ABOUT BLOSSOM VALLEY PARSON RUSSELL TERRIERS
I hate puppy mills, and no buyer should buyer a dog from a "puppy farm" or "puppy mill" -- the terms are different, but they are essentially the same. They keep their adult dogs in cages in buildings, where the dogs are kept on wire floors so the pee and poop go through and they can scoop the mess out from a small area below the cage. The United States Department of Agriculture permits such atrocious practices! They do not require that the puppy farms or puppy mills let their dogs outside to run and play. My dogs go out into 6'x12' runs and sleep inside at night. They do not live in cages in an anticeptic building. Run from such sellers. Dogs are not cattle or sheep or chickens to be "farmed"! They are suppose to be loved and raised in homes where they are properly socialized.
Moreover, puppy mills generally do not genetically test their adults before they breed them. I try to minimize genetic health defects in my puppies by doing as much genetic/health testing that is financially possible. Breeders who tell you that they have no genetic/health defects in their lines are either lying or ignorant. Ask them what tests they have done and if they submit the results to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. If they do no testing or tell you that they do not need to do any testing because they have no problems, RUN from them. Every breeder has had one problem or another over the years. Look up their kennel name on the OFA website to see if they test. A good test of a puppy mill or puppy farm is that they do not register with the AKC. They register with flim-flam registries that will register ANY litter or dog from ANY puppy mill. Ask if the registry holds conformation show, agility trials, obedience tests, and other types of trials to test the working ability of their dogs. If not, they are a sham registry trying to legitimize puppy millers.
The following is a list of some of the most prevalent problems with our breed:
- Eye Problems, such as juvenile cataracts, primary lens luxation, and persistent pupilary membrane
The following is a list of tests that can be done for the above disorders. For my dogs, the results are indicated on their web pages:
Summaries of Blossom Valley test results:
Carrier status of some diseases can be determined by test inbreedings. Casper had an injury that mimicked Legg-Calve-Perthes in 2002. He sustained a hip injury from a slip-and-fall at a dog show. To determine whether Casper had this disease, his vet did a bone biopsy of the femoral head, which was indeterminate, so I did a test inbreeding that eventually cleared him of having LCP. To read about this test inbreeding, click here. The results are 97% certain that Casper does not have LCP. None of his puppies have ever developed it. I x-ray my dogs' hips and send to OFA for LCP clearances to maintain quality control of my breeding program.
If approved, you can put a deposit to hold a puppy. If you do not take a puppy when offered or cancel the purchase, you forfeit your deposit, since I have kept that puppy off the market and potentially lost a sale. If I cannot offer you a puppy of your choice on your application, then I refund your deposit or hold it for a subsequent litter, at your choice. Puppies get 2 puppy & bordetella shots, 2 wormings, and a BAER hearing test by 8 weeks of age, at which time they can go to their new homes.
