Steve

My link - The U.S. Department of Agriculture illegally and arbitrarily is requiring "tens of thousands of dog and cat breeders" to get licenses and submit to unannounced inspections and the costs of complying with "new structural and sanitation standards," dozens of dog and cat clubs claim in court. Forty dog clubs - and two cat clubs - led by the Associated Dog Clubs of New York State, sued the USDA in District of Columbia Federal Court. More cats than dogs are kept as pets in the United States, according to the Humane Society: 95.6 million cats and 83.3 million dogs. Forty-seven percent of U.S. households have at least one dog, and 46 percent have at least one cat, according to the Humane Society. Why 40 of the 42 plaintiff clubs are dog breeders, and only two represent cats, is a poser. Possibly it's because dogs and dog owners are clubbier than cats and cat people. Whatever the reason, the clubs challenge "The Retail Pet Store Rule," 9 CFR Parts 1-3, which took effect on Nov. 18. The regulation was promulgated under the Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq. The rule originally was aimed at large breeders who sell over the Internet, but was expanded to include all breeders, including "small-scale breeders," i.e., the members of the plaintiff clubs, "without any support for doing do," according to the complaint. According to the dog clubs' lawsuit: "The Rule radically changes, without justification, 47 years of USDA's regulatory oversight of retail pet stores. Specifically, the Rule redefines 'retail pet store' to potentially require tens of thousands of dog and cat breeders throughout the United States, including members of plaintiffs, to obtain licenses, to subject their residences to unannounced, on-site inspections, to incur substantial costs to comply with new structural and sanitation standards, to risk the health and lives of their dogs and cats from exposure to the deadly Parvovirus, Panleukopenia, and other diseases, and to place their personal safety at risk by opening their residences to strangers." The clubs claim that when Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act in 1966, it "specifically exempted retail pet stores" from the Act's licensing and inspection requirements. "Although Congress has amended the AWA several times since its passage, Congress has not changed or narrowed the AWA's exemption of retail pet stores," the complaint states. "By promulgating a regulation instead of seeking a statutory solution in Congress, the USDA has circumvented congressional intent. Moreover, the Rule's redefinition of 'retail pet store' is inconsistent with the required record that was developed to justify the Rule." The USDA estimated that the rule would affect 2,600 to 4,640 breeders, the dog clubs say - an estimate that is way off base. "In fact, as was noted in the comments, the Rule potentially affects tens of thousands of breeders, including the almost 19,000 members of the 42 plaintiffs, located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Significantly, the clubs and registries comprised by plaintiffs represent less than 1 percent of the dog and cat clubs and registries in the United States, yet the cumulative number of plaintiff members alone is four times the maximum number of breeders that APHIS [the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] estimated would be potentially affected." The dog clubs want the rule declared invalid and enjoined as arbitrary and capricious, inconsistent with the AWA, exceeding the jurisdiction of the USDA, and a violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. The clubs are represented by Philip Hecht. The Humane Society criticized the lawsuit in a statement, and said it plans to "intervene in the lawsuit and join the government in defending the common-sense regulation." The Humane Society said that the rule was enacted to crack down on "large-scale puppy mills." The statement said that the rule "closed the regulatory loophole" that let puppy mills sells abused dogs online without oversight. The Humane Society statement did not address the dog clubs' objection that the rule indiscriminately affects back-yard breeders. Here are the plaintiffs: Associated Dog Clubs of New York State, Inc; Australian Shepherd Club of America; American Dog Breeders Association, Inc.; Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders; California Federation of Dog Clubs; Albany Kennel Club, Inc.; Albany Obedience Club, Inc.; Allpurrs Cattery; American Fox Terrier Club; American Pomeranian Club; American Russell Terrier Club; Belgian Sheepdog Club of America; Cat Fanciers Legislative Group; Charlottesville-Albemarle Kennel Club; Chattanooga Kennel Club;; Chihuahua Club of America; Cleveland Collie Club; Colonial Newfoundland Club; Columbia Poodle Club of Oregon and Southwest Washington; Dachshund Club of Greater Buffalo; Dachshund Fanciers of Central Virginia; Eagle Rock Kennel Club, Inc.; Erie Canal Schipperke Club; Goldendoodle Association of North America;; Huron Valley Australian Shepherd Association; International Bengal Cat Society; International Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club; Kennel Club of Palm Springs; Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America; Minuteman Samoyed Club, Inc.; Mississippi Canine Coalition, Inc.; Northland Newfoundland Club; Potomac Bassett Hound Club; Saratoga (NY) Kennel Club, Inc.; Schenectady Dog Training Club; Shawangunk Kennel Club, Inc.; Shetland Sheepdog Club of Western New York; Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis; Syracuse Obedience Training Club; Tri Valley Shetland Sheepdog Club of Northwest Los Angeles; Weimaraner Club of the Washington DC Area; and the Working Australian Shepherd Club of Upstate New York.

http://www.greencrossvet.com.au/Corporate/Succession-Planning.aspx

I certainly don't think that Greencross vets have a monopoly on potentially over servicing and many good things come from being able to have cost sharing as they can buy supplies etc in larger quantities and spread through out the net work . Having the whole admin side of it already structured would surely also take a huge burden off small vet clinics and help cover their advertising and website expenses. I utilise two vets who are not Greencross and Ive watched whilst both have radically put prices up and in my opinion also push much more these days for over servicing - its a sign of the times and with whole governments as in Victoria making over servicing of breeding dogs mandatory its not likely that only franchises will capitalise on the current market.. One of these is a small clinic with what appears to be limited expenses in comparison to the bigger ones - they dont even have a vet nurse or receptionist but prices for vaccinations and chips for a puppy are almost double what some charge in a close more populated area and they actively push throughout the community for yearly vaccinations of all pet dogs - no Greencross to blame there.

If she is 3.6kg you wont over dose her on half a tab - break it into quarters and give her two quarters - goes down easier.

So.... 2 (6) Staff ratio The minimum of one full-time staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants) must be onsite at the business for every 25 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business during business hours. The staffing ratio must be maintained 7 days per week. A single fertile animal equivalent is: • any animal over the age of 16 weeks • a litter and its mother while the litter remains housed with its mother • a litter no longer residing with its mother, but under the age of 16 weeks. For example, 14 females, 3 males, 6 litters residing with their mothers, and 2 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 25 fertile animals and require one full-time staff member during business hours. In addition, the minimum of one staff member (includes any staff member including proprietor, operations manager and animal attendants) must be onsite at the business for every 100 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business overnight. For example, 80 females, 5 males, 10 litters with their mothers and 5 litters without their mothers is equivalent to 100 fertile adults and requires one full-time staff member overnight. In addition, sufficient staff (including those already residing at the business overnight) for a ratio of 1:50 fertile animals (or equivalent) housed in the business overnight must be ‘on call’ to attend the business in the case of an emergency. On call overnight staff must be able to travel to the property within 30 minutes of contact. 8 Overnight staff must be available to care for whelping/queening animals, sick or injured animals and undertake emergency activities should the need arise. For businesses with fewer than 25 fertile animals (or equivalents), there is no requirement for full-time staffing; however, females showing signs of labour or in labour must be monitored as per requirements detailed in this Code This in fact could be 100 plus animals per one staff member and only required during business hours - an improvement? I don't think so.

See - easy and what a wonderful feeling .Congratulations - big sigh of relief now - well done.

http://www.mdba.net.au/mdba.net.au/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=listcats&cat_id=78&Itemid=55

Oh and guess what???? I just completed my course and got my email of notice of my completion - what a joke.

http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/pets/domestic-animal-businesses/breeding-and-rearing-businesses/breeding-and-rearing-code-review And they tell us that this is what is best for the dogs? Thank God I dont live in Victoria

And Id also like to say - some of my best friends are my puppy buyers - some of them going back 20 plus years who are now up to their 4th puppy from us. Sometimes its taken a couple of years after they take home the baby to actually meet them but I wouldnt have missed knowing them and sharing their lives with them for anything. Last May one of my puppy buyers came here for a couple of days to visit with their two boys [beagles] from Darwin - It was awesome to see them with these dogs I bred and watch how they loved them and gave them everything I could have wished for them. I meet up with the owners each year when we gather for the awards but actually being able to see them with their dogs and experience how they live with them made my heart swell. Lucky dogs - lucky me. What an honour its been to know them.

Excellent! When are they due? Today going by the first mating :D Good luck - Cant wait to hear how it all goes for you. You have certainly done your apprenticeship and Im sure it will be a bunch of puppies sliding out like sausages.

They are just old enough now to be pretty mobile and I love watching them play and explore and turn into their own individual. They all jump up and bark at me now when I approach - as a good Maremma should . Not much housework gets done here - too busy Maremma pup watching - you can waste lots of hours that way .

Excellent! When are they due?

Sharing the milk Bar - move over and let me in.

Better not neglect the beagles

Cant take your eyes off them

No only an even dozen - and she squashed one .The biggest Ive had is 13 . 15 would be such good fun - are they yours? I've bought myself a new baby boy from Glendawn for Christmas - he comes home 30th of December - fresh blood. Cant cuddle him too much though he's got to work with the sheep.

Yeah will be good when its over - that's the first 6 done 2 more to go.

The breed is just so adorable at this age - made to suck you in and make you love it .They lap up every cuddle and tiny bit of love you give them. Look you in the eye like a human baby and give no indication what ever that one day they can terrify the daylights out of anyone they don't know thinking of coming through the gate.

If you really do want to breed dogs with a focus on what is best for the dogs and the breed there is nothing to fear and so very much to gain we need heaps more good dog breeders.

Ive got a son being married on the 27th so the whole family is coming in. 15 grand kids are going to have a ball with this lot. The best babysitters ever. Let the games begin. T Ive had litters born Christmas Day several times also had one born the morning I had my youngest son. As the bitch contracted so did I - wasnt sure if I was just feeling sympathy for her or not at first - whelped the litter and made it to hospital with 20 mins to spare. They were the days.

Then they grow into this! I did that!

Just because its christmas and Ive got a bunch of babies here. The world of breeding pure bred dogs can be a challenging place sometimes and the challenges seem to be growing but this time of year I like to reflect on it all. As hard as they may make it - I love what I do. Im a dog breeder . Hope the rest of you are feeling as good about what you do as I do.

I would also like to say - fenegreek has been used for centuries to increase milk supplies in humans but one of the side effects of fenegreek is a lowering of cholesterol. Dogs produce and assimilate cholesterol differently to humans - and rats - and conditions which are associated with cholesterol dispersion in dogs are not much fun. These include auto immune diseases and chondroplasia,cataracts etc . Before I gave any dog fenegreek as an "in case" I would want to see studies done which explain how the cholesterol lowing effect impacts on dogs and their health, the amount of cholesterol in the bitch and in the milk the puppies receive etc. What Im trying to say is that if I got to a point where I really was desperate and truly thought I needed to boost milk production I would give it a shot but I wouldnt be using it if there wasnt a good reason. In over 35 years of breeding dogs and whelping and being involved in the nursing of hundreds of litters Ive never seen a need for a supplement to do this and an "in case' dosing doesn't make me comfortable.

Agreed - oats also has groats which is good for milk production but at the end of the day nothing works if there is no demand . Breast milk in all mammals is dependent on supply and demand and the very best thing to do is - assuming you have been feeding a well balanced diet - and let them be dogs - eating placentas etc .The more the puppies suckle the more she will make - no amount or type of supplements will change that. Many of these things that get recommended will appear to work because nothing would work just as well if the normal process occurs and the puppies suckle more anyway as their need increases. oxcytocin given during or just after whelping immediately lets down milk - but that's a hormone which is normally manufactured by the bitch slowly as she whelps and feeds and cleans her babies. the other hormone required is prolactin which is produced throughout pregnancy and during and after whelping . The process of whelping and nursing is what makes these hormones turn on to slowly produce milk and supply what is required for the babies to be fed. You can provide extras to pump the milk up but the reality is they usually only make you feel you have done something to help when in reality at best anything you give her at this stage is not going to make any difference - its a supply and demand equation.