Clay Hall Puppies

This week my attention was drawn to Clay Hill Puppies, a dog breeder granted a licence by S Norfolk Council for 21 breeding bitches.  Why, because of the very odd and obscure names they are calling their designer puppies, Beafies, Ba Shar, Jackahuahua, Jackapoo, Springador, Norfolk Mountain Dog!!!  For goodness sake, what is the matter with breeders that they must make up silly names for cross breeds, breeds that do not in my opinion always make a good mix.  Is the thinking behind the weird names to attract the buying public into thinking they are purchasing something really special over and above the normal pedigree dog?  The price  asked for a fashionable cross breed puppy is usually at a premium and people appear willing to pay the asking price for reasons that I fail to understand.  Especially if the breeder has not even bothered to health screen under (KC and BVA screening schemes) the dogs they intend using for breeding prior to mating for known hereditary conditions of each of the pedigree dogs used.  There really is no excuse for failing to do this. 

Having looked at the forum on the web site of the above breeding kennels it is clear that some purchasers have experienced problems with their puppies.  Entropion and skin problems are both known conditions in the shar pei one of the breeds used when crossing with another of their pedigree breeds.  Have to question why they continue knowing that the purchaser is likely to experience problems with their puppy resulting  in an operation and vets fees.  

Purchasers should not be fooled into purchasing puppies with fancy names however cute the name may sound, unless they have checked the natural characteristics of both breeds and the hereditary conditions they  are prone too before purchase. 

I am not against cross breeds, in fact have owned one myself a cross golden retriever/labrador retriever, both gun dog breeds of reputable parentage. But when breeders intentionally choose to breed from two incompatable pedigree dogs, to produce puppies that they can place a designer label on for monetory gain, without health screening is in my opinion detrimental to animal welfare.

If you are thinking of buying a puppy, please do all the necessary research before leaving home.  If you have been unfortunate enough to have purchased a puppy with a hereditary condition or in other words in the eyes of consumer law a 'faulty puppy' you are covered by the Sale of Goods Act 1979, details of what action you can take for redress against the seller can be found by googling Consumer Direct.