This may be a stupid question...

How I can put it, the way you feel about the MIXED breeds is how we repsonsible breeders feel about BYB's and mill breeders who don't do the testing and research (all) required.
As I stated in my post just above, neutered males can and do mark. I've never had any probs with my males I've taught.
And yes, females can mark too if so inclined as they have their own minds.
 
None of my neutered boys mark in the house. That's not to say they didn't when they first came home! :( One of my older adoptees marked all the time and had to wear a belly band.
 
My little Hoshi still does this sometimes in the basement. I think limiting access to his pee places really helps. If I let him in the basement I watch him like a hawk and tell him NO! the second he raises his leg. Here's a handout on territorial marking which you may find helpful: http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/territorial.pdf

BTW: We have 2 cats in the basement
 
Males mark, females mark, it is all up
to the training and schedule. Of course if you keep
unaltered dogs around it will be worse. One thing is to make sure you clean up
with an enzyme product like natures miracle or other type of cleaner. Not one that contains amonia.

Now - Heres my question:

what is the main reason you wish to
breed?

It is different now than it was in the 70's. Now we know better.
 
Judyinu said:
I remember when you got both Maggie and Chrystal Blue, because I fell in love with both those dogs. Especially Chrystal, she is sooooo beautiful. How are they both doing, Jo?
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Thanks Judy. Both are about 6 or 7 years old. Time flies!!!

They are doing fine. Maggie decided to explore more of the snow covered yard today. She is not happy being confined in the space I shoveled out for them. She got quite a work out trying to walk in the deep snow. She was determined even though she sinks down to her belly. It is melting a little each day but is still at least 2 ft. She still hates me to touch her feet and that makes inspecting her paws a little difficult but I can be as stubborn as she is!! Maggie needs to lose a little weight. After the snow is melted and the weather gets a little better, we will start to walk again.

Crissy is freaked out by the fact that she can't go out the door she is used to going out. We have to carry her to the laundry room door and she takes off like a bat out of hell when the door is opened. She has a cat in one eye but still seems to be able to see something out of it. She climbed up out of the snow path yesterday and was standing on the top of the snow. Crissy will not like it when they come to haul the debris away from the awning and the screens. I think they will have to use metal cutters. This was a big heavy metal awing that was attached to the house in 1962. It had metal support poles in the front of the awning. Those were bent and snapped like twiggs.

I haven't been on as much focusing on my health issues. I had very high blood pressure and very high cholesterol. I have a lot of stress in my job and worked 10 or 11 hours a day. I was headed for a stroke or heart attack. I am also chronically iron deficient. I was life threateningly low on iron. My doctor prescribed a program at a local health club and I am happy to say that with going 3 times a week and my meds, my blood work is now perfect. Well except that my iron saturation is low. I need to see the hematologist for an infusion. UGH!

Now I do not work as many hours and my health has greatly improved. I will be more active here.

Jo
 
Jo, thanks for the update on Chrissy and Maggie. And on you! Sorry about the BP and cholesterol. I assume you are on meds. Something important to take care of for sure. (gee...saying "for sure" reminds me of Anita!!) I am paranoid about those two problems because cardio/vascular disease runs in my family big time, and I am not getting any younger. My BP was high...on diuretics and Lisinopril and it is about 130/64 now. Cholesterol was not great, but Lipitor has it well within normal limits now.

Take good care of yourself. Best regards to Terri and the girlies!!
 
Jo,

Glad you're taking care of yourself. We want you around here for a long time to come. Very sorry about your awning. That must have been scary. I'm glad no one was hurt.

Sounds like Maggie has begun her own exercise program, "The Deep Snow Workout!"
 
Don't let them overcharge you when they clean up that debris. I'm sure they'll sell all that metal for a nice chunk of change.
 
sk8rchik13ny said:
Can anyone give me advice on how to prevent territorial male marking? i'm just going to leave the breeding issue on the back burner..and take manuels advice on research.
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Glad you decided to stick around. :D. I have always had rescues, and I prefer male dogs. I train in a positive way and keep lots and lots of enzyme cleaner like Natures Miracle around. I never have had a problem with Stormy, but, then Robin trained him :D
 
candelwick said:
Robin & Cindy,

Thanks for such great, informative posts. My dearly departed Rascal was purchased from a puppy mill before I knew better. I like to thnk that I rescued her. If (that's a huge if) we should ever want a puppy, we have some great questions to ask the breeder. I think when we decided to add to our furry family, it will be a dog from a rescue.

Jo
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Thank you, Jo. I think that in the past, many of us bought our dogs from Pet Shops and BYBs -- before we knew better. I don't fault those people -- it's the ones who know better and do it anyway.

Sometimes I feel I'm beating my head against a wall, but I'll keep banging away, speaking out against irresponsible breeding whenever the opportunity arises ... so it is always great when we can help someone see how important it is NOT to reward poor breeding practices, and see past the gimics poor breeders use to sell their "stock." I would love to see them all put our of business and spare people the heartache of buying a poorly bred puppy. Just when we think we have started to get our message across about puppy mills and BYB's, they come up with slick internet ads and new "registries" to suck in unsuspecting new puppy owners.
 
sk8rchik13ny said:
I appreciate all the informative response from everybody,i just joined this forum,and am sharing my personal life and feel hurt,like im being atttacked by everyone and seen as a scumbag because im deciding whether or not to breed.
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I'm sorry if you felt like you were being attacked. My response was to help educate, not condemn. With all the slick ads and tricks the millers and BYBs use, I feel a whisper is not enough to get the truth out -- We need to raise our voices above theirs. Breeding is a real "hot button" topic. We don't know you (but I too, hope you are open minded and will stick around), but when I see someone who talks about having had ten female dogs and two males in a household and are/were breeding, and someone who doesn't know that ConKC is a front for puppy mills and BYBs... that to me is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. What was in the past is in the past. When you know better and choose NOT to do better, that's when I and others will lump whoever in with those who exploit their dogs and unsuspecting puppy buyers. We are here to help educate, and if someone really is set on breeding, to help them do it responsibly.
 
Male marking

It's easier to prevent than correct. With puppies, it's best to neuter before they start lifing their legs. If they see you as the head of the household, chances are they are not going to challenge you by marking in "your territory." If they do try, and you can catch them in the act, a stern NO in the beginning can end it then and there. Annie, do to her health issues, has accidents in the house from time to time -- While Oliver marks over where she goes outside, would never consider doing so in the house --ever.

With an unneutered male, or an older dog, belly bands and consistant training and supervision is the only way to break them of marking in the house.
 
sk8rchik13ny said:
Are there any other younger members like me to this forum???
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I think most of us are middle aged. Kelly is probably one of our youngest regulars. I know there are others too. You can look at member profiles for ages (if they display them).
 
oh no,

I'm middle aged

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

wait, does that mean I will live to be 108?
 
manuel said:
I think most of us are middle aged. Kelly is probably one of our youngest regulars. I know there are others too. You can look at member profiles for ages (if they display them).
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Well, if you count our cockers as members ... there are a lot of young ones here!!!!

Seriously, when it comes to our love of cocker spaniels, age does not matter. We can all learn from one another. Don't let us "old folk" scare you away.
 
Max's_Mommy said:
I am 27 if that's young.
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I guess here thats young. I'm already figured to be young,but im 28.I congratulate you on having 4 boys.I have 1 and know how much of a handful he is.Couldn't imagine 3 more.sounds like your guys(all of them)keep you busy.You have a handsome little boy(Max,lol!)too.
 
Nothing against the "old folk" ,just can feel like having my parents drilling me.No ones fault here,but like i said first joining,I had a rough childhood,dont want to get into details,but have retaliated alot as a kid when it came to school and law.Did alot of stupid things as everybody im sure has.Ive grown up alot since,and have a family now.I appreciate the help on my questions as its been years since I've had to deal with boys marking in the house.Im all grown up and could use the tips from others my mom never had.Like neutralizers and bellybands.never heard of them before.
 
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