June 2003
Edited by Judy Wright
I hope you all know the old song that I have played about with! Every Spring I get several calls asking the best way to find a bitch to mate with a dog that has just reached the age where the hormones have kicked in with a vengeance!
The owner will only say that the dog is really nice with a wonderful pedigree ... never that the dog is highly sexed and mates the owner's leg every time he sits down in the armchair; or that the dog will attempt to mate every cuddly toy in sight and will also be a wretched nuisance when visitors call ... the owner of such a dog is always very sparing with the truth! Fortunately I am able to read between the lines!
It has to be said that all puppies, male and female, will sometimes attempt to mate something: this is normal growing up behaviour. Unfortunately, some male dogs retain this urge and it becomes a real nuisance, as they get older.
My advice to these owners is always the same ... Have the dog castrated!
Having a bitch will not cure the problem; indeed, it will make it far worse!
The dog will begin to 'mark his territory' (pee) against furniture/doors/long curtains etc. Your house will reek of this. He will attempt to mount the legs of visitors, not good when the vicar comes to tea! He will also behave like a maniac if he spies an in-season bitch.
If your puppy was bought from a reputable breeder as a pet dog the chances are that the registration papers from the Kennel Club would have been endorsed, 'Not to be used at Stud'; in which case, that is the end of the matter. However, if the dog has not got this endorsement then you may see no reason why the dog should not sire puppies.
However whatever you might think, there is another, very serious side to this which must be remembered. I am presuming that, as a Cavalier owner, you really love the breed ... in that case: There are far too many cavaliers being bred, many of these end up with health problems caused by ignorance on the part of the breeder and the 'Cavalier Rescue and Welfare Service' is a very busy one, re-homing many unwanted dogs.
Breeding dogs is not the doddle many people think! A great deal of knowledge must be taken on board before you even start to go down this road! The breed has many different family bloodlines and knowledge of these is very important. The future of this lovely breed is paramount.
Only the very best must be used as stud dogs. Equally, only the very best of bitches should be bred from; far too many sub-standard Cavaliers are bred each year ... don't add to them! The dog should have won at high level dog shows to prove that he is a good enough type of dog to be used at stud…he may well be the 'apple of your eye', but my goodness, Cavalier owners wear 'rose tinted spectacles' where their dogs are concerned!
He must be of impeccable breeding but that alone does not make him suitable to become a stud dog.
He must also have had his Heart and Eyes examined and certified free from defects that are likely to be reproduced in his offspring. This can only be done by a Veterinary Specialist, (not your veterinary surgeon). Any bitch that is taken to the dog must also have the same certificates.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not the case that you simply 'pop the dog and bitch out into the yard and let them get on with it'…this could lead to one or both of them becoming terribly injured. Stud dog handlers are very skilled and are able to assist with the mating without causing the dog or bitch undue distress.
So, please, if your dog is a 'sex bomb' and showing no signs of calming down, go to your vet for advice, don't attempt to solve the problem yourself!
THE
VOLUNTEER
I have received E-mail from Sue Halsey who lives in Somerset. She wrote to say how very special her cavalier 'Barley' was and what a great deal of fun she has with him at local shows and dog agility events.
She went on to tell me the following and I thought it was too good not to share with you!
Barley was asked to be a model at an evening talk on 'Canine First aid' given by a veterinary nurse. This was arranged by the local obedience class instructor and held in the local pub's skittle alley!
Sue was a little unsure what Barley would make of it as he really dislikes going to the vets, but he behaved really well. He curled up and slept all through the talk, but really came into his own once the practical demonstration began. He allowed the nurse to bandage him (one bandage at a time!). First, she demonstrated how to apply an emergency muzzle using a bandage, (he just looked quizzical, why on earth was this lady muzzling 'ME?' I don't bite! However, once it was removed, the nurse gave him a tit-bit and he was putty in her hands from then on.
I have received E-mail from Sue Halsey who lives in Somerset. She wrote to say how very special her cavalier 'Barley' was and what a great deal of fun she has with him at local shows and dog agility events.
She went on to tell me the following and I thought it was too good not to share with you!
Barley was asked to be a model at an evening talk on 'Canine First aid' given by a veterinary nurse. This was arranged by the local obedience class instructor and held in the local pub's skittle alley!
Sue was a little unsure what Barley would make of it as he really dislikes going to the vets, but he behaved really well. He curled up and slept all through the talk, but really came into his own once the practical demonstration began. He allowed the nurse to bandage him (one bandage at a time!). First, she demonstrated how to apply an emergency muzzle using a bandage, (he just looked quizzical, why on earth was this lady muzzling 'ME?' I don't bite! However, once it was removed, the nurse gave him a tit-bit and he was putty in her hands from then on.
The next demonstration was the application of a pressure bandage onto
his ear. This involved one ear (the 'injured, bleeding ear') to be placed
over the top of his head, and bandaged to his head, securing it by going
in front and behind his 'good' ear. It was commented that he looked as
if he was wearing a bonnet, accompanied by lots of "Ooohs" and "Aahs"
from the audience!
Finally, a foot bandage was applied to a hind leg; he just sat there bemused! Pam added that last year when he tore a claw, she tried in vain to bandage his foot! He wriggled and yelped and generally created mayhem! (Typical Cavalier!)
A Labrador then took over to enable the audience to see the correct 'Recovery Position' to put a dog into if you ever needed to, and where to find and how to take a pulse; also the correct way to pick up a large dog. Sue added that it was a most interesting evening.
Do go along to anything like this, you never know when you may need these things!
Thanks Sue!
Finally, a foot bandage was applied to a hind leg; he just sat there bemused! Pam added that last year when he tore a claw, she tried in vain to bandage his foot! He wriggled and yelped and generally created mayhem! (Typical Cavalier!)
A Labrador then took over to enable the audience to see the correct 'Recovery Position' to put a dog into if you ever needed to, and where to find and how to take a pulse; also the correct way to pick up a large dog. Sue added that it was a most interesting evening.
Do go along to anything like this, you never know when you may need these things!
Thanks Sue!
TAILPIECE.
This
is true! Back to the subject of mating!
I used to own a very nice sensible dog called 'Fred' that was used occasionally at stud, to approved bitches.
A lady had made an appointment to use him on her little bitch that fulfilled all the necessary criteria that I required. I advised her of the correct day to come for the mating and we agreed a time. She asked if her friend could come as neither of them had ever seen a mating. I told her that as long as the friend was quiet, that would be fine.
They arrived, and after the usual preambles to a mating, the dog mated the bitch.
(It must be said at this stage, that dogs mate unlike any other animal; the dog and bitch actually lock together when the mating occurs, this is known a the 'tie' and this tie can last for anything from a few minutes to half an hour or sometimes even more! During this stage, neither can walk away, as they are physically joined; the handler must take great care at this stage as grave injury to dog or bitch could occur. The experienced dog will actually manipulate himself so that the two stand 'back to back' whilst the tie continues).
Fred and the bitch had been 'tied' and were 'back to back' for almost twenty minutes, when the friend said sheepishly:
" Goodness me! I had no idea that was what they were doing!" ...
The bitch's owner then said:
" Oh Golly! We have seen a mating, but we had no idea at the time! There were two strange dogs in the garden one day and they were doing 'this' ... we called the RSPCA ... we thought someone had super-glued them together!"
I used to own a very nice sensible dog called 'Fred' that was used occasionally at stud, to approved bitches.
A lady had made an appointment to use him on her little bitch that fulfilled all the necessary criteria that I required. I advised her of the correct day to come for the mating and we agreed a time. She asked if her friend could come as neither of them had ever seen a mating. I told her that as long as the friend was quiet, that would be fine.
They arrived, and after the usual preambles to a mating, the dog mated the bitch.
(It must be said at this stage, that dogs mate unlike any other animal; the dog and bitch actually lock together when the mating occurs, this is known a the 'tie' and this tie can last for anything from a few minutes to half an hour or sometimes even more! During this stage, neither can walk away, as they are physically joined; the handler must take great care at this stage as grave injury to dog or bitch could occur. The experienced dog will actually manipulate himself so that the two stand 'back to back' whilst the tie continues).
Fred and the bitch had been 'tied' and were 'back to back' for almost twenty minutes, when the friend said sheepishly:
" Goodness me! I had no idea that was what they were doing!" ...
The bitch's owner then said:
" Oh Golly! We have seen a mating, but we had no idea at the time! There were two strange dogs in the garden one day and they were doing 'this' ... we called the RSPCA ... we thought someone had super-glued them together!"
If you have any questions about owning a Cavalier
then click on the envelope to email Judy who will only be too pleased
to try and help you.
However please remember that we are not Vets or Lawyers so questions on these topics should be addressed to the professionals for advice.
Questions and answers that are of interest to other owners may be published on this page.
However please remember that we are not Vets or Lawyers so questions on these topics should be addressed to the professionals for advice.
Questions and answers that are of interest to other owners may be published on this page.
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Material Copyright © 2003 The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club