by Stephanie Dixon

A few weeks ago, a Barbet puppy in Canada was surrendered by it’s owners to a rescue organization. This created a flurry of activity on social media as prospective homes jumped at the opportunity to “rescue” a purebred Barbet and in less than 24 hours the rescue was inundated with well over 100 applications for ownership.

As a breeder I was absolutely heartsick upon hearing this news. How could such a young dog end up at a rescue? What happened to the relationship between the owner and the breeder that this should happen? Aren’t homes and breeders staying in contact with one another?

Without a doubt in my mind, any reputable breeder would desperately want to know if a puppy they had bred was being turned into rescue. The breeders belonging to Club Barbet Canada as well as the Regional Ontario club and the Barbet Club of America discussed that this puppy was being turned into a rescue. It would appear that he was not bred by any of them. It’s a sad situation all around.

It’s easy to jump to conclusions as to why this dog ended up in rescue. The fact of the matter is that we will never know what the entire story is behind this situation. The owners will have their truth, the rescue which stands to profit from the sale of this puppy will have theirs, and the breeder his or her own. Apparently in this particular case, the relationship between the owners of the puppy and the breeder was such that the owner preferred to place the dog with the rescue and not return it to the breeder; it was also stated by the rescue that there was no contractual obligation for the owners to return the dog to the breeder. Despite offers to assist by the National breed club in Canada, the rescue opted to keep the dog and re-home him themselves.

I ask that all breeders reading this article stop to think about just how easy it really is for a dog they have bred to end up in a similar situation. In this day and age of animal rights activists vilifying breeders and the opinion of the general public moving more towards the “adopt don’t shop” mentality the average dog lover isn’t going to automatically think that a breeder or breed club would want to help.

Something like this could happen to any breeder. An accident that befalls the owners of the pup or a illness strikes in the family and all it would take is some well meaning relative or friend to orchestrate the transfer ownership of the dog to a rescue. Reputable breeders have it written into their contracts that they will take back any dog they have bred for the lifetime of that dog. I know I would move mountains to do so should the need arise. Realistically many pet owners will never look at their contract again after they’ve signed it and brought their puppy home. A family or friend would certainly not know about the dog needing to go back to the breeder or even still, think to understand why the breeder would want to know where the dog they have bred has ended up.

Gone are the days of rescues reaching out to National clubs when a purebred dog is surrendered. Retail rescue is big business and it’s highly unlikely a rescue will even try and connect a dog with it’s breeder even though puppies are microchipped or tattooed and in most cases contracts signed between breeder and owner outline that the breeder be notified if the owner can no longer care for the dog. Ironically most rescues like the one that took the above mentioned Barbet will themselves have in their own contracts a clause such as this one “Do you understand that if at anytime during the life of this pet, you are unable to keep it that it must be returned to *** Rescue at your own expense? You may not take it to an SPCA, City Pound, surrender to another rescue group, or give it away or sell it to another person or group.”

Even if there is a contractual obligation to inform the breeder and return the dog to the breeder, once the dog has been transferred into the care of the rescue, if the rescue wants to keep the dog, or if the dog has already been placed by the rescue with a family that refuses to part with the dog, now the breeder has to try and get this dog back through the courts - and that may not be a simple endeavour, especially if the dog is out of Province or State. Such a situation could easily become a hellish nightmare for the breeder.

As caring breeders the best we can do to try to avoid something like this befalling a dog we have bred is to maintain relationships with the homes that have our puppies - throughout the lifetime of the dog. It’s not enough to just have words written into a contract. We need to be the person that the owner wants to call if they are struggling with any issues and we need to communicate to our homes that we are available to help them. Good breeders are a great source of education and support for their puppy owners. Breeders need to remind our homes that we will take the dog back if needed at any time. If breeders have a good relationship with the homes that have their puppies and the homes want to be involved in the re-homing of the dog, if the relationship is there, there is no reason why this shouldn’t be possible.

For the owners of Barbets that have obtained their puppy from a source other than a reputable breeder, and for whatever reason they wish to re-home their Barbet, please know that the Barbet Club of America will do whatever is needed to assist in the re-location of their dog. The Barbet Club of America cares deeply about the welfare of any Barbet. Knowledgeable members of the BCA understand the breed’s needs and can help to make an appropriate match that would enable the dog to live out the rest of his or her days in suitable permanent home.

by Arliss Paddock, American Kennel Club

WHAT IS LYME DISEASE?

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial illness that can be transmitted to humans, dogs, and other animals by certain species of ticks. It is caused by the spiral-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is carried inside the tick and then gets into the dog’s or person’s bloodstream through a tick bite. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can travel to different parts of the body and cause problems in specific organs or locations, such as joints, as well as overall illness.

The ticks that carry Lyme disease are especially likely to be found in tall grasses, thick brush, marshes, and woods—waiting to grab onto your dog when he passes by. A tick can transmit the disease once it has been attached to the dog for 24 to 48 hours.

First named when a number of cases occurred in Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975, the disease can be hard to detect and can cause serious, ongoing health problems in both dogs and people. Although Lyme disease can occur nearly anywhere in the U.S., infection risk is low in some regions and high in others. The areas of highest occurrence are the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, and the Pacific coast.

The primary carrier of Lyme disease is the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also called the “deer tick” or “bear tick.” The tick acquires the Lyme disease bacterium when it feeds on an animal that has been infected, such as a mouse, deer, or other mammal, and then it transmits the bacterium to the next animal it feeds on.

Blacklegged ticks are the primary carriers of Lyme disease. The ticks' favorite habitats are wooded, brushy areas, marshes, and areas of tall grasses. They can especially be found in woods and areas adjacent to woods. "Tick season" can include much of the year. The ticks can be present in every season but are most active from October through March. The adult ticks are not killed by frost and can become active whenever the temperature is above freezing.

The ticks don’t jump or fly; they can only crawl. They get onto their host by waiting at the tips of vegetation. When a dog or person brushes against the vegetation, the tick quickly grabs on and then crawls to find a place to bite. An infected tick must be attached for 24 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease (and at least 12 to 24 hours to transmit anaplasmosis, another serious tick-borne disease).

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE IN DOGS?

Lyme disease is unfortunately a fairly common canine disease. Symptoms can include fever, reduced energy, and lameness.

Typical symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs include:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Reduced energy
• Lameness (can be shifting, intermittent, and recurring)
• Generalized stiffness, discomfort, or pain
• Swelling of joints

Symptoms can progress to kidney failure, which can be fatal. Serious cardiac and neurological effects can also occur.

HOW ARE DOGS TESTED FOR LYME DISEASE?

Your veterinarian can perform blood tests to check your dog for Lyme disease and examine him for any possible symptoms.

There are two types of blood test that can indicate Lyme disease. One is an antibody test, which detects presence not of the bacterium but of specific antibodies that are formed in the dog’s body in reaction to the bacterium. A positive test result confirms that the dog was exposed to the bacterium.

However, dogs who have been recently infected might not yet have a high-enough level of antibodies present in their bloodstream to show up on the test. Likewise, dogs who have been infected for a long time might no longer have enough antibodies present to show a positive test result. So there can be “false negative” test results for dogs who do indeed have Lyme.

The second type of test is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, a specific DNA test that confirms presence of the disease-causing bacterium itself. Again, false-negative test results can occur, however, as the bacteria might be present in an affected joint, for example, but not in the blood cells that were tested.

HOW IS LYME DISEASE TREATED?

Treatment includes administration of an antibiotic, usually for several weeks. This often will quickly resolve symptoms, but in some cases infection will persist and prolonged medication may be needed. Treatment can also include other therapies aimed at resolving or relieving specific symptoms.

CAN I CATCH LYME DISEASE FROM MY DOG?

Dogs are not a direct source of infection for people. Lyme disease can’t be transmitted from one pet to another, nor from pets to humans, except through tick bites. However, a carrier tick could come into your house on your dog’s fur when he comes in from the yard or a romp in the woods, and then get on you.

If your dog is diagnosed with Lyme disease, you and any other pets have probably been in the same outdoor environment and may also be at risk, so it is a good idea to consult with your physician and veterinarian to see whether it might be appropriate to test other pets or members of the family.

People can do a number of things to avoid exposure to tick bites:

• Avoid high-risk habitat such as woods, tall grass, or dense brush
• Wear long pants and light-colored socks when outdoors
• Use pest-repellent spray
• Check for ticks right away once indoors

HOW CAN I PREVENT MY DOG FROM GETTING LYME DISEASE OR OTHER TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES?

Wooded and brushy areas are especially high risk for the ticks that can carry Lyme disease. If you are in an area where Lyme disease is widespread, be sure to do a tick-check right away whenever your dog comes in from spending time in the woods.

A primary way to prevent Lyme disease is tick avoidance. Recommendations on preventing ticks on your pets include these from the CDC:

• Check your pets for ticks daily, especially right after they spend time outdoors.

• If you find a tick on your dog, remove it right away. (Here's how to safely remove a tick from your dog.)

• Ask your veterinarian to conduct a tick check at each exam.

• Talk to your veterinarian about tick-borne diseases in your area.

• Reduce tick habitat in your yard by clearing tall grasses and brush from your yard and mowing and raking the yard regularly. (Check out more information on how to create a tick-safe zone through landscaping.)

• Use flea and tick prevention products recommended by your veterinarian, being sure to keep treatments up to date.
  
• Have your vet test for tick-borne diseases annually, even if your dog doesn't seem to have any symptoms.

Many reliable products are available to prevent your dog from getting fleas and ticks. These can include oral medications as well as “spot on” or topical formulas that are applied directly to your pet’s skin. Not all preventives are the best choice for every pet, however, and some pets may have adverse reactions to a certain product. Be sure to talk with your vet about flea- or tick-control options, including any over-the-counter products, before using them on your dog or puppy. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) advises:

“Parasite protection is not ‘one-size-fits-all.’ Certain factors affect the type and dose of the product that can be used, including the age, species, breed, lifestyle, and health status of your pet, as well as any medications your pet is receiving. Caution is advised when considering flea/tick treatment of very young and very old pets. Use a flea comb on puppies and kittens that are too young for flea/tick products. Some products should not be used on very old pets. Some breeds are sensitive to certain ingredients that can make them extremely ill. Flea and tick preventives and some medications can interfere with each other, resulting in unwanted side effects, toxicities, or even ineffective doses. It’s important that your veterinarian is aware of all of your pet’s medications when considering the optimal flea and tick preventive for your pet.”

• Vaccination. There are vaccines available that can help prevent your dog from getting Lyme disease. These can involve an initial shot and a booster given several weeks later, with annual vaccination following. They may not be appropriate for some dogs, however. Talk with your vet if you have questions about the vaccine and the best Lyme prevention protocol for your dog overall.

Sources: American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Merck Veterinary Manual, VCA Animal Hospitals, and Companion Animal Parasite Council.

Robert Gunn

Huntington, NY

Trenton Kennel Club, Inc.W Windsor Twp, NJ May 08, 2016

Trenton Kennel Club, Inc.W Windsor Twp, NJ May 09, 2016

Illinois Capitol Kennel Club, Inc.Springfield, IL May 21, 2016

Langley Kennel Club Hampton, VA May 26, 2016

Greenwich Kennel Club Norwalk, CT June 11, 2016

Longshore-Southport Kennel Club, Inc. Norwalk, CT June 12, 2016

Northeastern Maryland Kennel ClubWest Friendship, MD July 08, 2016

Catoctin Kennel Club West Friendship, MD July 08, 2016

Upper Marlboro Kennel ClubWest Friendship, MD July 09, 2016

National Capital Kennel Club, Inc.West Friendship, MD July 10, 2016

American Azawakh AssociationMadison, OH July 15, 2016

Waukesha Kennel Club, Inc.Waukesha, WI July 30, 2016

Waukesha Kennel Club, Inc.Waukesha, WI July 31, 2016

Rolla Missouri Kennel ClubGray Summit, MO September 23, 2016

American Belgian Laekenois AssociationMonroe, MI September 30, 2016

Cornhusker Kennel Club of Lincoln, Nebraska, Inc. Lincoln, NE October 08, 2016

Cornhusker Kennel Club of Lincoln, Nebraska, Inc. Lincoln, NE October 09, 2016

Email: barbetclubofamerica@gmail.com
Website: barbetclubofamerica.com
Phone: 724-344-6468
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