Quote:
Originally Posted by mona_b
Do you mean poorly bred? You say you got her from a family at 5 months. Well that tells me that family got her from a BYB. If it was an ethical breeder, then the contract would have stated they returm the dog if they can't keep her.
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Actually, Lady has a pedigree longer than my arm and is registered with the AKC. She became a "pet" I suspect because she is undersized and has too much white on her by AKC conformity standards. I also suspect that the family from whom I purchased her did not realize the amount of grooming she would require and that her laid back nature did not tolerate the antics of a very young family and a mature doberman. I also suspect they might have been too embarrassed to return her to the breeder or the hassles of crossing the US-Canada border with a dog were unappealing to them.
When I said "over bred" I was making a general statement about Cocker Spaniels, especially Americans, in general. Since the release of Lady & the Tramp, CS's have been increasingly bred for looks and to supply the demand of people who wanted a "dog just like in the movie". I suppose the increasing urbanization of the North American population has also contributed to the loss of CS's hunting traits since most urban dwellers are not usually the type to go hunting. I know this is an issue with other breeds of dogs, Dalmations for example.
Lady herself is a very healthy and active dog with no real issues other than allergies, which are common in many dogs, let alone purebreds.