Introducing Lilly

Before I get messages from people waiting to view Blottie's litter concerned that I am introducing Lilly. Please read on.
​There is a good reason we try to wait until the pups are nearly six weeks old before viewing takes place. So we can see if the pups have a good bite (scissor bite) and the other is to see if they have hernias. An extremely overshot jaw is obvious from birth, as is a big umbilical hernia but, when an undershot jaw or hernia is subtle. With the jaw you need the teeth to erupt and with a very subtle hernia it is only as the pup gets bigger it can become apparent.  Even with milk teeth at scissor bite, very occasionally when they get their adult teeth, they can develop an undershot jaw and sometimes a pup can be over six weeks before you can feel a very subtle hernia.
Lilly has developed an undershot jaw. It is subtle but, she is undershot. Undershot jaws can pop up in any breed but, a higher incident occurs with Cavalier genes as they are a break away breed from the King Charles, that is bred specifically with an undershot jaw. I find it amusing that if we get an undershot jaw in a manmade breed that it is not part of the breed design specs (breed standard) it is seen as a malformation but, if the design specs (breed standard) calls for it, it is okay and believe me she has nowhere near as undershot jaw as a King Charles, Pug or Bulldog purposely bred with an undershot jaw.
This is a warts and all blog. I imagine pure breeders pointing a finger and going, "See using other breeds does not work." Yes, bringing in other breeds to sort out the problems that have been bred into the Cavalier is not a magic wand and you are still going to get things pop up but, it's a numbers game and when I do the numbers. I am breeding generally healthier small spaniels than when I bred purebred Cavaliers.  I'm happy to share MRI results and MVD results with pure Cavalier breeders if I'm called to put my money where my mouth is.
As for Lilly, as much as we all like to think we would overlook a thing like an undershot jaw or hernia if we felt a connection with a pup but, when we could have a pup without an undershot jaw or hernia, for the best part we would opt for the pup without the undershot jaw or hernia regardless of the connection felt before knowing about the malformation. So I knew Lilly (from experience) would probably end up being the last pup to find her forever home. So I knew I had to up my game for her and a little while ago Jackie rang me, a Devonian (just a few miles away in Barnstaple) like myself and with our Devonian accents conversation was easy. Jackie and her husband Mike are experienced Cavalier owners, I just felt she might be ideal for them. So I contacted them explaining that Barry (as we had been calling her) had an undershot jaw, explaining that she may need dental work when her second teeth come down, and I totally would understand if they were not interested. 
They came and saw her today and the rest is history. She's got her forever home!

Lilly