> Quick question re ABS I have heard that some breeders have failed the inspection because they do not have a seperate sink to wash feeding bowls. I would think that this applies to small scale breeders who breed from home. Has anyone else heard this ???

This is not the case at all Bill Lambert was at my house to do the inspection and I do not have a separate area for cleaning bowls or preparing food. I think KayC on here also had a visit from Bill Lambert and she had heard this rumour but she passed too.

Quick question re ABS I have heard that some breeders have failed the inspection because they do not have a seperate sink to wash feeding bowls. I would think that this applies to small scale breeders who breed from home. Has anyone else heard this ???

There was an article in DW last year (I saved it, have it somewhere -if needs be I'll dig it out, I kept it as "proof" LOL) that said this rumour was one of their greatest problems, and no it's not true. On the other hand several of us KNOWS it was mentioned in the inspection of one breeder, as we saw the paperwork!

> What time limit would you give for the questionnaires to be returned, as health problems wouldn't necessarily show up until the dog has matured?

The data the vets collect will be for dogs of any age. So really we and the KC should be thinking of ways that a vet can be made aware of what breed or not the dog is and who if anyone it is registered with. On another forum somebody suggested that each puppy is sold with a 'credit card' style piece of plastic holding details of it's breed, microchip or tattoo number and which register if any it is registered with. This taken on each visit to the vet over the years combined with an online system which vets can use to add to this knowledge.

> On the other hand several of us KNOWS it was mentioned in the inspection of one breeder, as we saw the paperwork!

I suspect it is all taken in the round.  Where a breeder clearly has an understanding of hygiene and a clean kitchen I don't think it will matter but if, say, a dirty sink is full of dogs dishes and the babies dummy then perhaps an inspector may feel there is an issue.