After 2 years of planning , pouring over pedigree's, video's, pictures etc.. I have decided to take Vino (Merlot's daughter) to Holland to a stud dog who ticks all my boxes..including the very important longevity box. I find in the UK i cannot find documented proof of ages of death of dogs and as mine is a short lived breed have taken the step of trying to get the best background of long lived dogs as well as all the other important stuff like looks, construction, temp, health tests etc. This boy has it all as far as I am concerned and I have had long and involved chats with the owners. It is a big step but I think I have made the right choice for us.
So in Oct (Aprox) we are off to Holland to a dog with a 5 generation history of dogs living to 9.98 years on average (Good in my breed) We are planning to go to Folkstone on the day her bloods are high stay overnight and catch the early train to France the next day and drive to the owners that day to have a 1st mating. The owner has a guest house so we will stay for a few days with another mating 48 hrs later. She and her Mum are pet passported and ready to go (Mums coming for some moral support...and a holiday).
We have never ventured so far with the girls before and it is quite an adventure for us all.
I have 5 pups booked to previous owners of my pups and one for me of course and 10 others pre-vetted by phone or after meetings at shows etc.. so feel confident in placing pups to good homes. Vino has showed herself to be worthy of a litter with plenty of success at champ shows and her health tests temp test's and background of longevity all passing excellent.
This litter has been in the planning stage since she was born and gradually we have ticked off the requirements I need to get her to this point.
Maybe if more people spent the time effort and planning when deciding to breed a litter there would be less lost souls sitting in rescue kennels or worse.
Fingers crossed for a summer of showing then an autumn of antisipation.
Aileen

How exciting Aileen - hope it all works out fabulously for you and you get just what you're looking for. A very worthy trip!

M.

Good luck, sounds excellent all round! Allow lots of extra time for travelling! For some reason Holland is dreadful to travel in, the only country we get lost in regularly. Once we travelled for 2 hours in the wrong direction when a sign pointed the wrong way, and then we had no Sat Nav. Last week we travelled through 7 countries in one day and the only one we got lost in was Holland -when the Sat Nav told us to take an exit that did not exist. She then sent us round in circles for an hour before we switched her off!  (It was either that or chuck it out the window LOL.) But Holland has some FANTASTIC dogs of most breeds, that is for sure!!

Thanks for that GM !! Luckily OH has decided whats good for Vino is good for him and he is coming too for a "norty" few days in "Amsterdam" so to speak! LOL so there will be two of us, a long list of directions, Mrs Garmin and myself with a map!! We have travelled a lot overseas on hols and both drive happily on any side of the road ! so hopefully we will get there.....
Aileen

I must say I woudl liek to see the KC record date of death.  Obviously it woudl never be complete as soem people woudln't do it, but it woudl be so good to have.

Even though my breed is reasonably long lived, longevity is something I have taken into account and am vary of using dogs whose parents died youn (10 or under). 

I have informed the KC when my first three died, and they still appear on the list of dogs owned by me, when queried they did say the dates are on file.

Oh wow, enjoy! Sounds like a lovely trip.

Oh how exciting and look forward to hearing the updates !

What a great time you will have, I love visiting and staying with breeders but only been brave enough to do it in this country, never been abroad on holiday and the last time I left the mainland was to go to IOM in 1975.

I can totally understand getting the lifespan history of the lines in a breed with a short life, does it mention the cause of death as not all causes will be hereditary? I feel so sorry for those who have breeds who live for less than 10 yrs, my past dogs[cockers and dachsies] have lived 13-16.5yrs till the bitch I lost suddenly last year at 6.5yrs during treatment for a nasty infection.

You will have to let us know how it goes.

You want someone to tag along to help you?? Lol... I'm all for coming along for the ride ;-)

Is it typical to stay with breeders or elsewhere? As sociable as I am and much as I love my breed, I think i'd prefer to have a place to go back to! :)

I have been saying for a long time that we shd be able to state date of death on our reg dogs and for it to show on the kc website.

all the very best x

> Is it typical to stay with breeders or elsewhere?

I was lucky enough both times I have taken a bitch abroad to be put up by the breeders, 8 days in Finland, and 12 days in USA.  In both cases they picked us up and took us back to the airports.

Have an awesome time!!  We did the same last year with a 2 week trip to Sweden (we brought her 'maiden auntie' for company) and had some lovely pups.  Unfortunately all our pre-booked homes had to change their minds due to various reasons, so we had the 2 girls we kept plus 2 boys to 5.5 months (EEK!!).  But we had an awesome trip, I'm thrilled with the pups and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Ours was tentatively planned from the time our girl was a year old as we have loved those lines for years. 

Whatever happens enjoy your trip.  It's wonderful to see people looking further afield in order to keep health/diversity/longevity/temperament etc in their chosen breeds.

Barbara, as a matter of interest, what wormer did the Vet use when you brought your girl back into the country as obviously some wormers shouldn't be used on a bitch in whelp, how did you go about it.

I know you didn't ask me, but as we did similar we used Milbemax.  Didn't cause any adverse effects and had 7 lovely good sized puppies.

I took my own, and as I was travelling pre implantation stage I wasn't too worried.  I took a single drug tapewrom tab rather than a multiwormer, so only the essential/mandatory chemicals used.

If you took your own Barbara did you have to get a vet to administer it?
My girlies are used to Milbamax and I have used it during and out of pregnacy for years. I would like to use my own but although we now have a 5 day window I would not like to have to dose them twice in a week if for some reason we cannot get back within the 5 days. I would rather take it with me and dose them the day before we return if poss
Aileen.

Oh yes and paid handsomely for the priveledge, I just wanted to be sure the required drugs were used as it was quite specific as to which active ingredients had to be in the product used, whether that was in conjunction with other chemicals or alone.

I took my own too, and the vet was happy to watch me give it and sign the form.  I think it will depend on the vet though.

Woo Hoo ! can I have a small brag please....The boy I am going to use took 1st place in intermediate class and his Auntie (Of sorts ) took the veteran class at the Dutch BMD club show yesterday... Yeh!
Aileen