What are your guys thoughts regarding breeding a litter of pups this year, example: you breed a litter, keep the pup you want for yourself, you accept that it may possibly ....? take much longer to find the required 'good homes' for all the other pups as people may change their mind about buying a puppy this year due to all the uncertainty surrounding the CORONAVIRUS (people may not be able to afford to, also the possibility of travelling restrictions, the list goes on).

Looking at this from another angle, if last year for example you were planning to buy a new puppy in 2020, would you still go ahead now and book a puppy ....?

well I would buy a pup- nothing much would stop me! 
but... I do breed fancy chickens and have eggs I would normally have set to incubator which are going in omlettes instead as I am wary of having too many spare if people stop wanting extra expense of more poultry in a couple of months.

I am looking abroad for a pup and it's a difficult situation because we don't know what will happen with borders and travel.  It would involve staying abroad with the pup for a couple of months (so I can get her at 8wks and then remain abroad until I can bring her in at 15 weeks with a Pet Passport).  I don't want to risk us getting sick in a foreign country, travel insurance and all that - besides the borders and travel thing.  So I am holding off, as a puppy buyer. 

But equally, with Brexit, it makes sense to do it this year because we've no idea what will happen next year.  But still, I think the coronavirus concerns trump the Brexit next year worries and hopefully something will be agreed for the Pet Passport scheme to continue as it is for the UK, so I just have to hope for that and wait...

As a breeder, I think it would depend on how much I was reliant on local homes (or happy with only local homes) and how much I would want to be looking for buyers from the far reaches of the UK or abroad, who might be put off.

Based on public knowledge about he virus so far, wouldn't stop serious people wanting a pup imo. Anyone that would think twice probably weren't really serious about it.

It wouldn’t stop me buying a pup.

I am not sure that I agree that serious puppy buyers will not be put off getting pups this year. Because a big part of the process of looking for a pup is getting out to the shows and meeting breeders? That may be more difficult this year, especially given that Crufts and Discover Dogs is probably the best opportunity to do that and not everyone felt it a good idea to go to this one or feel that exhibitors and breeders might not want quite so many close meet & greets this year?

I wonder just how much CORONAVIRUS will have an affect on dog shows this year ....?

All ready started cancelling shows in Ireland and parts of Europe too.

Listening to the latest news today, I think its best to stay away from dog shows for now

Rather than stopping people looking for a new puppy, what would bother me is strangers coming into my property.   I have to accept an inspection re Energy Certification this coming week, and for sure, will be asking the engineers to wash their hands in our cloakroom before coming into the rest of the property.   I think you need to focus on this rather than worrying about finding new homes for the puppies?

As for dog shows - clearly large gatherings are being stopped, for now so I'd imagine that would/should? include shows, especially those held indoors.  The situation with Coronavirus is very fluid however, so who knows!!   I think a lot of this is up to the individuals re how they feel about doing what ..... official bans apart.

For sure, buyers will be put off buying puppies now and I'd suggest people stop breeding dogs.

Non-essential travel is going to be stopped.  Socialising the puppy is going to be difficult because dog training classes and puppy parties are going to close down.  (I'm a trainer.  I'm in contact with other trainers.  Things are going to close down and go online.) 

And if you're over 70 (which many buyers or breeders will be) you are soon going to need to be in self isolation, not purchasing puppies or meeting puppy owners. 

The entire world is going to be struggling to cope and the last thing needed is even more puppies looking for homes, especially given the fact that in Italy, due to the deaths and difficulties, there are now an unprecedented number of puppies and dogs in shelters who've been abandoned. 

If you haven't bred a dog yet and you were planning to this year, just don't.... is my advice now!

If you haven't bred a dog yet and you were planning to this year, just don't.... is my advice now!

I agree especially if you haven't got the room to keep pups for longer (possibly far longer than 8 weeks) what then, that would be worrying.

Hopefully we will have a better idea in the coming weeks/months regarding making a well planned decision in light of the above.

Please do not breed any litters going forward. There will be enough pressures in the near future without adding further responsibilities and complications.

You must consider welfare issues if you become too ill to care for your dogs. I have made arrangements with the kennels I use to collect them if I am hospitalized. OH has Alzheimers so I am the carer all round.
The last thing you want now is a litter of puppies.

God no what would happen if you got sick or worse who would look after them.

I had planned to get a puppy this year. I'm serious about this decision.
But....I could potentially end up being made redundant because of the economic situation. That could mean I would have to change jobs. Which means I could be in a position where I couldn't take on a puppy with a change of working hours and conditions.
So I'm probably going to wait.

other issue is socialising .. imagine having a puppy that misses all the normal socialising one does at young age?

I have seen one woman advised to put off bringing her pup home as she's already in a lockdown area, and wouldn't be able to take the pup out to socialise it.  Different country I believe, but it'll be the case here soon enough.

Most people were coming up with different suggestions for how to substitute for it but there really isn't anything the same as getting a pup out and about and used to the world.  And the world in a lockdown place isn't usual - an empty street isn't going to prepare pup for when the traffic and people are all there again later.

It’s worrying to think what will happen to pups is there are travel restrictions.

Kennel club as advice shows to be cancelled until the end of June https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/press-releases/2020/march/statement-on-kennel-club-events-and-coronavirus-covid-19/?&utm_source=kc-website&utm_medium=whats-new&utm_campaign=coronavirusevents

> Please do not breed any litters going forward. There will be enough pressures in the near future without adding further responsibilities and complications.

It just makes sense.   And further, I'd not want any strangers coming into my property (to view the litter) at the moment.

FB reply:

Ruth Tarbet says: Covid has already lost me a number of excellent potential owners...oh and one who thought I'd do a deal- keep the pup/train the pup etc etc for an unspecified number of months IF they paid a £200 deposit-no guarantee that person would take a by then half grown/3/4 grown pup.

The test to show who has had the virus may show up some unbelievable results (maybe many of us have already had it).

I think this is going to continue until about September with significant disruption to normal life.  Hopefully after September some kind of normal will be reachieved but there may still be briefer periods of lockdown until we get a vaccine in about a year.

"I think this is going to continue until about September"

If they could somehow start 'Testing' everyone a.s.a.p. the results may show that many of us here in the U.K. have already had coronavirus, we (the U.K.) very much need to test test test

I think that is the direction the government are going in .
it seems we dont yet have the means to do testing for the whole population, only the authorities will know the true reasons as to why not
so starting with healthcare staff and getting them back to work asap is sensible .

Had a chat with a staff member whilst having the my radiotherapy this afternoon and he said that they have started testing front line staff and staff on wards, but not the oncology dept yet. I’m wondering if they will then move to testing those who are coming into the oncology dept undergoing regular treatment. It would make sense.

I hope your treatment is going well Jodi and it can continue though all.this .
Who knows which direction they will take it
I just hold in to.the fact that someone has to make the choices and hopefully our government is capable of doing what is best for the country

I’m supposed to have an operation to remove the lump after the RT has finished sort of pencilled in for the beginning of a June. I do wonder if that will go ahead. This kind of cancer is curable if it’s removed, so I’m hoping and praying it will go ahead

We will keep everything crossed for u that it goes a head x

Hope all goes well for you Jodi

FB reply:

Claire Campbell says: We wanted to get a puppy in March / April. But had to reconsider with us being NHS workers and not certain we could give it the start in life. Also had concerns regarding pick-up in lockdown and ability to adequately socialise in these times. Now settling, we're desperate to start looking for ?Summer or Autumn. But unsure if people will be breeding.

Think breeders should be ashamed of themselves hicking the price on puppies during the Covid situation, before Covid a cocker spaniel was between 900 to 1100 now ranging from 2000 to nearly 4000, so called dog lovers, you breeders should be ashamed

If you see any adverts with inflated prices then you need to be proactive and report them as profiteering to the KC and local council.

>so called dog lovers, you breeders should be ashamed

The breeders on here are NOT the ones who'll be profiteering like this. The ones here - the ones who health test, and KC register, are more likely to be the ones who've delayed litters because of the difficulties in properly vetting new owners, but if they have had puppies available the price will have remained the same as before.

> The breeders on here are NOT the ones who'll be profiteering like this

Totally right Jeangenie.   For the most part, reputable breeders have curtailed their breeding plans at least until people are able to visit to see litters, and pick up puppies.  It's the BYBs who are capitalising on the current situation and asking ridiculously inflated prices for their puppies.  Advertising UNBORN litters at four figure sums.  Best anybody can do is WAIT.  Unfortunately we live in a 'must have it now' society so those who have that kind of money available, buy.

As said reputable breeders, with puppies available from planned matings that happened before the lockdown, do keep to normal prices.

We were planning to mate one of our girls this summer, (she is in season now)

I have a return mating due to be used from a miss mating last year. (Cocker Spaniel)

All of our girls are DNA tested for;  prcd-PRA, FN, AMS and AON, with BVA clear eye certificates and Glaucoma clear, although not current.
The dog we will be using has the same DNA tests and BVA results are current.
I am not a KC Assured breeder!

I have spoken to the Stud owner, as I am not happy breeding a litter at the moment, I do not approve of these ridiculously high prices, and the fact that people could buy, (at a normal price) and re sell at double the price worries me.

The Stud owner is more than happy to wait a little longer until the next season that our girl has, which will be December. All being well puppies should be ready around April time next year, with the spring and summer ahead, and hopefully we may be in a better situation with this wretched Corona virus.

There is no way I would sell a puppy without meeting the prospective new owners, I would also like to see how they interact with our dogs and the puppies before I made any decisions.

.

Yes - it sounds way more sensible to do the planned mating in December so the puppies will be reared into the better weather and able to go to their new homes at an ideal time.

Means little but one of our best litters was actually born on a Christmas Eve (obvioursly that mating done at the end of the previous October).  That was such a wonderful Christmas - out in Canada with snow on the ground so we shut the doors, stoked up the log burner and chilled out (no, actually KEPT WARM! .)

My litters have just been when they needed to happen, so as not to leave a first litter too late for a maiden bitch, and when I had a second litter from one of my girls, it just so happened she came in season and would be 8 the next year, and I wanted to keep a pup back, so off we trotted to the stud dog after a quick phone call. 

I've actually changed the text on my page on the breeder section to clearly state I've got no litters planned for the forseeable future, as I still keep getting messages, not a huge amount but if people did bother to read about my dogs they would quickly see they're all spayed apart from one, who is under a year old.

As someone who's currently in the market, I'm very much hoping that the reputable breeders will be selling at something close to pre-lockdown prices when things resume.

I'm happy to undergo any amount of vetting and wait as long as it takes to find the right dog from the right breeder, but blatant profiteering would put me off going to a breeder (as opposed to a rescue centre or a private individual looking to rehome a dog).

Just seen an ad on PaH for 'Cocka' pups, both parents ( which they 'Just' happen to own) are KC reg and they are ONLY £3500 each, 6 x 3500 = £21000,............. wonder if the tax man would be interested ???

Absolutely Shocking !! It's a disgrace.

:

This corona virus thing is a nightmare.  As a family we have been planning to add a dog for many years and we feel that a puppy would be the way to go as our daughter is autistic and we are looking for a dog to help her with her high levels of anxiety as well as a loved family pet.  Since our daughter is not good with change we have been doing everything really slowly,  introducing the idea, walking her nanas dogs, talking about dogs, watching videos of labradors (we have settled on this breed) etc.  She decided she was ready  we decided we were ready and then bam, lockdown. 

We got all our ducks in a row, did everything right researched breeds, costs, needs etc and now we can't find a suitable puppy for love nor money.

We will wait.  We have no choice, we have waited this long (10 years since our daughter was born).

Such a sensible response . I do hope that in the future you are able to find the right puppy for your family and that you can find a way of expanding to your little girl why after all this preparation you can't have a puppy yet

It's very sad that so many unscrupulous people have taken advantage of this awful situation and people are paying ridiculous amounts for what are often not wellbred animals.
Unfair for both the people and the puppies

I worry that prices really aren't going to drop - or at least will not drop anywhere near where they used to be.

Markets just don't work like that. Most people wanting to price something look around at what similar things are going for and price accordingly or even a little higher. So I'm not really seeing how prices are going to come down. There's no sign of it yet and we are out of lockdown now and normal-ish life has resumed.

I think u have a valid point. It is rare that prices for anything drop as a whole after an increase.
If it doesn't happen it really will change the area dog owning .
I know I for one won't be able to put a pup if practically any breed at the current prices.
Yes rescue is another option but u will then in most case have to accept you don't know the background or health status of those dogs . It may also mean that .many will be exempt from some  KC activities .
A very different dog world indeed

would be the end of me having a purebred dog in future if stays at those levels. probably end of owning a dog as the ones in rescue here are all the types I would not have ,

If less people.could afford a purebred would it lead to some breeds becoming rare and us possibly losing some ?

We are in the same boat.  Our 10 year old lab became ill suddenly 3 weeks ago.  He had a heart tumour and we had to have him put to sleep.  My son is 29 and has Asperger’s syndrome.  Having a dog did wonders for his confidence when he finished college and struggled to get a job.  It boosted his social skills.  Dog walkers would talk to him as an equal rather than as someone who was socially awkward.  We are looking for a lab pup but when you see litters of 10 for £3000 each it’s unbelievable.  Good luck with your search and I’m sure you will eventually find a loving companion for your daughter.

The only KC activity a non pedigree recognised breed dog is definitely excludedfrom is the conformation/breed shows( not companion shows of course)

There is the loophole that is meant to help limited gene pool "at risk" breeds, but is open to all breeds, the loophole is very expensive as you have to gave all the health testing done that is required by the ABS for the breed & have the dog assessed by two breed judges who are qualified to give Challenge Certificates for any KC recognised breed. Dogs so registered have rhree stars after their name

>If less people.could afford a purebred would it lead to some breeds becoming rare and us possibly losing some ?

Purebreds are often cheaper than designer crosses!