Last Updated on February 21, 2014 : :

Why register? Or Rather Why You Must Register

I read with growing concern about litters of Spinone not being registered and as a responsible breeder who has spent the last 25 years trying to improve the breed, both in health of mind and body, this both maddens and saddens me.

You may ask why this happens as surely anyone who is proud of what they produce must want to legitimise them both for their own good standing in the Spinone community as a responsible breeder and for the good of the breed records especially where health and genetic issues are concerned.

It dosen’t help as usually these unregistered puppies are slightly cheaper to buy and to Joe Public a Spinone is a Spinone whether registered or not and the cheaper the better! Most don’t really bother about KC documents, not so with the pedigree though with those all important Champions on, who are there to show off like any doting parent proud of their off spring! Despite being well back on the pedigree no doubt!

If only Joe Public would take a minute to think of the hard work, time and expense that goes into producing those Champions perhaps they may change their opinions. Breeding good, typical, healthy Spinone is not easy.

Do these breeders show their Spinone  or at least attend a few shows now and again to see how their puppies fair against their contemporaries, no I don’t think so, on their own admittance they are too busy with puppies!!!!
The importance, or lack of it I should say, put on KC documents is shown when any breeder looks at the KC website to see how many puppies of their breeding have never been transferred from their name!

Perhaps it’s time for the KC to take a look at this, even if the transfer was made my responsibility I wouldn’t mind, as it would be no bigger job than arranging the puppy insurance.

Once done this can become a growing culture.  If you buy an unregistered puppy and decide how wonderful said puppy is you can bet a good percentage decide just to have that one litter! So another unregistered generation is born.

I know responsible stud dog owners will not allow their dogs to be used on unregistered bitches but they will always find some way around it. When selling puppies to homes where they already own spinone it would be as well to make sure the Spinone they already own are registered otherwise you could be unwittingly providing a stud dog to the puppy farming fraternity. It is the best we can do; even endorsements are no guarantee that your breeding won’t be adulterated.

At the end of the day there is no other conclusion we can come to but to think of these ‘breeders’ as puppy farmers. They will register the odd litter when the KC Code of Ethics can be adhered to and will themselves only keep puppies that are registered especially their stud dogs just in case anyone who dosen’t know any better might want to use them at stud.

Another mortal sin that the majority of sensible spinone folk don’t agree with is the cash cropping better known as designer breeding – i.e. producing mongrels.

This should be left to organisations such as The Guide  Dogs for the Blind who I believe are experimenting at the moment as to the suitability of using Spinone in their breeding program.

Who am I to deny a blind person what may turn out to be the perfect guide dog, I wouldn`t begin to object to that. There is no comparison with the above and the people who just want to make a fast buck!!!!

Carole Spencer