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Are
you looking for a sweet natured, affectionate dog to love....and
to love you? To be your constant devoted companion. Are you considering
a Cavoodle, Pugalier, or other Designer Dog? It is no
coincidence that many of the popular crossbreeds - another name for
designer dogs - are Cavalier crosses. (Others are Japaliers,
Beagliers, Maltcavs etc.) A Cavalier is the sweetest
natured dog around! But did you know that a poodle cross will
not necessarily be allergy free, or have a non-shedding coat?
Are you aware that buying a crossbred puppy will not guarantee you a
healthy dog? The Hybrid Vigor that is
talked about on the media is only evident in the offspring of healthy
parents, who in turn are themselves from healthy dogs.
Many designer puppies end up with serious
health problems inherited from their
parents! Many of the cute "Designer Puppies" sold in
pet shops come from commercial Puppy Farms also known as Puppy Mills
or Factories. Others are usually from 'Backyard Breeders', who
may be indifferent or perhaps ignorant of the inherent health
problems of their dogs.
Reputable,
Registered Breeders of Pedigree dogs do not sell their puppies to Pet
Shops, and it would be in breach of their Club's Code of Ethics to do
so.
Puppy
Farms/Factories are places that are set up solely as money making
concerns and often operate without any thought of the physical or
mental health of their animals. These places do not have
the long term wellbeing of their puppies at heart, neither do
they screen their breeding stock for inherited disorders.
Breeding stock [the mothers and fathers of these puppies], spend
their short lives, sometimes in deplorable conditions, producing
litter after litter after litter - until they are worn out. And when
of no further use are usually killed or disposed of.
Recently
in the USA (and it happens here in Australia), dogs were found at one
such Breeding Farm living in cages with wire flooring, and
no bedding.
They had little protection from the heat in summer, or the freezing
cold of winter and had been given hardly any veterinary care.
Although they suffered from encrusted, weeping eyes, oozing ear
infections, mange that turned the skin into a hairless mass of red
scabs, feet covered with abscesses from trying to balance on the
wire netting flooring of their cages, they were either ignored or
inadequately treated. The more timid dogs were terrified of their
aggressive cage mates, and were often prevented from receiving
adequate food & water. Sadly, many
of the older mother dogs had gone mad from this confinement and
loneliness. They
circled frantically in their small cages and paced ceaselessly back
and forth, in their fear and despair. Is this the way to treat
the pet that we call "Man's Best Friend?" Please know
that if you choose to buy your puppy from a pet shop, do be aware
that you are helping to keep these heartless people in business.
Here,
in Australia, workers from a Victorian Puppy Farm which was finally
closed down, told the court how they had witnessed the manager kill
dogs he had no further use for, by hitting them on the head with
a hammer or dashing them against a hard wall. This is the
reality of "Puppy Farming", where owners breed for money,
and care nothing for the animals they breed. We urge you not to
support this barbaric behaviour perpetrated on these beautiful,
loyal animals, by these puppy factories who churn out hundreds of
puppies each week. Instead, please buy
your puppy from a Reputable Breeder who is
registered with your state Dog Control Council.
[An exception would be the dedicated
breeders registered with the Labradoodle Association of Australia, who
breed allergy & shed free dogs for the guide dog association.]
Statistically there are fewer pedigree dogs than crossbreeds who
end up in the pound or at Shelters. The RSPCA and local animal
officers find themselves having to destroy far too many unwanted dogs.
Dogs that were once bought on impulse, as appealing puppies in
the pet shop window, are no longer wanted, and end up dumped at
the pound or found wandering on the streets. A dog should
be for life. Not just a cute Christmas present, to be cast
aside at the end of the holiday season. A healthy Cavalier
should live for 10-15 years. When you take a puppy home, you are
getting a new family member who will be with you for the next
ten years or more. ..
When
you contact a reputable, Registered Cavalier Breeder
looking for a new puppy, they will probably give you the
"third degree." An irresponsible breeder, who is
indifferent to the needs of their puppies, may drop them off at a
pet shop for them to be disposed of. However, a reputable,
caring breeder will want to make sure that their puppies go to the
best homes. And because each puppy has a different temperament,
they will want to match you up with the right one for you.
Because great care and thought has gone into each carefully
planned litter, they want to be responsible about who they
home their puppies with. You can be assured that it is because
these breeders are responsible, and care about their dogs, that
they want to ensure their puppies will be looked after
properly - and that you are prepared to take responsibility for
this dog, not just for a few weeks or months, or until the children
tire of it, but for the length of its life. A caring,
responsible breeder will check up with you from time to time, to make
sure you are managing with your new family member, and will want to
help if you are having problems. This breeder will also probably
offer to take the puppy back should there be any problems in the
future, or should you be unable to keep it for some reason.
Reputable
breeders of Pedigree Dogs have their breeding stock checked for
inherited and other health disorders. They are usually checked
and given a Certificate by a Vet who is a specialist in the area
of hearts, eyes, hips and patellae. Some
breeders also get MRI scanning & DNA profiling done to exclude
other disorders, or to check if dogs are carriers of certain
conditions. DNA profiling is not yet available in Australia for
Cavaliers. However, as you will see, Reputable breeders are doing all
they can to minimise, and eventually eradicate serious health problems
from our lovely breed. Buying a
puppy from such a breeder will give you a much better chance of ending
up with a healthy, happy dog.
To
find out about "Carmel" (above photo) click on the logo below
Links
to other websites with additional information on Designer Dogs
Special
thanks to Robyn Morgan for her kind permission to feature her
"Pedigree or Designer Dog?" article on my website.
Visit Robyn's
lovely little family of Cavaliers via her website link below
http://www.morganleacavaliers.com
  
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