Am I being dishonest in not telling these owners-to-be that their pup could be 50% anything?
Am I being dishonest in not telling these owners-to-be that their pup could be 50% anything? General Dog Discussions
I've owned labs for 4+(a little over) years now.I bought my first labs when I was 13. Two of them. Twin brothers! (I don't recommend this; it's best to start with one lab, then if you have enough time and energy, add another)Like said , I was 13 and didn't know much, so I bought them from a cute little pet store at the mall.Don't recommend that either, as they have had many temperament issues due to bad breeding, and some health problems as well.I now have six labs,, ages ~2 yrs ~ 4 yrs ~ 4 yrs ~8 months ~6 yrs ~ 9 yrsMost of my friends know about my love for Labrador Retrievers, and recently someone left a pregnant female lab in a box(yes, in a closed box with two little fork-holes in the top for air i guess?) on my door. The note said she was found outside their yard and they assumed it belonged to me.Well I wasn't about to go hunt down these charming people and give the dog back to them, so I kept her. She had her puppies yesterday, and I set up an appointment with the vet to have her spayed(female organs removed). I know, it sounds cruel to take away a dogs ability to birth puppies, but she's in bad shape and she couldn't handle another birth.I know a really sweet 60 some year old lady who loves animals. She said when the pups are weaned she wants to take the mum in and give the "poor thing the attention it needs" as she puts it.(she's seen the shape that it's in)She's going to pay me to exercise the dog along with mine(i'll just include her on our daily walks) as due to arthritis she can't give the dog the walks it needs.We agreed the mum will be called Molly, and I've already lined up homes for the puppies.Since these dogs are w/out papers, and mutts no doubt, I kind of want to neuter/spay all six of them before I give them away, to prevent accidental births.I talked to the people who I'm giving them to, and they said that would be best, as some of them are breeders and have showdog quality prize winning AKC bitches they wouldn't want to be impregnated by a mutt.I'm going to give them their distemper, parvo and adenovirus vaccines when they get to be about 8 wks, then again at 13 , including the bordatella(kennel cough) vaccine and then rabies at 16 wks and finally another parvo,distemper and adenovirus @ 18 wks. We agreed they wouldn't be leaving until 20 wks old.Now I've never owned a untrained puppy. The labs I bought from the pet store were already house trained and kennel sleepers at night and etc.All my other labs are AKC and were bought pre-trained, and the 8month old i just adopted a few months ago. He's a perfect angel.HOWEVER -- if i'm going to be keeping all six of these pups until they're 20 wks, I want to house train them, keep them crated @ night, and teach them how to walk on a leash.I'm also sending all the owners home with four bottles of biter apple ea., as these dogs will be mostly crated during the 20wks i have them(for house training) and they won't get much "no biting furniture" training.I'm not going to include a re homing fee, as they've already had their vacc. and been altered, and if the owners can't afford to care for the dog at any time they said they will bring them back to me. That's fine with me.Considering I know nothing about this stray dog that passed by, though am I 95% positive she is at LEAST 75% lab(looks, temperament, everything), should I be concerned about health issues she might pass down to the puppies? I've given everyone who's adopting one of the pups my number. I told them if there are any health problems that are hereditary or otherwise, to phone me and I will financially assist them(i'll cover the cost).They all agreed to do that.!~!~!~!~MY QUESTIONI have never been interested in breeding any of my dogs, though most of them are AKC and show quality(could be showed but I just never took interest)..I'm sure mutts make good dogs...But my concern is what breed the sire to these pups is. What if he's a chihuahua??? I told the people adopting that the mother is a lab and they didn't ask about the dad.Is that dishonest of me? should I elaborate and explain that the dad could be anything from great dane to yorkie? I don't want to worry them unnecessarily!ok for the record I'm sure they think it's a purebred yes.The people adopting would make incredibly good homes. They know they aren't AKC(hence why they wanted me to neuter /spay them) but they don't know that the mom might not even be full lab.5 of the homes are people who have AKC show dogs and breed them some and take GREAT pride and store in their dogs.They treat them amazingly.Obviously they know they can't show/breed these dogs, butsome want them namely as hunters most just for family companions.Im afraid if i mention that they might be mutts, they might say screw you lets forget the whole thing.I just want the pups to get a really good home....and these homes lined up are fantastic.I'm sure they think its a purebred---THOUGH i have never said that. I only let them see the mother and they assumed she was lab, as did i and the peopple who dropped her at my door probably(as I've only ever owned labs)
