As I'm sure you know, I pay a yearly subscription for my dog to be registered on Champdogs. It's a great site, and it's strictly monitored; they check pedigrees and need proof of health tests before they add them to your dog's page. Last week I had a puppy enquiry; I replied and told them I would not have a litter this spring but that a female had been mated to Orin, I suggested they get back in touch should they require more details. I heard nothing.
Last night I had two more emails, one from someone else looking for a puppy, but they wanted lines back to "Balko." No can do, but as he was Idol's sire (Ross' grandfather), I suggested they look at his progeny. Balko was a significant sire of his time, but he wasn't the dog for me – though all these years on, I don't remember why!
The other e.mail was asking if Orin was at stud; I sent out my standard reply and was shocked to get a response this morning. Most people who email are only fishing, and more often than not, nothing comes of it. They said the female was health tested and well-bred; of course, I then asked for proof. They asked if they paid my fuel money, would I go to them? ... Hmm 2 hrs ish away, yeah I guess, though it's not the done thing; I have done it before ... and then they asked if they could pay at confirmation of pregnancy? Well, hell no, sorry, as I explained to them, you pay for a service, not a result, and I didn't know them from Adam or his ants. Of course I have done it in the past; I proved Nico on Ziva, but I didn't charge Kevin, who had the next litter from him, until we knew Kia was pregnant. Similarly with Orin, no money exchanged hands before confirmation of pregnancy till the 3rd or 4th female. Also, if there is one or no puppy, then a free mating is obviously on the table. Orin now has nothing to prove as a stud dog or sire, he will mate even difficult bitches and usually produce quality puppies, but getting those first few females below his belt was paramount before thinking about stud fees, after all, I didn't want to put people off using him by pricing myself out. At the time there was a fair bit of interest in him as he was proving himself in the ring, to be honest he was hardly beaten till he moved into limit. But of course proving himself as a sire of quality puppies, well, that's not just a different story to showing success, it's a different book! I really hope for a pup, male or female who is the quality of Beti, or better, in the forthcoming litter. The best of Orin and Mattie in one package could be wonderful.
Anyway, I've digressed, as I do. Having been given the female's name, I checked her out on the RKC website, breeding was Ok I suppose, but an elbow of 2, no sorry. My dog, my rules, sorry Orin, no stud this time!
