Rehoming a dog - what to check.....?

Spyda

Spyda

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My close neighbour recently lost his 6 year old cavalier spaniel to mitral heart disease. He'd purchased him as a puppy from a reputable breeder and the dog's sudden death was a big shock. He's decided he'd like to find another cavalier but doesnt want a puppy or very young dog as he's elderly himself. He's in contact with the Cavalier Rescue but hasn't had any luck finding a dog through them in the past 3 months, so I have been looking elsewhere on his behalf as well. I am now in contact with a couple who have a 4 year old neutered male to rehome due to moving home and expecting their second baby. At my request they've given me the dogs KC name and treating vet so I can check his breeding and double check he's not got any health issues as promised. Can I view the dogs breeding via Kennel Club website? I cant see anywhere online to do this. I'd also like to check out his breeder as the KC prefix looks to point to a Carmarthanshire estalishment that bred several breeds of dog, but which no longer has a website. What checks can I make before driving the 150 miles to view him?
 
Ask for permission to speak to their vet - or actually for them to give their vet permission to speak to you.
You need parent's names to put into the health scheme lookup as a pet dog will not have been health tested.
 
s4sugar said:
Ask for permission to speak to their vet - or actually for them to give their vet permission to speak to you.
You need parent's names to put into the health scheme lookup as a pet dog will not have been health tested.
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So, I need to ask them for the dogs parents names too before I can check anything with KC?
 
to be safest with health issues he might be better to persuade himself to have another breed - I know that sounds unhelpful but the breed does have some major issues that some other breeds dont....
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
to be safest with health issues he might be better to persuade himself to have another breed - I know that sounds unhelpful but the breed does have some major issues that some other breeds dont....
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I know, I know. I so whole heartedly agree. But it's the only breed he's ever owned and he's determined as he loves them so much. He's had several during his lifetime and has been lucky as this is the first to die so prematurely. His dog previous to this one one died in his sleep at 12. This last one died in my arms as my husband and I drove him at speed to the vet. It was tragic to see our neighbour so distraugt. Particularly as his wife had just had a stroke the month before and was in care. She passed away last week and was buried this Tuesday just gone, and although we neighbours are doing our best to keep his spirits up, I know he's very lonely with neither his wife or dog at home any longer. I've been looking for suitable dogs via our local dog rescue, and my husband and I have been trying to pursuade him to be open about giving another type of dog a much needed loving home, but he's just SO set his heart on another CKC. If I can, I will try to help him.

I've got the KC details of this dog's sire and dam but neither of the three are on record as having been screened. I've got the dog's vet's details, the one who's vaccinated him from a puppy and who neutered him last year and he says there's nothing he's picked up from his interaction with the dog, but these innate illnesses aren't so obvious without screening. I dont know what to do. Maybe take a day off and travel up to see the dog and meet the people. My kids are due a day trip out!
 
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I am sure you could find a rescue/rehome Cav closer than 150 miles away? Could anyone on here help?
TBH I would not let one bad experience ruin your expectations of an entire breed - choose carefully as you are doing - if you listened to some people on here all the German Shepherds we have ever owned should have keeled over and their hips would have fallen out, but in many decades we've only had one poorly one and that has absolutely nothing to do with his hips.
 
Have a look at Many Tears they have a number of cavs at the moment and there may be one being fostered not too far from you depending on where you are. Worth a look maybe. :)
 
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