OH, No

Not many of you will be able to watch this http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/i...1&scope=iplayerlast7days&version_pid=b006t8pl, but it was pointed out by a dismayed member of Hope's forums.

It's a property programme, where two presenters meet a family , who want to move house, find them 3 houses to look at and let them 'live' in one for a while.

The point is that one reason given to move is that they 'need' to breed their 'KIng Charles', which of course is a cavlier and to make things worse, the presenters are using the situation, using words like ';love nest' to provide 'laughs'; only many of us won't be doing that.

Being in the US, I don't have access, but it is such a shame that they are so trivial about this. Sometimes I think it is just plain ignorance though.

When I was little, it was not unusual for people that had dogs they loved to find a mate for them, (pure bred or even a muttly type), just to have their children experience the "wonder of reproduction", and to gain another, similar dog "for free." I can also remember children sitting in front of grocery stores with a box of puppies or kittens and a big sign, "free pets." As a child, I thought this was just the typical way people obtained their family dog or cat. Now of course this seems horrific and shameful, but then, it was the norm and no one thought anything of it.

Today, alot of family backyard breeders have a similar attitude with their full bred dogs. They love them, want one or two offspring (without paying for another one) and hope to recoup the breeding and vet costs by selling the rest of the litter.

Then you have the total small puppy farm operation types who could care less about the dogs other than a cash crop. I truly think that the only way to combat this is to continue to get the word out about the heartbreak of inherited health and behavioral issues and overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats. Leave the breeding to those who love their pets so much that they show to maintain proper breed standards, and do all of the very expensive health testing and registering necessary to produce healthy puppies.

I went to collect a dog bed ,which some one was donating to Hope and thought the lady would make a good fosterer,being a staffie lover and lots of staffies in need, until she said that she had bred her staffie, because she (the dog) was spoiled and needed to experience some reality !

The bitch had lots of problems and had to be spayed , after giving birth , but she still thought it a worthwhile exercise. In the UK, staffies are one of the top breeds for whom it's hard to find homes.

I believe it is ignorance too. But with the Internet, protesters at pet stores and dog auctions, and TV shows like Oprah, people can have their consciousness raised. It is very difficult to be patient with ignorance when so many cavaliers have MVD and SM. It is just heartbreaking.

I have a question and I know it's probably been addressed before but it's been puzzling me.

Why is buying a puppy from a SHOW breeder so important? Shouldn't the emphasis be on breeding for HEALTH and TEMPERAMENT? I understand wanting to preserve and protect conformation and breed standards for looks but it seems a little silly to me that the ONLY good puppies come from breeders who actively show their dogs.

You don't need to show dogs to have their hearts certified or to raise healthy loving puppies in a socialized and stimulating home. I think that this "show breeder" as the only "good breeder" attitude might turn the average person off and figure that if theres only two options, maybe back yard breeders or puppy stores aren't that bad and people are just elitist.

We all know that isn't true but if you don't plan on showing/breeding yourself, why does it matter that the puppy you buy comes from SHOW stock?

There are, of course, show breeders who don't have their dogs checked for mvd, sm etc and non-show people that do. However, many show people want to keep the breed at it's best, both in appearance and health, so are actively taking part in research and its fundraising.

Not quite the same theme, but I've just come back from my local Pets at Home store where there's a horrible section full of "designer" pet accessories! Bright pink & black clothing, bedding, fairy wings, tiara's (yes, I did say tiara's!) etc..... I personally think this sometimes just fuels the "dog as an accessory" syndrome. I love buying things for Maddy, I've just bought her a very nice faux suede bed & a cosy blanket to go in it, but I - hopefully - know where to draw the line. Am I just being cynical?

I also read that showing keeps breeders from getting "kennel blindness," where the breed standard strays too far from the original look, size and gait of what a Cavalier is supposed to be. They are constantly seeing other dogs in comparison to their own and this keeps continuity of the breed. Showing also provides a community where the ability to compete dogs also means that they are supposed to follow a strict health and breeding protocol.

As most of you know, the greater majority of those puppies produced by "champion stock" are not "just right" regarding markings or gait, and those pups are placed in carefully screened pet homes with the understanding that they must be spayed or neutered.

Of course we all love our dogs, no matter where they came from. But I for one would much rather support someone who dedicates his/her life to sustaining and improving the breed, than support someone who is just wanting to produce cute puppies for whatever reason.