A lady who lives in my neighbourhood came to see me today. She is the mother of one of my sons friends. She has a 3 year old siberian husky/alaskan malamute. Apparantly she came to me as she was told by my son that we had a husky. Her bitch had a litter 2 weeks ago. She is unsure of the father. To me they look like staffy. However, 2 have stumpy tails and 1 has no tail. I was sure that the only breed that was naturally born with a stumpy tail is the stumpy tail cattle dog. She has 6 pups. 2 are white with brindle markings, 2 are black with white markings, 2 are brindle. Apparantly someone else told her that the black ones look like rottweillers. Like I said I think staffy, however I can also see bulldog faces, which I suppose are similiar to staffy anyway...this lady doesnt have access to the net so I told I would check it out for her. any ideas guys? Apparantly she had no idea what signs to look for with coming on heat and had planned on spaying..but..but...but... The yard was not suitably fenced as I seen when I went to have a look. I said to her that I am not being mean but she should really have the dog spayed asap. Apparantly the vet suggested the same thing. She didnt even know how to prepare for the impending birth or what signs to look for with imminent whelping and the bitch delivered in the yard.She went downstairs to find 3 pups had been born. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas of what the parentage of the pups may be?
thanks
Jodi

All I can say is how sorry I feel for the poor bitch :( And also that 2 weeks old pups will still have quite squsihed up faces so they may not necessarily be related to a breed with a naturally flat face.

Emily Rose, that is my thoughts too. This is the first time that this lady has owned a dog, having being talked into it by her kids who are apart from the occassional play, have pretty much decided they like playstations better. A very sad scenario for the bitch I am afraid. She looks to be very well fed and appears to have no tics or fleas.

Bulldogs, Shipperkes, Ausies and SWD's are 3 breeds that can be born with sort tails.  Can't count that's 4 :d  I'm sure that someone will come along with more.

Edited to say that I can't spell either :d  Sorry to Schipperke owners, still got it wrong :d

OES?  (and I'll take as read, your apology for mis-spelling Aussies, Perrodeagua ;)  :D

Margot

Can Boxers also be born naturally bob-tailed? I may be wrong???!!

In Boxers the natural bob tail is a result of a breeding programme so I don't think/] it will be in all Boxers

Anne

Lokis Mum I'm a secretary so I occasionally mis out leters :d

:D :D :D

With me its generally that all the letters are there - but not necessarily in the correct order ;)

Margot

Boxers had bob tails when once someone crossed them with a corgie wasn't it?  But I don't think there are any lines in this country that have it still.  I may be wrong!

But also the corgie has a bob tail (cardi not pem!) (or is it other way round!!!!!???)

There are boxers in the country carrying the bobtail gene, but not many so it is unlikely to be one of those. Isn't the bobtail gene recessive? Perhaps it is just a mutation?

Jen

Yes - a study was done which crossed the Boxer with a Pembroke Corgi to introduce the bob-tail gene. They kept the pups from the resulting litter which most closely resembled the Boxer and mated these to other Boxers. I think after 3/4 generations they could be registered as pure Boxers.

Its the pembrokeshire that have the natural bobs the Cardigans have always had full tails they used a Cardigan dog many many yaers ago to improve the bone in pems & hence they have tails & natural bobs now

Brittany spaniels have a natural dock as well, but im not sure it would carry through in a cross bred.
:)

whatever they are (poor things) half will prob end up in rescue or roaming the streets,sorry but this angers me greatly and i bet dad is just another roamer of some other cross breed.
louzola

I agree Louzola. However I know quite a lot of people that only buy x breeds, not to mate but because they love animals and know that their chances of ending up in rescue centres are greater so they want to give them a good life. I also know quite a few people who have pure breeds and they treat their dogs like crap and just breed them season after season, just seeing them as money makers. There really are both sides to the coin. I contacted a rescue centre here and the local pound and both said that around 40% of their dogs are pure breeds. That is an astonishing figure and seems that in this area at least, people dont care what the parentage of their dog is, if they want to dump it, they will. It seems to me that the bigger issue is, people seem to buy dogs thinking it will all be laughs and giggles and when they find that it is indeed hard work, pure breed or not, they take the easy route out. Or more to the point the inhumane way out. I have no problem with people owning x breed dogs. My problem is BYB who dont do any homework on their animals and let them breed. It is the health risks that concern me the most. The woman in question was ignorant and got her dog for all the wrong reasons.
Jodi

hi jody,i have family that brought a pup off the homeless people in our town center,he is almost four and a lovely boy so im not against cross breeds,what i mean is this woman wont bother to vet people and they could land up in the wrong homes,it is a shame for the dam too as she obviously lets her get out to be mated when in season,it really angers me ,why do they bother to have dogs if they really dont care,i just dont get it,i had a bitch taken off our street as she was constantly in whelp,a lovely little black mongrel,the dog warden tried for approx two years to catch her,even warned the family but they didnt care,in the end he caught her and rehomed her,spayed of course,shed just lie in the street scavenging for food and very thin,it was awful to see and it hurt me,people were always throwing food to her,it must have taken so much out of her little body as she was pregnant every 6 months from the age of 6 months.
louzola

Of course I agree with that. My heart goes out to dogs in the situation you just mentioned. It is horrible. I have spoken with this woman about the fencing she needs, especially for a husky/malamute.I know form experience that husky's are houdini's and any dog, especially when on heat will try to get out. It did make me mad that she didnt bother to educate herself about her dog and what it needed to be safe. I am unsure wether she will make the changes that the bitch needs. I really hope that she gets her spayed, she says she will but who knows. people like the owners of that bitch you mentioned make me furious as well. If you let that happen to your children you would be in court quick smart. So why isnt the dog owners? These people obviously dont have a caring bone in their body. I have friends who love dog's, but the openly admit that they like their lives the way it is and they are responsible enough not to get a dog. They have seen others with the hard work it entails and know that their lives would change too much. I call that responsible. I hope so very much that the dog you mentioned went to a loving home
Jodi

Someone who came to see my pups were put off buying one!

They were a lovely family - but after telling them about all the bad points in having a puppy, then seeing the puppy pee on the floor :-) , showing them our dog proof garden,(& showing them chewed up furnature etc)
- they phoned back the next day & thanked me for  showing them it was not the right time for a puppy but thought an older dog would suit them better, so I put them on to breed rescue & they are waiting for an older dog.

I point out the bad bits to all new owners!

I think if more breeders did this it would make people think before they bought a pup - pedigree or cross.

Jo
xxx

thats rearly nice of you tennostaff if only all breeders were as honest as yourself! :)

I totally agree with Mini Meg and how nice that the people did actually give more serioius thought to having a puppy.  I have a friend who recently lost her 15 year old rescue dog.  She loves dogs but has always had a rescue but was thinking she might go for a puppy next time.  When she saw our puppy and realised that he was remaining a puppy for so long (!!) she came to the conclusion if she has another it will be an adult rescue dog again.

That is of course very responsible Mini-Meg. I have a friend of wants a pup of Kirra's. I have done up fact sheets on Husky's for all potential buyers. Not only outlining their good points, but their bad as well. I also spoke to my friend about the amount of exercise this breed needs and the fencing requirements needed to keep this dog in. I have also recommended in this fact sheet to get some puppy training for this breed. Of course I would recommmend that for most large breeds of dogs. My father said to me, gosh you are going to scare the buyers away. I explained to him that if they are scared away from the information I give, then they are not ready to own one. I also think that people think of owning a Husky a novelty. They see the wolf. I have found them one of the most loving dogs I have encountered, they are very friendly. People always say to me that she must be a good guard dog..I have to reply that she would more than likely help a thief carry out the television rather than guard anything. I always tell people beware of the buyer who ONLY points out their good points.
Jodi

My husband also tells me off for pointing out bad points!  He does understand why I do it though :-)