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.
Are you kidding? I could adopt a kid from China faster than I could buy a pup from a lot of breeders. Most breeders aren't in it for the money because there isn't any. Most do it for the love of the breed and are very careful people.
Hair - I know all dogs require training, that wasn't my point. Just that some behavior problems are beyond the skill level of many people. Every breeder I know will take back a pup or older dog that develops unusual behavior problems.
One of mine is deaf/partially blind but he sure doesn't look it. He got shuttled around a lot and became a biter. I taught him a touch code and he's a sweety now. Not everybody has the time and skill to work with a dog like that.
Again, I like shelters. I like adopting dogs. I like training dogs. I like volunteering. Guys, I'm on your side. But one size doesn't fit all. If my 84 year old MIL feels more comfortable with her ultra purebred, teeny teacup poodle than she would with a lab mix, it her call. There's room for both.
Hi, Hair! I should've thought to ping you to this thread. I know it is of interest to you.
We got a Silky Terrier. A small long-haired dog that doesn't shed. He'll lose some hair in the brush, just like humans, but he doesn't leave it all over the place. His coat actually feels like human hair.
He's one of the "odorless" varieties. A bit of a misnomer... but it's not a really strong smell, and is beat down with regular baths.
He only comes up to about mid-shin, so the breed's on the small side, which is fine because he's an indoor dog. And, like my wife says, "Little dogs make little poop."
He's intelligent. My wife went with him to obedience school, and he's very well behaved. Can sit, lay down, fetch, stay, heel, beg... all the basics. He house trained very quickly.
He's an excellent watch dog. Obviously he's not going to take down a burgler, but I bet one doesn't sneak up on us either.
We love this dog, and learned about the breed on the AKC Website, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for a dog.
The downside was that he cost more than my first car, but we think he's worth ten times what we paid.
I'd rather spend $1800 for a dog who was bred well. Thank you ever so much.
Is that really a big issue with $1500 registered dogs? I saw the link, and it looks like the fostering organization is doing great things, but I cant imagine that its more than one in a thousand dogs that are actually homeless (as in abandoned). If nothing else, a free add in a paper or a conversation with a few friends would get them at least a temporary home.
Sure, theres always a few nuts who dump their pets in a fit of rage (and beat their kids in the next eruption) but I dont think making fewer $1500 dogs available helps that measurably.
Reminds me of an old joke.
Little girl was on the sidewalk with a box of young kittens and a sign saying "Democrat kittens for sale $5".
John Kerry walks by and says, " oh, isn't that cute."
The next week Kerry walks by the same little girl with the kittens, but this time the sign says, "Republican Kittens for sale $10". Kerry asks the little girl where the democrat kittens were from last week. The little girl explains and says "Oh, these are the same kittens, it's just that now they have their eyes open !"
Do you know anything about this situation, other than that they had a remarkable litter that made the paper? Do you know anything about the supply and demand of Mastiffs in England or the quality of the parents of this litter? Are you ignoring all of our points and just arguing your extremely skewed perspective, reality be damned?
Got any pictures of your pooch?
A ton, but I wouldn't have the first idea of how to get them on a website. I'm challenged in that way... if only I could be "protected class."
Oh dear... That is just such a pitiful answer!
I agree that responsible breeders are not the problem. That said, there may not be homeless mastiff puppies, but there are plenty of homeless mastiff dogs -- too often original owners abandon them not for behavior problems, but instead simply when they find out how big they get and how much it costs to feed them.
We adopted a Rottweiler we found abandoned along the highway at a popular doggie-dumping spot (tried everything to find her first family, but couldn't). She's the sweetest, calmest, friendliest, most obedient dog we've ever met; she was clearly loved and well-socialized. We assume she just got too big for her original owners to handle (and they were too ignorant to give her to a breed-rescue program). If we hadn't been able to keep her, she would have ended up in a rescue program and would have made some Rottie lover very happy.
We let our then-7-year-old son name him. He named him "Jango Spy." Jango is his "first name" and Spy is his "last name."
He liked the bounty hunter from Star Wars (or at least he thought it was a cool name) and he loved the movie Spy Kids.
We thought it was an odd name, but we dutifully registered him as "Jango Spy" and he's been "Jango" ever since. It suits him.
Well it extends to how people view adoption vs. artifical insemination... why are some people getting other people's frozen eggs and not adopting a baby? they both cost the same.
Below (on the right) is a picture of the latest irresistable hard luck case to cross my path. We found him hanging out in the doorway of our corner convenience store on Christmas Eve. Very sweet old guy. No response to flyers we posted about him, no idea where he came from, but our Gidget the spotted dog adores him, and she doesn't usually like anybody ;~D.
We named him "Homer" because he needed a Home-er... but it also fits him. He's not real "deep".
Nice find!
But is even part of the solution to make these dogs even more rare as I mentioned in post #85?
I'll bet that in your free time you protest yeast, too.
A lot can be determined about people by how their dog looks at them.
I tease my wife by saying that the dog calls her "Beloved" because he is so devoted to her. I'll come home and he is thrilled to see me, lots of dancing around, wanting petting. But if my wife snaps her fingers, he'll abandon me in a heartbeat. Oh, well, I guess that's because she feeds him.
My dog's litter of ten had their eyes open and they were already barking and fighting each other at birth.
In a lot of societies they put troublemakers to sleep regardless of species.
Go away idiot.
As if I can not have an opinion other than yours.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.