Posted on 01/21/2005 6:26:56 AM PST by Rodney King
A Neapolitan mastiff in Manea, United Kingdom, has broken a world record by giving birth to a litter of 24 mastiff puppies, according to a report.
Breeders Damian Ward and his girlfriend, Anne Kellegher, had only been expecting their two-year-old mastiff, Tia, to give birth to a maximum of 10 puppies after a scan from a local veterinarian.
When Tia grew so large she could barely move, the couple took the dog to the vets, who decided that an immediate caesarean was vital. Two hours later, Tia had given birth to the record 24 puppies.
Four of the puppies were too weak and died but the remaining 20 are thriving.
All but three of the pups are up for sale. They are worth more than $1,800 each.
Tia's achievement is now likely to set two records in the Guinness World Records -- the biggest litter and that of the most surviving puppies.
A Guinness World Records spokesman said the current record stands at 23.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Puppies don't get teeth until they are practically weaned.
That's cuter than a box full of puppies.
Oh ... that is a box full of puppies.
I think that goes against both the laws of God and of nature. How did you do that... Wait, I really don't want to know the details. :-)
There are no homeless mastiff puppies, just like there are no abandoned new cars littering the highways. Homeless animals are a problem, but stopping the breeding of mastiff puppies is no more the answer than stopping car production is the answer to abandoned cars.
See #25
Now if I could just get my girlfriend to litter like that.
Well,...I guess I should be happy for my ex.
That is one big pile of puppies. O_o
I agree that shelter pets should be a first option, but I don't think blaming the breeders is fair or constructive. Like it or not, there's a market and the ethical ones are meeting it. Our culture needs to change so that people who want to adopt pets recognize they don't need to spend $500 for the perfect pug when there are plenty of lovable mutts who need a good home. I don't know how this happens except at an individual level.
woof
Just turn her over
sorry, old joke.
But responsible breeders who show and compete their dogs are selling a quality product for which there is always a high demand. My dog's breeder has a waiting list and her pups are spoken for as soon as she announces a breeding. When somebody in our hunting club announces a breeding, by the time the pups are ready to be weaned they are almost all spoken for.
And you might get a high-quality dog from the pound, but the chances are stacked against you. If you have a specific need (hunting, field trials, agility trials, coursing) the pedigreed dog bred for your need is the only way to go.
Plus pound dogs often have health and temperamental issues. Meeting all a dog's relatives is the best way to assess what his temperament is likely to be, and you can't do that with a pound pup.
Don't you think it's unlikely that a grown adult doesn't realize that they can go to the pound and adopt a pet?
The only explanation is that, being aware of their options and hopefully having done some research, they've made a specific decision to buy a specific breed.
I'm not anti-mutt or anti-pound-dog. We did a lot of research before bringing a pet into our home, and decided to buy a specific breed. Our research paid off, and we're thrilled with our dog. This seems much more responsible than grabbing whatever is available at the pound and then determining that it's not the right pet for our family.
What the public could probably use a little more education on is the need to spay/neuter their pets.
You should really know what you're talking about before opening your mouth. We didn't run a "puppy mill", we had 1 female that we bred twice.
Another point is that an ethical breeder will always take a dog back for any reason, whether health issues, temperament issues, or the owners just can't keep the dog for whatever reason. Responsible breeders have a pretty hefty contract that you sign - with limited registration and a neuter-spay agreement, and a first refusal provision.
Those folks aren't the problem.
Exactly! Thank you.
I think you are overstating the risk of pound dogs... As much as the other poster is overstating the evil of anyone intentionally breeding.
All dogs need to be taught to live in any home, whether you buy them as pups or get them from the pound. I've found that like most people, most dogs are pretty resilient to rough treatment and pretty forgiving and flexible in new environments. Most people ~don't~ compete in dog sports, nor are most contributing to the betterment of the breed. They are looking for a pet dog, and even if they are looking for a particular style or breed, most people should not be reluctant to look for that pet at the pound. The dogs there certainly deserve the home.
Hi Tonto... What kind did ya get?
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