KoAussie

It is commonly stated that spaying (and neutering) increases the odds of longevity in our pets, and I, like many others often preach the mantra of spay/neuter, but a recent study shows that may not necessarily be the case for humans or dogs. It's worth a read and discussion, IMO:

http://www.gpmcf.org/respectovaries.html

Do people honestly believe this? I see people with different mixed breeds claim their dogs are "hybrids", breeds like Goldendoodles and Puggles. For clarification purposes:

A hybrid is the result of a cross between two genetically dissimilar parents, ie: different species. Breeds are not species. They are all canines, thus are NOT, by definition a hybrid.

Yes, this is a rant and will probably be deleted, but I needed to say it.

Seventy Australian Shepherds and Border Collies were recently rescued from a breeder in Mason, Michigan. These dogs now need foster care, adopters and financial assistance.

If you want to foster some of the seized Aussies, please go to http://www.aussierescue.org/ and fill out a Foster application! That will

get things underway!

If you want to adopt directly from the shelter, call: (517) 676-8370.

They are still processing these dogs so you might want to call tomorrow or Thursday. If you want to adopt through ARPH then go to

http://www.aussierescue.org/ to get the adoption application and fill it

out and submit it to ARPH.

To donate to help pay the $25 per neutered dog and $50 per intacted dog (partially refundable with altering), please donate to ARPH using Paypal on the site: www.aussierescue.org or mail a check to ARPH, Inc. PO Box 5305, New Castle, PA 16105. Be sure and say you are donating to help the situation in Michigan.

Is the modern show ring truly only for intact dogs or should AKC create an Altered program?

The Australian Shepherd Club of America and the Canadian KC think that reproductive capabilities aren't necessary for a dog to receive a conformation championship and both offer Altered conformation titles to spayed and neutered animals who compete against other altered dogs for officially recognized championships.

These animals will be judges by the *EXACT SAME STANDARD* as the non-altered animals with the exception of reproductive organs. The unfortunate misconception is that all altered dogs are inferior dogs either structurally or physically,when in reality, there are many superior neutered animals who were neutered for a variety of reasons, none of which have anything to do with the quality of the animal.

What are the benefits of allowing Altered dogs to compete for championships?

-It allows for a greater range of homes for the show breeder.

- It encourages responsible ownership.

-It allows a place for people who have versatility dogs to truly compete in all events and still maintain the highest possible performance in all areas. There are lots of dogs who are capable of finishing their conformation championships, but whose owners/breeders don't wish them to be added to the gene pool, this opens up a place for these dogs.

-It allows a place for newcomers to exhibit a dog until they and their mentors feel that they are ready to step into the responsibility of an intact animal and breeding program.

-It allows that breeder a second chance to show that pup that did

not look great as a youngster, but turned out to be a superstar

as an adult but is now spayed or neutered.

-It allows breeders and those evaluating a breeders program to showcase a much larger cross section of their breeding program so that those interested in what a sire and dam produce can see more than just one or two intact dogs out of each cross.

- It offers a greater range of choices for the owners/breeders/exhibitors.

In today's society where over population of pets is of serious concern, why shouldn't AKC follow suit of ASCA and the Canadian KC and promote the ability of neutered dogs to acquire conformation titles?

The horse, cattle and cat show circuits have long held the belief that both intact and neutered animals have a legitimate place in the show ring so why is the biggest registry in the US so reluctant to do the same?

Please note that if you live in these states and sell an underage puppy, you can face a misdemeanor, fine and possible jail time.

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovuspuppysaleta...

Do not sell underage pups. Do not purchase underage pups.

For those of you with legitimate breeding programs or who are familiar with multiple generations of purebred dogs, have you seen a pattern of familial predisposition towards torn or ruptured ACL's?

A good friend and Hall of Fame breeder once said that she felt it was an inherited weakness in her lines and she would not breed any dog who was affected. It seems to be more common these days, but that may be due to the fact that we are doing more activities that stress the dogs legs in ways that they would not normally be doing (agility training, flyball, frisbee, open-utility obedience training, schutzhund)

Any thoughts? ( I realize that by asking this during the day, I may be hitting the younger crowd and missing my target audience, but hoping for a few good observations)