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DID YOU KNOW? A MAJORITY OF DOGS SURRENDERED TO ANIMAL SHELTERS ARE UNTRAINED.
Story Time: Last week, while I was wrapping up a routine check-up at the vet’s, there was a serious problem.. Two owners, each waiting their appointed time struggled to control their dogs. They exhibited aggressive behavior such as snarling and posturing. These were not little dogs either. Luckily, before an accident could happen reinforcements arrived in the form of our amazing vet techs. Basic Training Includes:
Training is part of responsible ownership, and a fundamental part of having dogs in our society as well-behaving members. Civility is simply a question of a dog behaving well when it meets another dog, person, or behaving well in an unfamiliar environment and responding on command. Basic obedience is critical to ensuring the safety of all, especially with the growing canine population. A core component of training is socialization. Training is rewarded and reinforced with treats along the way to make it a positive experience for the dog. Good behavior is further encouraged when the proud handler praises the dog. A skittish, shy, or aggressive animal can be rehabilitated with rewards and praise to become more comfortable and confident. An owner can confidently enjoy their pet outside of the home and enriched their relationship through training. Basic training can offer other avenues and levels to pursue, but it begins with simply passing the Canine Good Citizen course. AKC events are a lot of fun such as agility. Mostly just having a well-mannered dog is very comfortable and a basic course is not strenuous. The benefits for all are worthwhile and last a lifetime.
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REFERENCES:
“Helping You Build a Profitable Pet-Sitting Business.” Pet Sitters International, https://www.petsit.com/. Pumpkin vs Healthy Paws: Side By Side Comparison With A Clear Winnerby Kimberly AltMay 17, et al. “Your Go-to Resource for All Things Dog: Breeds, Health Care, Pet Insurance & More.” Canine Journal, 1 Apr. 2022, https://www.caninejournal.com/. Stock, Aimee, et al. “Project Paws Home.” ProjectPAWS, 26 Dec. 2021, http://www.projectpaws.org/. “Wag!: Find Best Local Dog Walkers, Boarders, and Trainers.” WagWalking, http://www.wagwalking.com/. “Welcome to DogTipper!” DogTipper, 2 May 2022, https://www.dogtipper.com/.
created and identified by The Kennel Club. In 2006 the KC started tracking breeds with less than 300 puppies registered annually. In fact, there are over 22 ‘vulnerable breeds’ on the list. Unfortunately, the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not yet note declining annual breed registrations. Due to short-sighted practices many breeds are experiencing more issues like musculoskeletal disorders (joint disorders), neurological problems, obesity, behavioral problems, and bone degeneration to name a few disturbing trends. Other growing issues include breathing problems, cancers, skin diseases, ear infections, diabetes, brachycephalic airway syndrome, lymphoma, bone cancer, mast cell tumors and cancer of the blood vessels, etc. This is not just a long list of heart-breaking maladies. It took years to get to this place for some breeds, but a few debilitating things can be avoided or improved upon by intelligent, selective breeding and improved breed health testing. As part of the purebred community, we need for more breeders to make bettering or at least preserving the breed a priority today.
increasing problems with their skull being too small for their brain. More and more Dalmatians are testing with deafness. Most bulldog births are by c-section because the puppies’ heads are too big and hip dysplasia in bulldogs is rampant. These choices ending in near deformities are only a few of the examples resulting from long term breeding extreme practices or worse.
Breeders have choices to truly improve or preserve the breed with an eye to the future. The Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) is only one tool for healthier puppies. It was developed by Sewell Wright (1922) and begins with an individual to measure how closely related - or not - an individual’s ancestors were by how genetically similar they were. In dogs this means looking at the level of inbreeding. This identification is represented as a percentage (0%-100%). The higher the number means a greater amount of inbreeding and a lot more. Greater diversity is reflected in a lower COI. The annual breed average COI varies according to breed. Diversity is one of the keys to the survival of any breed. Lack of diversity or a higher COI means there will be a serious loss of vitality or vigor in the puppies and an increase in recessive mutations. ‘Vigor’ is a term denoting fecundity or successful breeding/fertility along with normal life expectancy and health. One study found closely related breeding pairs resulted in one less puppy per litter. Another study showed adults were 6% smaller than normal. A COI of only 5-10% has modest detrimental effects on a puppy where a COI over 10% shows predictable, significant harmful effects on the descendants and the breed. COI has been proven to be a more a successful formula for healthier dogs than pedigree-based estimates have been. Diversity tests are done with saliva swab. Easy. UC Davis VGL is one testing center among others. The sad fact is that within some breeds it is impossible to breed unrelated dogs. Most of those ‘vulnerable breeds’ have higher inbreeding histories. Participating in dog shows is fun and can continue for many years whether or not participation is as a hobbyist or a more serious contender. Many of these vulnerable breeds are represented in these shows. A great number of breeders or owners do not participate in showing their dogs. In each conformation show one beauty moves up the competition echelon for the title of Best in Show which is the pinnacle for any show. Generally, competition classes go through Winners Dog[male](WD) or Winners Bitch(WB), Best of Breed(BOB), Best of Opposite Sex (BOS), then Best of Winners(BOW). There are classes designated by age. Breed winners compete for the title of Best in Show. Dogs compete against dogs of their own breed, dogs in their group, and so on. There are seven groups competing. In the Toy group alone, there are 21 breeds. A lot depends on the number of dogs in attendance. Shows vary in size, for example there are very few bearded collies, none or a lot. Earning points, majors, championships, levels of championships are all part of excelling in the exciting world of competitive dog shows whether in conformation or sports. There are few shows that award monetary prizes. Westminster does not award monetary prizes where the AKC Championship Show awards $50,000 to its Best in Show winner. The winners must defeat champions along the way and there are regulations about judges. It is the same competitive path with a few caveats from the smallest shows to the more prestigious ones. Most shows do not have prior requirements to register other than being a member of AKC. There are non-AKC shows that do not support AKC and titles are not interchangeable. It takes winning many shows and years to achieve such a thing as an AKC Bronze or Platinum Grand Champion. Showing requires a pretty dog that wants to show, time, a committed owner, and the finances to support it. Handlers are available to show the dog as well. The preeminent conformation show is the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, June 12-13, hosted this year in Tarrytown, New York. This conformation show was established in 1877 but was originally started in Manhattan as an opportunity for hunters to gather and showcase their dogs, mostly Setters and Pointers. The group met at the Westminster Hotel in New York City. They established the Westminster Kennel Club, and the show grew exponentially in popularity. Today there are about 48 breeds categorized as gun dogs or bird dogs. Subcategories are flushing dogs, retrievers and pointing breeds. Normally at Westminster there are roughly 3000 dogs competing to be the Best of Breed and ultimately, Best in Show. These dogs represent about 204 breeds and varieties. Prior to the main two days of competition there are miscellaneous events such as the Masters Agility Championship. Second to the Kentucky Derby, Westminster is considered the oldest, continuous sporting event in America. From the beginning Westminster donated funds from this show to support worthy charities. Participants meet specific qualifications to compete at Westminster. In 2020 competitors came from 49 states and 19 countries. Most people who show their dogs because they love their dogs and want to prove their value. A different aspect of winning with a dog is the business of breeding and the value of the puppies, where champions and grand champions rule. Super studs in any breed are part of what is called “popular sire syndrome”. A very prolific number of litters can be produced via artificial insemination or semen storage process by a single sire for years. It is seen when the same name appears over and over again on one pedigree or across the years on many pedigrees. When the studs are simply conformation (beauty) superstars without good genetic and physical health testing and may affect breed health they perpetuate hereditary problems. Unfortunately, due to status their progeny are highly valued. Even if health testing is done at an early age – and some tests or exams cannot be done or validated until a dog is over a year old. There are health conditions that have no test available and/or do not announce themselves prior to presenting the symptoms. Hip testing begins at two years of age although there are a few preliminary OFA tests in different areas such as eyes that can be done early for informational purposes. German shepherds have more than 50 hereditary disorders that are preventable with genetic and health testing. Judges cannot see into the DNA of a beautiful dog and do not know the current or past health history of a competitor. They judge for beauty and individual breed standard in conformation looking at structure, appearance, temperament and how true to the individual breed the dog is. Judges have qualifications they must meet along the way, too. In other events it is the same – the best competitor wins. Bloodlines may be well known but often flaws or disease such as junior cataracts (congenital) do not weigh heavily nor are such things recorded in a pedigree. Having healthy breeding dogs is ultimately the owner’s and/or breeder’s responsibility and choice. The genetic health of the sire and dam gives insight into the health and disposition of the puppies. If breeders do not health test their dogs before breeding them then the breed can be adversely affected by continuing avoidable flaws and preventable disease litter after litter. Unhealthy choices based on perceived beauty have proven to be detrimental to the welfare of several breeds, such as the extreme breeding to flatten a pug muzzle. Two of the many problems with facial shortening is overheating and breathing difficulty. Compared to the dogs of the past there are breeds that have changed dramatically. The KC list of ‘Vulnerable Breeds’ includes breeds such as the otter hounds, Welsh corgis, the bloodhound, collies, bearded collies, the old English sheep dog, mastiffs, and the Scottish deerhound. The list continues with various terriers large and small, spaniels and setters. See the article for exact ‘vulnerable breeds’ listed Dr. Stanley Corner authored the Canine Corner for Psychology Today and wrote about endangered breeds. In his article ‘Dog Breeds Vulnerable to Extinction in the United States’, Dr. Corner postulated that the vulnerable breeds in the United States include again, terriers, spaniels, greyhound, mastiff, Coonhound, Briard, sheepdog, and a few others. See the article for exact breeds listed Understanding these survival dangers even from a layman’s perspective enriches a breeding program and encourages hope. Inbreeding Depression describes the deterioration of a breed (health, vitality, longevity and fertility) when two closely related dogs are bred together. In short, Inbreeding Depression means the reducing a breed’s survival rate. Details include things like:
Random Genetic Drift, also known as genetic sampling error or The Sewall Wright Effect, It is a change in a small population occurring by accident. A random genetic trait is lost or multiplied in the genetic pool independently of reproductive or survival values. This is not the same as natural selection and can result in sterility. Just one of Mother Nature’s chance occurrences. Genetic drift is another component of the extinction vortex. One answer to many of these concerns is Outcrossing or breeding unrelated health tested dogs. Limiting line- and inbreeding is a growing concern. Supporting breeding dogs with a COI no greater than 6.25% would be ideal. Trying to keep the COI very low would make a huge difference especially for some of these endangered breeds although this may not be possible with some breeds. Again, there is COI average according to the breed. Spaying or neutering flawed and/or diseased breeding stock to prevent propagating avoidably unhealthy puppies regardless of their accomplishments or other considerations would be a change and challenge for some breeders. A standard international health test check list for dogs that breeders could use would be beneficial for each breed. Puppies are imported and exported all over the world. Breed health requirements beyond vaccinations should be standardized internationally where possible. Puppies can be tested almost immediately for a few things that will determine whether or not they are possibly a good breeding candidate. Health testing is a growing field. Its growth and usage benefits us all. Another improvement would be that judges take refresher clinics on breed standard vs. breed presentation in conformation with some accountability added which could be helpful. Judges set the standards by elimination. In some ways judges are the gate keepers to maintaining and enforcing the breed standard via their influence. For example many Havanese are dressed to look like Shih Tzu in the ring because that is what the judge’s *winning* choice is even though the breed standard states otherwise. The key to supporting a healthy breed standard is the institutions that promote the best in hereditary health, current health, and the purpose for what this breed was meant for. It plays a part in intentions. A good example of this is: A breeder that breeds a gun dog looks for and encourages different things than a breeder that breeds a herding dog. To that end individual breed standards need to be medically evaluated to move them forward to support healthy bodies in the future. The KC in England “cracked down on non-functional extremes . . . in order to stop the trend of turning dogs into caricatures”(Fred Lang/TheDogPlace). A healthy standard or directive needs to be confirmed and certified for each breed through its own international breed club. Celebrating purebred dogs recognizes these beautiful, unique dogs and their rich history and the need for breeders to chart a clear course for their future. There needs to be more breeders who work to preserve and perhaps, repair their breed through diversity in their breeding program, investigative health testing, and following OFA testing recommendations. It is an important trait to have the fortitude to shut down breeding any dog that produces proven genetic flaw(s) or is genetically diseased regardless of investment, etc. In other words they put the breed first. Multi-level intervention early on increases breed stability, health, and growth. For so many breeders who invest their hearts and finances in their dogs, step it up, this makes a difference! P.S. For all you folks out there that have beloved dogs with varied histories, this is not an attack on your wonderful dog nor is your dog less than. This article's goal is that if we want purebred dogs, as preservation breeders, we have to have a defined outline of that breed, their health, and the intention for which this breed came about. The standards are there to qualify the goal. Recommendations: For Havanese COI, we use Havanese Gallery References: ABRI, UNE. Inbreeding, http://abri.une.edu.au/online/pages/inbreeding_coefficient_help.htm. Anonymous. “Your Purebred Is Inbred: 5 Realities of Dog Breeding.” Cracked.com, Cracked.com, 19 Jan. 2016, https://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1712-your-purebred-inbred-5-realities-dog-breeding.html. Arnold, Brandy. “History of the Westminster Dog Show.” The Dogington Post, 7 Nov. 2019, http://www.dogingtonpost.com/history-of-westminster-dog-show/. Boyko, Ph. D., Adam. “Dog Inbreeding, Its Consequences, and Its Quantification: Embark.” Embarkvet, Embark Vet, 6 Apr. 2022, https://embarkvet.com/resources/dog-health/oedipus-rex-inbreeding-its-consequences-and-its-quantification/. “Coi FAQS: Understanding the Coefficient of Inbreeding.” The Institute of Canine Biology, https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/coi-faqs-understanding-the-coefficient-of-inbreeding#:~:text+So%2C%20in%20terms%20of%20health.detrimental%20effects%20on%20the%20offspring. Coren Ph. D., DSc, FRSC , Stanley. “Dog Breeds Vulnerable to Extinction in the United States.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 13 Nov. 2013, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201311/dog-breeds-vulnerable-extinction-in-the-united-states. Crabtree-Hannigan, James. “Westminster Dog Show Prize Money: How Much Do the Winners Make in 2020?” Sporting News, 10 Feb. 2020, https://www.sportingnews.com/us/other-sports/news/westminster-dog-show-prize-money-2020/5byztinvhu3v1pe0ajnpvf48f. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Genetic Drift.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/science/genetic-drift. Gabriella. “Home.” German Sheperd Corner, 12 Jan. 2021, https://germanshepherdcorner.com/health-issues-in-german-shepherds/. Gornstein, Leslie. “22 Vulnerable Dog Breeds That Could Disappear.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 7 Jan. 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/meet-22-dwindling-dog-breeds/. “Gun Dog Magazine.” Gun Dog, https://www.gundogmag.com/. “Gun Dog.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Apr. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_dog. “Inbreeding Dogs and Genetic Disease: Dog Breeding Information.” Dog Breeding Information | Take Your Breeding to the next Level..., Dog Breeding Information, 27 July 2016, https://www.dogbreedinginformation.com/inbreeding-dogs/. “Is Inbreeding Coefficient of 9.5% a Deal Breaker?” The Labrador Forum, https://thelabradorforum.com/threads/is-inbreeding-coefficient-of-9-5-a-deal-breaker.15653/. Lanting, Fred. “Topline: Canine and GSD Illustrated.” TOPLINE, BACK, SPINE: CORRECT GSD ILLUSTRATED | TheDogPlace.org, The Dog Place, http://www.thedogplace.org/ShowPlace/Topline-Canine-GSD_Lanting-149.asp. Magrane, Paddy. “Why These Dogs Are in Danger of Extinction.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 11 Oct. 2016, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/pets/life-and-style/disappearing-dog-breeds/. New York Daily News. “Scientists Studying Why Golden Retrievers Are Dying Sooner, Getting Cancer .” Nydailynews.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2018, https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/study-underway-shrinking-lifespans-golden-retrievers-article-1.2212563. Olzer, Rachel, et al. “2.10 Mechanisms of Evolution: Genetic Drift.” The Evolution and Biology of Sex, https://open.lib.umn.edu/evolutionbiology/chapter/2-10-mechanisms-of-evolution-genetic-drift/. |
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