Sire's roll

Diana · Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:44 pm Post subject:

Absolutely gutted, wrote a long post and it dipped out as I sent it and lost it.

Ok, I wanted to be 100% honest with you Tom. There are good kennels in Spain they just need a bit of looking for. The Spanish national attitude to pets in general, which some might say is harsh and some nmight say is more realistic than our attitude here, is really what is to blame for the problems dogs in general have in Spain rather than all dogs being poorly bred.

Ok, I wish I hadn't lost that post I put it far better than i can again! You need to understand that Shakespeare is a lovely pet boy but not really going to make a positive contribution to the gene pool as a representative of a labrador. I know he is adoreable and I do fully admire your reasons for wishing to improve the quality of labradors locally, but there are things against Shakespeare. One being he is way way too big for a good representative of a Labrador. Buying a small bitch wil not help you even though this may seem logical. Your litter will not be made up of 'midway' pups but of 'mums' and 'dads', so tiny tims and towering giants. To produce medium moderate dogs (which our breed is or should aim to be) you will need at least one parent to be a moderate dog, so in this case, the bitch. You will then get a litter, more likely as not, of medium and huge dogs and bitches. Ideally you mate average to average to get average.

I could be wrong but in another thread I believe his background was not that of healthtested dogs? I completely appreciate that him being tested is a step forward but many many dogs take more from their grandparents than parents and so what you produce could well be more their grandparents than parents.

I wrote this so much better earlier! Wink

I don't wish to be harsh but this would be, from the heart, my recommendation if you wish to start breeding good quality labradors to help the dire situation you see around you.

Yes go buy yourself (anytime - there is no set rule other than to get a bit of an age gap between ANY dogs in the home) a well bred quality bitch from Spain or anywhere really. Look for a solid background pedigree wise of good quality moderate labradors with health test results for at least two or three generations. It may be a drive but its possible in Spain, and certainly in Italy.

Then research a good stud dog from a kennel that can guide and help you through this first litter. A quality dog who can produce the good step forward you desire to breed. And keep Shakespeare as your lovely pet boy - and remember keeping entire males and females together is HELL a month twice a year so be prepared for this if you decide to go for this and Shakespeare is not castrated Wink

I admire your reasons for wanting to breed good dogs but Shakespeare is not your man to do this ;-( Go and start with the plan in mind from day one.

Di

Diana · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject:

...See now this is the sort of thread that I worry, in me being honest and maybe a little to the point, I have upset the owners and they may have thought 'stuff you then'.... I know the OP was posting quite a lot before this thread developed....

I can only say no offense is ever intended and I hope even if its not exactly what you would want to hear, its just from my experience and, after all, its only one persons opinion Wink

Hope you just have better things to do than be on here chatting - you guys have 40 degree sunshine there in Spain, I believe so thats one DAMN good reason!

Di

Hersheys · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:37 pm Post subject:

Di, I read your post and I didnt think it was Harsh, you explained it all really well and gave options so dint shoot them down in flames for wanting to Breed.

If it was 40 degrees here I would be out and not on here too Razz