16/03/2025
Warning - graphic pictures in the comments….
Those of you that think breeding is easy! Breeding can make you money! Right!!!
Right from day 40 of Saffy’s pregnancy…
Saffy went off her food so I went through so many different concoctions from different kibble, different wet, raw, and then eventually cooking up chicken, steak, pork chops, mince 4 times a day… just to make sure she was getting her food in.
Pups were born, one needed reviving - all good, pup checked at the vets and no fluid in lungs and heart was strong.
Then… one of the pups started failing… out of hour vet’s (expensive) and then normal vet’s where we found out that the pups arn’t covered by insurance!
After so much blubbing and soul searching, pup was signed over to the vets for the absolute best care but she unfortunately didn’t make it.
Then, the next day, back to the vets with Saffy for an ultrasound and x-ray to check that there was no retained placenta as both the vet and I agreed that ‘something’ could be felt… turned out to be nothing thankfully.
This is when I found out that my Kennel Club insurance doesn’t cover anything to do with breeding!
My argument was, I’m registered with you as a Kennel Club breeder, why on earth would I not have breeding on my Kennel Club insurance??? Apparently I didn’t tick the box that covers breeding!!!!
So lots more money paid out but hey, Saffy and the pups were good, that’s the main thing.
The rest of the pup process was pretty plain sailing and normal.
Until I then receive an email from the council saying I had been reported for breeding without a licence!
Wait! What! I don’t need a licence, I’m a hobby breeder, I don’t make much money from the pups and what I do make, is declared to HMRC through my accountant!
I declare it so as not to be making ‘cash in hand’ and possibly caught but the fact I declare it, and the fact I had a website, and the fact I advertise my pups for sale, makes me a commercial breeder!
4 weeks wait then for my interview, where I was read my rights and told that illegal breeding could result in 6 months imprisonment or a hefty fine and possibly banned from applying for a licence! S**t!!!
Apparently, my post on Ludgershall Shout Out, asking if there were any puppy rescues locally, was sent into the council and reported!
Another 2 weeks wait and I’m told no fine and no ban on applying for a licence. The welfare of my dogs and puppies was never in question, only the breeding without a licence but they accepted that it was a genuine mistake on my part.
So… pups have now left for their new home, weaned from 6 1/2 weeks and raring to go.
Following day, I noticed Saffy has started producing lots of milk again on one side of her body, and a couple of her teats were getting hard and lumpy. Into the shower we go, expressing a little to ease the pressure on her, not too much though as we don’t want to encourage milk production again!
I did this 3 times before getting her down the vets on the Wednesday evening and asking for something to dry up the milk.
Thursday morning, back down there as teats were looking very swollen and sore even though she’s on the medication to stop milk production.
Saffy was given pain relief and started on antibiotics.
Thursday evening, she was admitted to vet hospital with severe mastitis!
She spent 5 days with me picking her up from day vets and dropping her to the night vets in the evening, then picking her up again in the AM to take her back to the day vets.
Her mastitis went from a little bruising to huge open wounds!
Now she is home, we are back down the vets twice a day for her wounds to be flushed, and for them to monitor the dead flesh and pus coming out. Midday and midnight I flush her open wounds. I was squeamish to begin with but now it’s almost normal!
Saffy is an absolute angel and just stands there whilst it’s done. It hurt her to begin with but now it’s all open- she can’t feel it as much.
She will need an operation to strip out her mammary glands and then close up the holes.
She will also be spade, probably not at the same time but not putting her through this again.
It’s nobodies fault, her body just decided to start producing milk again on one side.
So, those of you that think breeding is an ‘easy buck’ I will have spent, just shy of £8000 in total when all this is done and no insurance!
I AM going to go for my licence, with the blessing of the licensing team from the council, and I will be back.
Just won’t be pups from Saffy.
(Pics in comments)
Holiday home for your loved doggies. In my home as a family member. We bred Working English Springer spaniels, working Golden Retrievers and Labringers. Til 2011
