Please can you recommend any breeders with health screened dogs who live near Norfolk, UK?

[Lorna Beckett]

Hello Everyone

I've joined this blog in the hope of being able to help a friend of mine who is on the brink of lossing her beloved Irish Setter of 13 to hip dysplasia. She has always had Irish Setters and is a brilliant owner, once she losses her girl she will be in desperate need of a puppy, so I've taken it upon myself to try and make enquires, as she isn't in any state to at the moment, to try and find breeders in/near Norfolk who health screen/hip test their dogs and only use dogs who have been screened and might be having pups in the not too distant future.

 

I'd be grateful for any help or suggestions.

 

With thanks

Lorna

[Karen McKelvey]

You can get a list of breeders in your area from the kennel club. However as good as your intentions are your friend may not want a new puppy immediately as one new one can never replace the one she has now and she may need some time to grieve for her oldie. I suggest you talk to your friend only she will know when she is ready.You are anticipating a situation as she still has her oldie.

[Lorna Beckett]

Many thanks for your replies. I spoke with my friend just yesterday, and she said she know the best thing is to get a pup as soon as she loses her girl. She is retired and at home all day with her dog on her own, so an empty house is going to be agonising for her. She has had years of watching the hip dysplasia gradually claim her girl, so to lose your best friend is terrible but the space and emptiness after is even worse. 

I have told her I will try and find out health checked breeders for her, so I can help when she's ready. My friend is no good at the internet etc, so doesn't know where to begin.

[Dawn Riddell]

I understand you're trying to help, but it may be that the breeders in the chosen area might not have a litter at the time your friend ''requires'' her puppy. Puppies are not waiting on the shelf as it were, so you might have to cast the net further, or wait some time for a puppy in Norfolk.

Dawn R.

[Dee Rance]

When you have found a breeder ask lots of questions...re health checks etc...and try to look at a few litters before deciding..(but that one is hard to do especially when you are in the middle of a lovely litter) and when you go...look at the rest of the dogs that live in the house...ask about what the mother and farther has done in the show ring..and use your eyes and your nose...and just chat...think about what you want to know and ask...(so write it down before you go see the puppies)...and tick it off when you get to the litter...no one will mind of they are reputable...

[Carmel Murphy]

I understand that your friend is anxious to get a pup quickly after her oldie has gone! Perhaps she might consider a rescue setter? Maybe one already a year or two old and needing a loving home? If she is determined to have a pup then look for the breeder who health checks his/her dogs and who has a clean and caring home for the pups(not so important what the parents have done in the show ring;o)))  Ask lots of questions and meet all the breeder's other dogs and interact with them;o) You will get the right feeling when you meet a nice breeder! Good luck!!

[Lorna Beckett]

Many thanks for all your replies and advise. She has had a rescue Setter in the past (she has had Irish Setters for over 30 years)but the trouble is there would be no way of knowing if a resue dog has come from hip scored parents. She will be good at picking a nice pup and good breeder, it's just she didn't realise until I told her that dogs are hip scored - she assumed that if she got it from what seemed a decent breeder it would be a sound and healthy pup.

On a personal level, I'm a Pointer person (have been for over 20 years) and have waited for over four years to get the right pup, so neither she or I are the sort to rush in and grab what ever is going or to think that they just 'grow on trees'. I realise that she might have to wait or travel for the right pup, especially if it needs to come from health checked/hip scored parents, and this is why I am trying to find out about good breeders a head.

With thanks

Lorna

[Karen McKelvey]

Lorna, Many breeders carry out health checks on the parents of their litter however it does not guarantee that all puppies in the litter of good hip scoring parents will have good hip scoring puppies, the chances are higher. It has been known for a puppy from good hip scoring parents to have a poor hip score and when looked into one or more of its grand parents have either not been hip scored or have a poor one.So while there are some things like CLAD and PRA which indicate they are clear the hip score is not a guarantee but a help. I realise the hips are obviously a high priority for your friend but hip scored parents is only an indicator of the parents hips not the offspring. Look on the irishsetter uk and ireland site for available puppies it is up dated regularly with pedigrees and photos etc for litters in your area sometimes it gives expected litters too that you can book a puppy.

Good luck

Karen

[Nicky Vangalis]

Can I recommend Dee Farndell? I don't think she has any litters at the moment but my goodness we have been so so happy with Ollie.  She is based in your area and I cannot recommend her and Malcolm, her husband, enough.  I agree with everyone else though; she will need time to grieve and most certainly any breeder worth their salt will check that you aren't just replacing a lost oldie.  When we lost Eva we didn't know how long it would be before we were ready; it ended up being 4 months.  Some people can go weeks, some people years.  I know Ollie's brother from the same litter scored a perfect hip score - because we don't show him we haven't got him scored himself.  You may increase the chances but there is not necessarily a correlation with good parents and a good litter, although in all fairness it is more likely.  Breeders can't guarantee a good score so it's really important that your friend knows that. Best of luck with it and let's hope the oldie enjoys the rest of its days.  Please also remember HD is not the only thing that can affect a setter and I wish to goodness there was a way of checking all pups for all potential ailments as it's always a heartache and you never want to see future dogs suffer from the same thing. 

[Lorna Beckett]

Yes, I know there are no guarantees, that the pup with be Ok, even if the parents have good scores, but as you say, at least you're uping your chances (I'm quite well up on hip scoring etc as I headed a petition among the Pointer world to try and get the KC make hip scoring compulsury in all dogs used for breeding).

I agree, my friend needs to feel ready for a pup, and everyone takes different amounts of time to get to that place, but I'm anxious to be in a position to help when she is ready. I also feel that it will be a comfort for her to know there are breeders out there for her to go to when she's ready - all light at the end of the tunnel.

[Lorna Beckett]

Nicky - please might you be able to  pass on Dee Farndell's contact details? Thanks very much.