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Welsh dog lovers are calling on for a re-think on a central part of proposals to crack down on poor practice by some puppy breeders.

The Welsh Government is currently consulting on new animal welfare regulations to control the breeding of dogs and put a stop to "puppy farms", where dogs may be kept in cramped conditions with little concern for their needs.

A key part of ministers' plans is the introduction of a staff to dog ratio which would limit to thirty the number of dogs that one full-time member of staff can care for.

But many dog breeders and animal welfare campaigners believe that the politicians have got their sums wrong. Emma Wittenstrom, from near Haverfordwest, is a licensed breeder of miniature schnauzers.

"I think that's far too high a number. I have got twelve dogs at the moment and I wouldn't want anymore. I don't feel that I could justify having more dogs. I think they need personal, individual contact."

"I personally think that fifteen is quite a lot to one person. That's based on what I'm doing. I'm spending all my time, every day, with my dogs. Definitely no more than twenty if you stretch it a bit further."

Emma Wittenstrom's concerns are echoed by CARIAD - a coalition of rescue organisations and campaign groups across Wales set up to fight for improved welfare standards in dog breeding.

David Grimsell helped write the organisation's response to the Welsh Government's consultation, which closes shortly.

He wants to see a return to a maximum ratio of one member of staff to every twenty dogs, as was proposed by a panel of experts when ministers first began to develop their proposals and included in an earlier consultation.

Without that change, he questions whether staff will have time to implement another proposed new requirement, for written socialisation programmes for puppies to help ensure they are prepared to live in a family home.

"Dogs require care seven days a week. One member of staff looking after thirty dogs on a 37-hour working week would have five hours a day. That's pretty much ten minutes per day per dog."

"In order for dogs to have adequate welfare they need to be exercised and have variety and stimulation. The idea that one person could possibly provide that for thirty dogs, given all the other things they have to do, is simply not realistic."

While CARIAD questions the level at which the staff to dog ration is being pitched, over dog lovers question whether the principle has any merit at all. Caroline Kisko is secretary of the Kennel Club.

"Even if you set it at thirty, that might be far too low a ratio for certain breeds. If you had thirty small dogs that would be a very different proposition to thirty Great Danes."

"If it allows the local authority and close somebody down, then fine. But if they were able to close them down on the basis of the staff to dog ratios there would be a lot more that they could close them down on."

"This is really a point of semantics. We don't see a great deal of merit in it."

But Pembrokeshire County Council's animal health manager, Nigel Watts, does believe that the proposed regulation will be a useful - and flexible - tool for his officers.

"This is a maximum. If the establishment does not comply with licensing conditions then the authority will reduce that staffing ratio to below one to thirty if the person shows that they can't look after the dogs that they've been licenced."

Launching the current consultation, the Welsh Government said that by proposing to make it mandatory that there should be a minimum of one person to thirty dogs it was reflecting the current advice to local authorities from expert bodies.

Environment Minister John Griffiths said that he was "committed to raising standards of animal welfare" and that he hoped that the regulations would be a "vital tool in helping to ensure exemplary standards of welfare for dogs in Wales."

The consultation on the Welsh Government's proposals closes on 23 May.