The hard part about being a conformation person

• The hard part about being a conformation person rwbeagles Posted : 1/29/2007 10:24:45 AM Is admitting those faults and making decisions...sigh.   Sandy will be destined for a pet home it would appear. She's developed a hitch in her gait...this is apparently common in Beagles but nothing I want to deal with from a breeding perspective. Movement faults are a bear to overcome.   I will be getting her knees palpated and her hips x rayed to rule out major causes that might affect her later...but my suspicion is that like so many others...it'll be a "who knows".  Then she'll be spayed and hang out here til the right people show up to give her a great pet home.   Current school of thought is that it is a mannerism or even a 'tic'... Or since it seems to occur in exceptionally well muscled individuals...that it's simply an overtightness of the muscles and ligaments in the rear. Either make sense to me...   Hitching individuals have been x rayed and palpated seven ways from Sunday and no one's yet been able to trace it to an actual problem with construction of the joints or bones...*grr* so aggravating! Other breeds, esp toys that hitch or "skip" have been often found to have slipping patellas but that's simply not the case in the Beagle...where knee problems are uncommon to say the least.   So....such is a breeder's life. Hope and hope but you cannot control what Nature has in mind or the many interesting curves she can throw you! I had been planning to breed Nonnie this next season but now I might just sit out and speak with her breeder further about that... LIKE 16 REPLIES 681 VIEWS LAST POST POWDERHOUND Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• MissMandy Posted : 1/29/2007 11:08:09 AM Sorry to hear about Sandy. I can imagine that must be really frustrating for you. I hope her x-rays turn out A-OK!! 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• denise m Posted : 1/29/2007 11:52:38 AM I'm sorry to hear about Sandy. It must be disappointing. I guess that is why breeding dogs is not for everybody. It msut be very difficult to "rehome" a dog that you have established a relationship with because of something that seems so minor in the scope of things. That is exactly why I could never breed. I won't even allow myself to visit a shelter or a pet store with puppies. If I did, I would soon be known as the crazy lady with hundreds of dogs. I periodically check my breeders web page to see what is new. I have noticed a lot of her male dogs are no longer there. The pick-of-the-litter (male) from Kobi's litter was posted for sale about a year ago. I was saddened to think that she could part with this dog after 2 years. I wish I had seen the posting earlier. I would have grabbed it in a minute. I guess you cannot be successful breeding dogs if you let emotions dictate your decisions. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Pwca Posted : 1/29/2007 11:56:57 AM Oh man, that's frustrating. I hope the PERFECT people come along soon.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 1/29/2007 11:58:47 AM Emotions have to be tempered that's for sure...placing dogs for any reason is never easy. I might have to whine to my Mom....she has an open spot in her house..lmao... 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• chelsea_b Posted : 1/29/2007 12:09:40 PM I sure don't mean to offend, I'm honestly curious.. Why not just keep her? So what if she can't show or breed? How much room can one super cute little beagle take up? [] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• bunni Posted : 1/29/2007 12:10:23 PM I feel for you Gina. I currently have three "unemployed" poodles. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• anne Posted : 1/29/2007 12:11:09 PM Aww..no way, Sandy is going to another home? She is sooo pretty.   I hope your mom decides to take her, she seems like a super special dog 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Xerxes Posted : 1/29/2007 12:22:04 PM Gina, I am with you on movement flaws.  Those are the toughest to overcome, and with our group focusing on movement for the performance of their "jobs."  Too bad you can't just show her standing still. []      0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 1/29/2007 12:27:37 PM Chelsea you don't offend lol. I'm used to that question [].   It's common practice to hold onto promising pups until you really, truly see what you have...sometimes it takes a while for faults to develop..and once they do you must decide what the next step will be.   There eventually would be a call to make when I do another litter...because I always plan on keeping and growing out 1 or 2 puppies...planning to keep them to go on with. Our city has a dog limit...which is very generous I'd say...at 5. I am at 4 now...and obviously...if I keep all pups that don't turn out I wouldn't have much wriggle room. It's not so much a matter of room...as it is a matter of legality. I prefer to do my placements when I call the shots as to time frame (as in this case...no hurry...whenever the right home comes up)...as opposed to when AC comes knocking and gives you 10 days to place someone....not fun, and this has happened to people I know thanks to nasty neighbors or even jealous competitors.   Many people work with similar constraints (or even worse ones ick). It's not for everyone...and not everyone is going to understand or agree with what you do. That's okay, at least from my end lol.   0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 1/29/2007 12:29:55 PM Xerxes tell me about it haha! You know what most frustrating? I had her out last month and she wasn't doing it....but she wasn't bodied up enough to be competitive...some of these girls even in PUPPY classes look like they're 4 and have had a litter lol! Now she's thru a season and looks great...and this hitching starts up...grrr. I have learned a bit about the possible inheritence tho of the problem and that's something valuable to know...every little bit helps in the minefield of breeding... 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• rwbeagles Posted : 1/29/2007 12:34:31 PM Oh and Xerxes...for all the flying trots going around the Beagle ring...did you kow the Beagle standard doesn't say ANYTHING about movement? So techincally...her hitch "could" be proper movement...[sm=biggrin.gif] Now...how many judges could I convince of that? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• mudpuppy Posted : 1/29/2007 3:51:38 PM hmm. If it's just a "habit" maybe you could clicker-train her to not do it? click and treat for gaiting normally? 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Xerxes Posted : 1/29/2007 3:56:16 PM ORIGINAL: rwbeagles Oh and Xerxes...for all the flying trots going around the Beagle ring...did you kow the Beagle standard doesn't say ANYTHING about movement? So techincally...her hitch "could" be proper movement...[sm=biggrin.gif] Now...how many judges could I convince of that?   The trick is convincing all the other beagles in the ring to have that hitch.  Then the ones without it will be faulted!  [] 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• micksmom Posted : 1/29/2007 4:58:14 PM The trick is convincing all the other beagles in the ring to have that hitch. Then the ones without it will be faulted!   LOL    Gina, I'm really sorry about Sandy.  I'm glad it's nothing that will cause her pain, tho.  She's such a sweet girl. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login