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New Rules for UK Breeders

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French Bulldog mother with puppies

Tula and Teddy

The Kennel Club of England has announced new rules for UK breeders, starting in 2012.

From a November 22cnd news release on their website:

The Kennel Club has announced that from 2012 it will normally register no more than four litters from any one bitch because of concerns that the current legal limit of six litters can potentially be detrimental to a bitch’s welfare.

The decision was made by the Kennel Club General Committee after receiving a recommendation from its Dog Health Group and will be effective for litters born on or after 1st January 2012.

Six litters per bitch is the current legal limit enshrined in the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999.

Bill Lambert, the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services Manager, said: “The Kennel Club wants to ensure that all breeders put the health and welfare of their puppies and breeding bitches first and foremost, and this decision underlines our commitment to this issue.

“Whilst the law allows bitches to have six litters in a lifetime and our registration system has previously fallen in line with this, the vast majority of responsible breeders feel that this is too high and that there is potential for this to have a negative impact on the welfare of the bitch.

“Very serious consideration has to be given to the matter if a breeder wishes a bitch to have more than four litters but the Kennel Club may grant permission for this to happen if it believes that there is good and justifiable reason for doing so on a case by case basis.”

There are also new restrictions on Caesarian Sections for bitches in the UK.

Excerpt from the news release:

The Kennel Club has had discussions with the major veterinary organisations over restrictions on the number of litters born by caesarean section which may be registered from an individual bitch from 2012.

The Kennel Club has confirmed that it will no longer register any puppies born by caesarean section from any bitch which has previously had two such operations, except for scientifically proven welfare reasons and in such cases normally provided that the application is made prior to mating. Refusal to register a third or subsequent litters of puppies born by caesarean section would occur irrespective of whether the progeny from either of the first two operations had been registered with the Club.

Following discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, the organisations have agreed to advise their members that any caesarean sections which they perform on a Kennel Club registered bitch should be reported to the Kennel Club.

To allow the reporting of such operations by veterinary surgeons, an additional section will be incorporated into the form which is presently completed to notify the Kennel Club of any operation which alters the natural conformation of a registered pedigree dog.

This policy will become effective for all litters born on or after 1st January 2012.  Further details relating to the timing of reporting by veterinary surgeons will be announced in due course.

In essence, bitches may have no more than 2 c section deliveries “except for scientifically proven welfare reasons and in such cases normally provided that the application is made prior to mating.”

No one seems to have any idea what defines a “scientifically proven welfare reason” is, or if it will be allowed to be applied to French Bulldogs.

As more and more countries move towards restrictions on routine c sections, it behooves us as breeders to begin breeding intentionally for dogs with the ability to free whelp. I believe that many of our North American bitches could, if allowed, actually free whelp, but fear of complications or uterine inertia causes many of us to consider c sections to be an unavoidable reality.

As someone who has lost a puppy due to uterine inertia, and has also had several successfully free whelped litters, I agree that it’s a hard call to make. C sections are horribly invasive procedures, with copious risks to both bitch and puppies, and yet it’s also true that many puppies have died due to a bitch’s inability to deliver them naturally.

As I said, tough call.

Caleb is homeless…for now

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Caleb recovering at Kristina's house

Caleb has his new home!

Update: Caleb has a new home in Connecticut! Yay!

It’s strange how things sometimes work out.

Caleb, who I have written about here before, went to his new home on the east coast of the USA last week. We had thought this would be a perfect placement – Caleb would have another dog to play with, and with owners who already have a dog from us (Tula’s brother).

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Their male dog HATED Caleb, and took every opportunity to kick his little tiny puppy butt into next week. Sadly, his owners made the decision to return him, and Kristrina, who owns Caleb’s cousin Leah, made an emergency rescue mission from CT to NJ to pick him up.

Caleb is now in Connecticut, where he’s staying with Kristina and her family. He’s doing fine, but he’s once again looking for a new home. We’ve decided that it will be easier if we can find him a home on the east coast, within driving distance of Connecticut, rather than getting him back here to Toronto.

Caleb playing with Leah

Caleb playing with Leah

Potential homes for Caleb must have NO OTHER male dogs, unless you can prove to us that any male dogs in the house are very mellow and good with other dogs. Caleb is a very smart, sweet natured, affectionate little boy, and he LOVES other dogs (along with cats!), but he can be playful and rambunctious with dogs, so any other dogs in the home must be good with smaller dogs.

You must be within easy driving distance of Connecticut, and willing to pick up in person.

Caleb is lead trained, heels, sits and knows his ‘down’ command, and is litter box trained. He needs some additional crate training to be 100% house broken. He is stunningly well bred, sired by BIS BISS WKC Breed Winning AKC/JKC Int Ch Bullmarket Versace out of BPIS CKC CH Bullmarket Absolut Harvest Moon. He is being placed as a companion dog only, or an obedience/rally/agility prospect.

Caleb exploring

Caleb exploring

Photos of Caleb can be seen via my blog, or on Kristina’s flickr account.

If you are interested in Caleb, please phone his co breeder, Paula Roberts, at 519-848-5973

I am very emotionally invested in Caleb, and especially after this failed home, I’m going to be watching like a hawk to make sure any home he ends up in is a home that *deserves* such a special little guy!! I’m having to stop myself emotionally from just insisting that he comes back here, to us. If Sean had his way, he’d already be in the car driving to Connecticut.

Have I mentioned lately that being a breeder sucks?

Survey – Congenital Deafness in French Bulldogs

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Structure of Canine Ear

Structure of Canine Ear

I have a survey open as part of an article I am working on.

If you are a BREEDER of French Bulldogs who has ever produced a congenitally deaf French Bulldog puppy, your input is needed. The survey is confidential, no personal identification is required or collected.

The survey responses are limited to 100 persons, at which time it will be closed. The responses will be shared.

Please help me to gather as much data as possible on this condition.

Click Here to take survey

Please share this with any other groups you think might be able to assist.

Thanks!

Amazing Flying Frenchies

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A recent email exchange on the FrenchBulldog-l mailing list had one overwhelming sentiment – French Bulldogs, at least well made French Bulldogs, are not supposed to be able to do agility. To do agility, your French Bulldog would automatically have to be ten feet long and look like he’s wearing stilts. That’s an interesting sentiment, and it’s also a very common one. Even breeders who’ve been around forever believe that Frenchies can’t – and shouldn’t – do agility. Or, that if your Frenchie is built in a manner that will allow them to do agility, then they’re obviously not going to be conformationally correct enough to compete in the show ring.

Read more →

KC Publishes Proposed Changes to French Bulldog Standard

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The Kennel Club (UK) has published their list of proposed changes to the French Bulldog breed standard.

Any underlined text indicates a change or addition.
Square bracketed text indicates a deletion.

French Bulldog

Characteristics Full of courage, yet with clown-like qualities. Bat ears and short [Delete ‘undocked’] tail characteristic [delete ‘essential’] features of the breed.

Head Head square in appearance and in proportion to dog’s size. Skull nearly flat between ears, domed forehead. The skin covering the skull and forehead should be supple enough to allow the dog to show facial expression. Well defined muzzle, broad, deep and set back, muscles of cheeks well developed. Stop well defined. Lower jaw deep, square, broad, slightly undershot and [delete  ‘well’] turned up. Nose black and wide, relatively short, with open nostrils and line between well defined. Lips black, thick, meeting each other in centre, completely hiding teeth. Upper lip covers lower on each side with plenty of cushion, never so exaggerated as to hang too much below level of lower jaw.

Eyes Preferably dark and matching. Moderate size, round, neither sunken nor prominent, showing no white when looking straight forward; set relatively wide apart and on the same level as the stop. [Delete ‘low down in skull’].

Ears ’Bat ears‘, of medium size, wide at base, rounded at top; set high, carried upright and parallel, a sufficient width of skull preventing them being too close together; skin soft and fine, orifice as seen from the front, showing entirely. The opening to the ear canal should be wide and open.

Neck Powerful, [delete ‘with loose skin at throat, but not exaggerated’] well arched and thick , but not too short.

Body [Delete ‘Short’] Cobby, muscular and well rounded with deep, wide brisket and ribs well sprung. Strong, gently roached back. Good ‘cut up’. The body while broader at the shoulders should narrow slightly beyond the ribs to give definition to the relatively short, thick, strong, muscular loin.

Hindquarters Legs strong, muscular and relatively longer than forelegs, with moderate angulation. [Delete ‘thus raising loins above shoulders’]. Hocks well let down.

Tail Undocked, [delete ‘very’] short, set low, thick at root, tapering quickly towards tip, preferably [delete ‘either’] straight, [delete ‘or kinked’] and long enough to cover anus. Never curling over back nor carried gaily.

For comparison purposes, here’s the complete copy of the existing standard:

General Appearance
Sturdy, compact, solid, small dog with good bone, short, smooth coat. No point exaggerated, balance essential.

Characteristics
Full of courage, yet with clown-like qualities. Bat ears and short undocked tail essential features of the breed.

Temperament
Vivacious, deeply affectionate, intelligent.

Head and Skull
Head square, large and broad but in proportion to dog’s size. Skull nearly flat between ears, domed forehead, loose skin forming symmetrical wrinkles. Muzzle broad, deep and set well back, muscles of cheeks well developed; nose and lips black. Stop well defined. Lower jaw deep, square, broad, slightly undershot and well turned up. Nose extremely short, black and wide, with open nostrils and line between well defined. Lips thick, meeting each other in centre, completely hiding teeth. Upper lip covers lower on each side with plenty of cushion, never so exaggerated as to hang too much below level of lower jaw.

Eyes
Preferably dark and matching. Moderate size, round, neither sunken nor prominent, showing no white when looking straight forward; set wide apart and low down in skull.

Ears
‘Bat ears’, of medium size, wide at base, rounded at top; set high, carried upright and parallel, a sufficient width of skull preventing them being too close together; skin soft and fine, orifice as seen from the front, showing entirely.

Mouth
Slightly undershot. Teeth sound and regular, but not visible when the mouth is closed. Tongue must not protrude.

Neck
Powerful, with loose skin at throat, but not exaggerated. Well arched and thick, but not too short.

Forequarters
Legs set wide apart, straight boned, strong, muscular and short.

Body
Short, cobby, muscular and well rounded with deep wide brisket; roach back; strong; wide at shoulders and narrowing at loins; good ‘cut up’, ribs well sprung.

Hindquarters
Legs strong, muscular and longer than forelegs thus raising loins above shoulders. Hocks well let down.

Feet
Small, compact and placed in continuation of line of leg, with absolutely sound pasterns. Hind feet rather longer than the fore-feet. Toes compact; well knuckled; nails short, thick and preferably black.

Tail
Undocked, very short, set low, thick at root, tapering quickly towards tip, either straight or kinked, never curling over back nor carried gaily.

Gait/Movement
Free and flowing.

Coat
Texture fine, smooth, lustrous, short and close.

Colour
Brindle, pied or fawn. Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable.
Brindle: a mixture of black and coloured hairs. May contain white provided brindle predominates.
Pied: white predominates over brindle. Whites are classified with pieds for show purposes; but their eyelashes and eye rims should be black. In pieds the white should be clear with definite brindle patches and no ticking or black spots.
Fawn: may contain brindle hairs but must have black eye lashes and eye rims.

Size
Ideal weight: dogs: 12.5 kgs (28 lbs); bitches: 11 kgs (24 lbs). Soundness not to be sacrificed to smallness.

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.


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On a personal note, I have nine French Bulldogs here at home. Of the nine, three have tails long enough to cover anus – Have fun with that one,UK breeders, considering that the previous version of the standard called for the tail to be ‘very short’. As well, I can’t even think of a single dog I’ve owned/known whose ears weren’t already wide and open.

I get the impression that half of these changes are arbitrary, short of those intended to call for less exaggeratedly short muzzles. I believe that more could have been done to encourage the breeding of dogs with free, clear breathing – words to that effect could easily have been added. I’d also not have been adverse to a prohibition against exhibiting dogs who have had palate clips, although I’m not sure if the KC’s scope would also allow for a prohibition against the breeding of dogs who have had palate resections.

Tell me what you think of the changes to the standard – good, bad, pointless?