Rare dog breeders hit by lockdown ‘disaster’

THE boom in dog purchases during lockdown has failed to help boost the number of puppies from rare breeds.

Although the lockdowns saw a huge demand for puppies, with breeders of popular dogs cashing in on the surge, it has been a “logistical nightmare” for owners of lesser known varieties.

Breeding programmes for soughtafter labradors and French bulldogs were ramped up last year and prices have surged to as much as £10,000 for a puppy. But for those trying to keep rare and dying breeds in circulation, the pandemic has had the reverse effect.

Owners have been unable to travel to find suitable stud dogs to breed with, while face-to-face vetting of prospective and responsible owners has also proved difficult. Limited veterinary services for aftercare treatment is another reason for why breeding programmes have been largely put on hold.

The most up-to-date figures of puppy registrations from the Kennel Club shows the numbers for some are incredibly low. In July and August last year just five dandie dinmont terrier puppies were registered and no Glen of Imaal terriers were logged at all. In the same time period 5,642 labradors and 5,539 French bulldogs were registered.

Paul Keevil, a founding member of the Kennel Club’s vulnerable breed committee, said: “For those of us who keep rarer breeds, the lockdown has been a bit of a disaster.

“For me and my dandie dinmont, using a stud dog I would probably have to travel a few hundred miles to find a dog, and then there’s the veterinary aftercare, and how do you interview prospective owners in lockdown?

“Logistically it was a nightmare so most people have put everything on hold this year.”

Caz Martel’s Glen of Imaal terrier Fern has recently given birth to its first litter of seven puppies. Although the Manchester breeder has owners ready to take all the puppies, she is not sure how or when they will be able to collect them, as they live all over the country.

She said: “Normally I would invite the new owners to come and see the puppies at five weeks old, but I can’t do that at the moment.

“I’ve set up a Whatsapp group and send them pictures and videos. But they’ve not been able to choose their puppies.”