02 July 2010 - Dog World

Holiday time for many exhibitors as they loaded caravans and motor homes taking the journey to Kelso for Border Union Champ Show. On the whole I believe the weather sported the sun hat but unfortunately for Toy day cold winds were the order of the day. The proof revealed on Glenn’s quick stop off home on the Sunday from BU, the lips were chapped and the Blitzes made it way in Glenn’s pocket back to London.

A busy day for the show team this weekend. Glenn judging Papillons, David smooth coat Chi’s and Carolyn having the honour of taking centre stage for the Toy Group. Carolyn and David had taken the caravan for Glenn to meet up on the Friday evening. Glenn’s reasoning was by this time the awning stress was done and dusted and poles were in place!

A good entry for the Paps with them taking the second highest entry in Toys. Min Pins under the expert hands of Tom Mather with the Paps to follow had an entry of forty five and were first in the ring. Mr Mather with his magnitude of experience completed the judging in good time. If this hadn’t been the case and the Papillon judge had not kept an eye on the time it would have been quite probable the Papillon might not have made the group. However with ten minutes to spare all was okay. Perhaps societies should take stock that if a breed has one of the highest entries and other arrangements are possible then this should be the avenue to walk. But I do realise life is not perfect but perhaps an alternative can be addressed to make the day stress free.

Glenn would like to thank you for travelling to the Highlands and supporting him for the show, he really enjoyed his day with your Paps. The principal winners of the day were as follows: BCC / BOB Stewart & Stewart-Knights Denemore Story’s Echo at Tussalud who was shortlisted in the group, DCC Joyces’s Calajoy Robbie Macfluff handled by Ruth Johnston, RDCC Cochrane’s Tutyak Climate Control, RBCC Hill’s Caraideas Game Reflection with Lynda Phillips handling, BP Whitehills’s Sharjoy Sugar Babe. I even got a bonus award, on the Sunday Glenn mowed the lawns before heading back to London that evening.


We all know the dreadful stories regarding puppy farms and the true dedicated breeder and enthusiast hates them with a passion. I therefore was disturbed to read in one of the monthly dog magazines an article entitled Broken Dreams and more so a headshot of a Papillon. So let me give you a quick run down on the events that led this article to be written.

Pam and Margaret had reached their retirement from work and after much thought had decided that a Papillon was the breed for them. After much research on the breed and the correct avenues to secure a fluffy bundle it was apparent to them that they had to contact a respected breeder. Ensuring the puppy had been brought up in a home environment and the breeder wanted the best for the puppy as they did.

There was no local breeder so they made contact with a breeder some three hour journey away making arrangements to view a litter. They were told the pups were six weeks old and ready to go. Has the blood started to boil yet, I know mine did. The first key factor “We have a litter for you to see”. We all may have a puppy available at an independent age but never a litter.

They visited their local pet store buying every conceivable thing they thought necessary.

On arrival they met what they deemed as a nice enough chap (Sherlock Holmes established it’s a man) who took them to a small outside kennel and run. Hello we are not talking St Bernard’s we are talking six week old Papillons. Pam and Margaret were introduced to three black and white pups: two dogs and one bitch.

The breeder explained that they were sleepy as they had been running about and tired after a feed. Mentioning also they were the first people to view the pups and could have the pick.

At this point the couple asked to see the mother. “Oh she is being spayed today as this was her last litter, you can see her tomorrow”. Six weeks, feeding, spaying does not gel together making complimentary mix in my book. How many alarm bells are ringing in your head?

The chap then announced that a couple were seeing the litter tomorrow and they would need to make a decision as he couldn’t hold any back.

Decision time they had been assured the pups had been wormed and had their first puppy vaccination so they made the decision to take a bitch and dog. When holding the pups to go home the other remaining puppy was unsettled and stared to whimper. Laughing he said “Why don’t you buy all three so he’ll have someone-one to cuddle up to”.

Pam and Margaret explained that they did not have the money on them as he had asked for cash. So wait for it you’ve guessed right he kindly waited whilst they went to the nearest cash machine.

It wasn’t a good journey home the puppies were listless. After three sleepless nights they were at their local veterinary practice all puppies had high temperatures, sickness and diarrhoea. Parvovirus was diagnosed. To cut a long agonising story short two of the pups died and the third hung on but then was put to sleep at the vets.

The women had been duped unknowingly into buying puppies from a puppy farm. The so called breeder was just a go-between who bought litters from the farm to sell on and make a nice profit. My anger is that Pam and Margaret were led to believe that they had visited a respected breeder, not so in this case. So is this another twist for the puppy farms? A bitter pill to swallow when we the dedicated breeders care for our puppies 24/7 ensuring they never ever go to their new homes before twelve weeks plus with both puppy vaccination.

Lets hope it is not a trend that will multiply, putting those dedicated breeders names in jeopardy.

Well that is about it for this week, lets meet up again turning the DW pages.

Irene Robb


Submitted: 23 Jul, 2010

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