Hi All, I have just had a phone call from a friend who has a nine month old golden retriever. To cut a long story short, she came in season in November, had a normal season, then two weeks later started bleeding again, followed by a nasty discharge. With anti-bots the vet has cleared up the discharge, but they cannot stop the bleeding. It has been decided that the best course of action is to spay, much to the owners disappointment, but she really wants to do what is best for her pup. She is under the impression that she will not be able to show her any more, but I was under the impression that she simply had to notify the KC and permission would be granted. Could anyone please point me in the right direction before I build up her hopes.

What she needs to do is get a letter from her vets saying spaying was the vets advice . Send this to the kennel club with all the details of her dog and a covering letter stating she is applying for permission to show and she Should  get a letter back givin permission to show .
I had to have my Bitch spayed ( she has now passed away ) and this is what i did and had no problem geting permission .
Hope all goes well for your friends girl .

Yes, spayed bitches can be shown. Contact the KC: on their website there's a form you can download and they'll give permission.

There's a form on the KC site for telling them that a dog/bitch has been neutered

Thanks so much for your speedy responses. I have forwarded the info to her. I feel so sorry for her as she lost her last goldie at a young age, and is so upset at the moment. It might just cheer her up a bit if she doesn't have to give up her showing.

You don't need permission to show a spayed bitch or neutered dog any more, you just fill in the KC form (or rather have the vet do it) and send it off and that's it. I.e. you inform them, you no longer ask for permission.

Marianne - does that mean you don't have to give an explanation, as long as your own vet has signed the paper?

That's right Jean, but in addition, your Vet doesn't even have to sign the form, just the owner. In my case my bitch is owned in partnership, and the form was signed be me, not by either of the other two owners. So it really is as simple as that. Fill in the form, send it off, and that's that.

Dawn R.

No - you don't need to give any sort of explanation at all.  I just wrote to them informing them that my bitches had been spayed.

Basically the idea is you can neuter to stop procreation and then fill in the form and you will get automatic permission to show.

However in this case she is being spayed on medical advice and as long as this is caused by infection there should be no problem but once you say the spay is necessary and not elective there may just be a question that permission may be refused.

Think it unlikely that because this bitch is being spayed because of ill health permission will not be granted but if you friend wishes to continue showing then to fill in the form would be best but I think you are signing to say you are doing it to stop procreation and it is possible they will contact your vet to confirm the reason although I think it unlikely.

> Think it unlikely that because this bitch is being spayed because of ill health permission will not be granted but if you friend wishes to continue showing then to fill in the form would be best but I think you are signing to say you are doing it to stop procreation and it is possible they will contact your vet to confirm the reason although I think it unlikely.

The KC don't ask for any reason to be given for the neutering - all they ask for is a straightforward statement that your dog was neutered on such and such a date. It's not a case of asking for permission to show a neutered dog anymore, you're just informing the KC so they can note it on the registration.

When I had bitches spayed due to Pyometra's the KC just said write a letter to them asking for permission to show with the dogs pedigree name, registration number and Vets name and address. Had letters back within a week with permission to show.

They have changed it,  you just download the form from the KC, get the vet to sign and date it, and thats it !!

> They have changed it,  you just download the form from the KC, get the vet to sign and date it, and thats it !!

The form does not ask for the vets signature just the name and address so they can contact the vet if they think it is required, IE the bitch is being done to improve a sparse coat etc.

Best fill in the form an hope, it is unlikely they will refuse even if they follow it up and find that the reason was medical.

Does that apply to dogs too now? What if I didn't want to go down the stud route or breeding of any kind, in theory I could have him neutered just because I didn't want to procreate and he would still be able to show?
Its just that the breed standard says boys should have their two danglies!! :)
Paula

Yes, it applies to both sexes. Not having two danglies is a fault because the standard calls for them, so it puts the dog at a disadvantage. But it's no worse than any other fault. A fantastic mover who's been castrated should win over an entire dog that moves badly.

Can a dog get false testicles , just like men who have had them removed ? This would solve the fault .

Thanks JG,
I don't think I will be considering it just yet, don't want to make it harder for my little boy!! :) But good to know.
as I thought it was only ok for medical reasons.
Paula

She doesn't need any reason for the spaying she simply informs the KC that it has been done.

the KC changed the rules years ago, previously neutered animals could be shown if they had registered progeny (no informing the KC).

> Can a dog get false testicles

Yes, in theory they can, and allegedly not particularly uncommon 'across the pond', however our KC stritly forbid them and the RCVS do not allow their usage either as there is no benefit to the dog so therefore unethical by UK standards.

It wouldn't 'solve the fault' merely disguise it which, for example, could lead honest and responsible breeders astray by tricking them into using dogs at stud which were born with only one testes, thereby breeding on from a serious hereditary fault.

I believe the UK breed standard for the Great Dane (and perhaps others) expressly mentions that use of these implants is not allowed - at least it did at one time (must go check LOL)

regards, Teri

We received our letter from the KC today regarding our bitch being spayed. As already stated by others, all we did was fill out the form from the KC website informing them of practice name, vets name and date of Op, nothing more. I don't know whether the vet was subsequently contacted. It was posted just on 29th Dec and the reply arrived today.

The letter thanked us for advising them and noted that their records had been updated and "as per KC Regulation F(B) 3(d) it is confirmed that the dog may be exhibited, notwithstanding the fact that it has been spayed". And they also wished us continued success showing her.

We had her spayed as she had a nightmare first season, bleeding for nearly two months, and then had a phantom pregnancy almost immediately. We also have an older entire male, closely related, which we also show, and we didn't want any mishaps!