as important as the two, its a crying shame breeders cant or wont see that.


18months might be a little to young for a bitch of a large/medium breed..but i would have to say imo its not to young for a bitch of a toy breed, who by that age are MOSTLY fully grown, mature, tests are all done ect..not all as we have to remember each dog is different.!

Hmm, think you & i might be on the same wave length after all - lol

Saw rottie yesterday that i thought was a youngster, at first but it was full grown. Tiny not much bigger than a small lab. Completely in proportions. Well bred rott. Periodically small Boxers crop up (katie is on) never thought of it occurring in other breeds.

I came across this in my chosen breed in the past. I could only put it down to either ignorance, greed £££ or both.

Ummm , I agree with the first paragraph but when it comes to the minority being decent etc to their dogs, I am not so sure how low that minority is. I think there are more dogs out there that are not cared for properly then we realise, but it depends on what standards they are being compared to.

I always thought there was a minimum age for a stud dog but much to my suprise the other week at a show someone tells me how her puppy who is 9 months (8 months old when she told me) has just fathered a litter of 3 or 4 pups!! I was so shocked it was allowed.

Looking at how dogs are maturing around here depending on the breed I would say 2 is too young even

Many of the male dogs are changing such a lot up until the age of about 4 that you really dont know about the temprament till then

Also even if you health check you are not able to check for everything - you should be breeding for a healthy LONG life

If you are breeding a dog at a year old by the time he is 10 their could be 10 generations of pups behind him - then you find he has a condition that means he dosent live into old age
Their are hundereds of pups sired by him who are now lowering the average longevity of the breed

If he is from a great healthy breeding why not freeze some sperm when he is about 2 and then see how he REALLY turns out

As far as I know no minimum age , bu breeds clubs will have guidelines and a code of ethics.

I think most reputable breeders will see the cut of point at 12 mths.. (thats not to say they will then use him straight away) but thats the age some health tests can only be done from..untill health tests are done, one would not use at stud.

That could happen at any age of a stud dogs life, what if all tests had been done, he had a good bill of health, was not used till maturity and health /temperament proven... then after siring litters at the age of 5/6/7 /8 he developed a condition that was not previously picked up????


A breeder can be responsible and do as much as they can to ensure they are producing healthy pups, but even the best of them dont possess second sight