I have often wondered about official figures banded about by media, rescues, vets etc as regards pedigree dogs. So and so many are unhealthy, and so many are in rescue. Not long ago there was a thread here on CD where it was claimed a certain rescue had more pedigree dogs in than crossbreeds and mongrels, and I went through the website of one of its biggest homes and found the great majority of dogs described as pedigree was anything but.

This evening I had a text from a friend and puppy buyer that reinforced how some dogs are incorrectly labelled. My friend is disabled and so is on benefits. She has 3 dogs: a recent rescue pedigree dog (would have been put down had she not given it a home), a 9 year old Malinois of my breeding and a 12 year old Golden Retriever x Malinois from my accidental litter before there was Alizin. The new rescue needed vet care and so she went to the PDSA to register her dogs as the rescue dog may need surgery which could be expensive. (Normally she uses a normal vet and pays herself.) She was told she could only register one pedigree dog with the PDSA. No problem, add the rescue, as the Malinois is perfectly healthy, has never needed a vet, and the third dog is of course a crossbreed so can be added in case he should get ill in future -although he too has recently been given a clean bill of health and comments about how well he is for his age. She was then asked what her crossbreed was, she said Golden x Malinois. Was asked to show a photo of him, and when she did so was told sorry, that dog looks like a Labrador so must be registered as a pedigree Labrador!!

With attitudes like this, is it any wonder pedigree dogs are getting a bad name -anything slightly resembling a breed can officially be logged as a pedigree dog.

Lets face it, the vets will register whatever breed they are told  the dog is.  

When I took my  first Bedlington pup to the vets for check  up and vaccs, they all thought it was a poodle pup !!??   Apart from one vet (my favourite and IMHO the best vet I've ever known) who had worked with Bedlingtons, who walked in and recognised the breed straight away.

This was the same surgery as two Bedlington breeders used, so you'd think they'd recognise one.

And many  people can't remember what breed they have,  especially the mixed ones- they seem to make it up as they go along.

And we musn't forget the dogs who rarely or never see the vet as they aren't ill.    They can't be counted because they aren't on the books.  

> She was then asked what her crossbreed was, she said Golden x Malinois. Was asked to show a photo of him, and when she did so was told sorry, that dog looks like a Labrador so must be registered as a pedigree Labrador!!

How incredibly frustrating! :(

My oversized Bearded Collie bitch looks like a Shetland Pony.  Does that mean I should be on the Champequine forum?

> My oversized Bearded Collie bitch looks like a Shetland Pony.  Does that mean I should be on the Champequine forum?

No, but the PDSA might tell you they don't deal with horses under their scheme.

Where I work, we have to put on microchip paperwork what the owners say is correct .. so lots and lots of long haired (and a couple of shorthaired) mogs registered as Maine Coon!! Or my favourite, a completely different color AND "breed".

I have to admit I often change the animal's info on our records, and then do the microchip form to match. I refuse to accept if an owner says its X and its clearly Y that the paperwork has to be wrong.

Classic one.

I know the lady across the road but have lost touch over the last five years since her Golden died (I walked her every day with mine for may years,  as the lady is asthmatic).

She phoned me a week ago to say her granddaughters Chihuahua had mated her jack Russell, but as the bitch wasn't in season to her knowledge they thought nothing of it, and hey presto on Saturday she had five puppies.

Went over (despite hubby's mutterings about condoning idiocy) with some Vet bed, puppy milk, and shredded paper and newspaper.

Said £750 Chihuhua is the size of a large jack Russell, snipy narrow headed fawn mutt.  The Jack Russell bitych turns out to supposedly be Jack x Bichon, as she told me they have to have her trimmed regularly (looked more like a spaniel cross terrier to me, but who knows).

This poor litter at a day and a half old was in a doughnut soft bed by the side f the sofa in a draught from the front door to patio doors, and no heating in the room except an electric fire across the room.

I informed her that the pups needed heat.  Her daughter in law doesn't allow the central heating on in the day while she is at work (despite mother in law being around 80), and told the lady that the bitch would keep pups warm.  Oh the bitch wasn't even in with the pups but running about as if nothing had happened, though she did hop in with them for a minute and half heartedly lick one.  the male was in the room on the arm of the chair, and she was told off for growling at him!!!

Whose betting that these pups will survive and be sold for several hundred pounds each.

Bet JH's supporters on her blog would see this as the ideal way to breed pet dogs.  As there should be no breed standards or breeds just pets who choose their own mates.

Priceless!

Or maybe not, they'll get the max they can for these mongrels :-(