Just received my report from OFA and am sad to say my bitch is OFA Excellent on hips and one grade 1 and one grade 3 elbow. It's hard to see such good hips and then have an elbow problem. Of course I will not breed her, but I am going to let her be shown through the next year as she is half finished. This may not set well with some people, but I don't think it's against any rules--just my choice what to do.

I totally understand. I recently had a bitch OFA "good" on her hips and grade II ED in both elbows. Although, she was spayed a week after the devastating news. I am sorry, I understand your pain and heartache whole-heartedly!

I hopoe your joking?
It is fine with me if you continue to show her and spay her later. I wish I had done that with mine. Good luck in the show ring.

While I am sorry to hear that your girl did not pass her elbows, I can totally understand your desire to continue to show her. Some say showing is a sport and something we enjoy doing with our dogs. Some dogs, IMHO, that finish their Championships should never be used for breeding and many others who never finish their Championships have gone on to produce outstanding offspring. If you are having fun with her and doing well in the ring, enjoy it! I had a lovely young boy once who won a major the day after a specialty and came back borderline hips and grade one elbows. I chose to neuter and place him. I have a lovely bitch with TVD who had 3 major reserves and 4 or 5 points. I chose not to finish her, but now as a veteran she is doing very well. She loves to show, so do I. It's all fun! So go out there, just have fun. Life is too short to take things too seriously. Sometimes things work out and some times they don't. Best of luck to you and your girl!

Dianne

So sorry to hear your bad news. I had the same thing happen to me several years ago...and it hurt. But, you know what, that bitch is spayed in a wonderful pet home and has never had a lame day in her life (she is now 6 yrs). So, she is fine and I survived to try again... Hang in there... I've always thought that if you can find some good in it, then it wasn't for nothing. If you've learned something about her, showing, or elbows...and take it with you to better your future breeding/showing, then it's not the end of the world.

Best,

Leslee Pope
Huntcrest

I would spay and get on with your program. That is what I did with a mild hip. Had been doing so great in the ring. But had others to show and was so broken hearted at that point.

Not looking for flames here, but what about those whose dogs have actually cleared all health tests and are out there looking for those points? We're not talking about just one "grade I elbow" here...

You are going to go out there and show a b*tch you will never breed in a sport where the entire idea is to "showcase your breeding stock." And in doing so, potentially take those points from those whose breeding stock are actually worthy of being bred, and of being bred as champions?

That sounds pretty selfish to me- like it is all about your ego in having a pretty b*tch?
I would love to hear the reasoning behind this.

I think it is fine to show the bitch..."Looking for points" is totally out of line....as a matter of fact the bitch with the elbow problem might win the points one day and "looking for points'" bitch might win the next day...relying on the affected elbow bitch to increase the value of the points won......we all need each other out there in the ring to get any points! Enjoy showing your bitch!Bummer on the elbow report.

Not looking for flames here, but what about those whose girls have actually cleared all health tests and are out there looking for those points? We're not talking about just one "grade I elbow" here...

You are going to go out there and show a b*tch you will never breed in a sport where the entire idea is to "showcase your breeding stock." And in doing so, potentially take those points from those whose breeding stock are actually worthy of being bred, and of being bred as champions?

That sounds kindof selfish to me- like it is all about having a pretty b*tch?
I would love to hear the reasoning behind this.

Sorry: Double-posted instead of just editing previous post.

Sorry but the purpose is not just to showcase breeding stock, it is a sport and a hobby for many.
We all lose more than we win and you act like she would be stealing your points! Geeesh. She might be adding to your points.

From http://www.akc.org/events/conformation/index.cfm

"Conformation

If you have questions or comments about Conformation, contact the AKC staff.

Dog shows, or "conformation" events, are the signature events of the AKC. They concentrate on the distinctive features of purebred dogs and help to preserve these characteristics BY PROVIDING A FORUM AT WHICH TO EVALUATE BREEDING STOCK.

Exhibits are judged against individual breed standards, which have been established for the AKC-recognized breeds by their parent clubs. These written standards describe the ideal size, color, and temperament of each breed, as well as correct proportion, structure, and movement."

I understand having a hobby and wanting to compete with your dog. What about doing performance events if you really feel like you still want to get out there and participate in the ring? I'm just trying to figure out why you would want to do show a dog in conformation who hasn't passed a particularly important health clearance- one that has a lot to do with internal structure of its joints.

i agree that they are out there being evaluated as breeding stock. if their not breedable then they shouldn't be out there. this is why you can't show a neutered dog (except veterans who are not breedable anyway). they are not breeding stock. having the dogs is a hobby but the actual showing is ony a small part of it. of course there are always some that see it differently and they will never go away. differences of opinion is rampant here of course as always.

The show secretary doesn't check copies of clearances when you make your entry. Besides, there are plenty of dogs that do pass clearances that never get bred for various reasons. Should a championship title be stripped from a dog who is sterile, one whose owner was unable to breed it due to other life committments, or a stud dog who was never utilized because there were plenty of other proven stud dogs that got used instead??? PUHLEEZ!

Showing is a hobby--partake in it if you enjoy it. It's YOUR money for the entry fees. If you want to enter, go right ahead and do so. As a previous poster mentioned, it might be your dog that is the "point fodder" for their dog on a given day. The whole dog showing game is a crapshoot anyways.

Although I have only been in this game for 10 years, I've had a fair share of dogs wash out. With each of them, I spent considerable time and money showing them. Yet, each of those dogs taught me something about the breed and handling Labs in the show ring and performance venues. They each had their show ring quirks that I learned how to deal with in the ring which has made me a better handler.

Looking for Points, it sounds like you might be insecure about the quality of your bitch if you are so worried about a bitch competing against yours that failed a clearance. If your dog is that much superior to the others, she should have no problems completing her championship.

Maybe the original poster enjoys showing and doesn't have anything else to show. Not everyone has a kennel full of dogs nice enough to take into the ring. And there are some of us who do only have a single dog. If one isn't breeding their own stock in order to get new dogs, it's not often easy to get nice show potential dogs from other breeders.

Personally, it would take the joy and fun out of it for me if I knew I was not going to be able to breed her.

I know personally of a situation in which a bitch got pyometria & was spayed. Her owner kept showing the bitch.

Getting points in labs is really, really tough. Even with a really, really nice dog. It seems selfish and self serving to get points on a spayed bitch as it is denying other deserving bitches the points.

I have no problem with the OP showing her bitch, I do have a problem with someone showing a spayed bitch as it is clearly against AKC rules. If someone turns her in, not only will she lose any points accrued but is subject to suspension and a fine.
My sense of fair play wrestles constantly with my not wanting to be a busybody while I stand by and watch a dog in the ring that I know (not by a rumor but by the owners admission) that has had OCD surgery. I won't be the one to turn that owner in but I do know that I question the ethics in every other aspect of that owners dog dealings.

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Replying to:

I know personally of a situation in which a bitch got pyometria & was spayed. Her owner kept showing the bitch.

Getting points in labs is really, really tough. Even with a really, really nice dog. It seems selfish and self serving to get points on a spayed bitch as it is denying other deserving bitches the points.

If you want to continue to have fun and show your dog, go ahead. I really considered finishing my boy with TVD and then neutering him, but decided that I was more comfortable with neutering him and letting him just be a couch potato instead. One consideration for me was the large amount of $$$ it takes to go to shows. I decided to spend that money on my other dogs. I am going to start him in obedience and some field work (as long as his heart is up to that!).
Sheila

About 9 1/2 years ago, I was given the most awful news - that my male (who was about 7 months old) had something wrong with his heart. Off to the specialist we go (the same day) - and he told us that the dog had TVD. It was moderate to severe. (I had never even heard of it, at the time.) His life expectancy was anywhere from 2 1/2 to 5 years.

Well, I decided to try to do everything I could to help him. I started to cook special foods just for him. I followed him around the yard to check to see what the color of his gums were when he played. If he played too hard - I made him come in. I was just hovering over him for weeks. Feeling rather exhausted from this, I decided to just let him live as a normal dog, playing and swimming and retrieving, etc. to his heart's content.

He is now 10 years old and not quite as active, but he has always done what all of the other dogs were doing. I'm glad that I made the decision to let him have that fun. I guess you just never know how things will go.