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Location: Kent
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 61
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Originally Posted by
chaz
Good for you for saying that you will be able to take back any pups, there are many breeders who wouldn't, but if breeders know that there is anything that could affect their breed, IMO they would do anything they can to prevent any pups they breed from suffefing from it. Can I ask though, when at least hip scoring is generally the norm in many breeds why not staffords? And yes Im sat on the outside, I have no intrest in showing, and would rather espcailly in a breed that so many are pts daily rather let people know more about the dogs who are in desperate need of homes then breeding more DA dogs into the world if I'm honest.
I would assume that the BVA has looked at the numbers of Staffords that are registered each year, and come to the conclusion that there isn't a high enough percentage with Hip and elbow problems for it to be classed as a "breed problem" that needs addressing.
If the figures were higher i'm sure that they would have no problem with making Hip and elbow testing compulsary. i'm not suggesting that no Staffords have ever suffered from either, but i do honestly believe that "most" Stafford breeders (Well most that i know of) would look to have something done if they thought they were seeing problems in pups that they had bred.
I try to do all i can to make sure that anyone that has a pup that we have bred, is as informed as they can be and that they have as healthy a pup as i can give them. We get emails and phone calls on a regular basis asking for pups, we have turned alot of people down because they already have dogs or we just do not feel that they are suitable. We try to educate people about health tests, also pass peoples details on to other breeders, and recommend breeders that we feel could help them, so that they do not end up with a pup that is not tested or pay over the odds for a "rare" blue.
I could breed alot more litters than i have and just sell them, but as i have already said, i breed because i have intentions of keeping a pup myself.
Just to clarify, i am not condoning irrisponsible ownership. Nor do i condone anyone allowing their dog off lead and terrorising other peoples dogs, and making a nuisance of themselves. I am fully aware of what my dogs are capable of, and live with the fact as responsibly as i can. i just wish that more people were aware, then there wouldn't be so many cases of people rehoming or putting Staffords to sleep because they didn't know that their Stafford would grow up not liking other dogs.
All i am trying to get across, is that Staffords can be dog aggressive without any training at all. People need to be aware of the fact, not try to brush it under the carpet and pretend that they are just a friendly little dog. (They can be) BUT They can and do turn dog aggressive for no reason. It is the nature of the beast (As they say)
I haven't come across many Staffords that are happy in a "pack", infact most are much happier away from other dogs and with human interaction. Of course there are some that are fine.