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How?
Preservation Breeders consider the breed's future and it's Type. Patricia Craige (Trotter) defines ‘Type’ as being what “differentiates one breed from another. It is the collection of all the characteristics and traits that make a given breed different from others. It is the essence of the breed in looks and behavior, ability and function.” It is little wonder the serious breeder looks to differentiate him or herself as a Preservation Breeder in the face of increasing short-term breeders, increasing mixed or boutique breeds, and the decreasing historical purebred dogs. It is a sobering attempt to protect fading standards or oversee necessary changes, to grapple with possible extinction from different fronts, and the guardianship of these dogs for the future. We aspire to be Preservation Breeders. Why it is important? There are no awards, standards or qualifications to be met at this time in order to be called a Preservation Breeder. It is a term regarding a plan of action according to a specific breed's present-day development with its future in mind. It takes a multitude of factors in mind like:
NPS: The National Park Service, or NPS, offers a model for the preservation, restoration, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of historic properties. This guideline could be applied to the dog breeders, AKC, and dog clubs to preserve present breed identities for future generations. One example is for the breed to retain near-original appearance and instincts. The same traits for which all serious breeders strive for. Sharing the knowledge: Breeding for each purebred needs should be looked at as an international community rather than a fractured one. In order to be a success it has to to be accessible for anyone willing to test their breeding stock. Ideally, it'd organization with a basic foundation to encourage participation, accountability, and improvement at multiple levels rather than exclusivity. Mentorship should be required not as the new member problem for sponsorship but as a mandatory rotating pool of accessible existing members available for mentoring new members. The idea would be a worldwide consortium for each breed and their breeders to maintain continuity. It also requires having a solid plan for the future while while protecting:
Disease and inbreeding or lack of genetic diversity presents serious threats to any breed’s future. As the study of “canine genetics advanced, more connections between phenotypic traits and the incidence of disease are being revealed.” -American Kennel Club Obstacles: Some breeding has been ‘market driven’ meaning that for perceived beauty with such things as shorter muzzles, extreme sloping toplines, or achieving smaller sizes just to name a few that increase health problems or disasters. The topline with German shepherds in some cases has moved so far from an older standard as to endanger the breed with hip and back issues just to achieve this different standard. Some breed dangers lie in the profitability of winning in the ring and ultimately what the judges propagate as breed standard or the vision of perfection of a breed rather than how and why that breed was developed. As protectors of the breed, addressing judge misguidance is a daunting and taboo subject that many veer away from, especially in some of the very institutions charged with caring for these dogs’ well-being but damaged by these unhealthy standards. There is a lot of money involved. A lot of time was invested in creating a name/distinction for these animals/kennels. Worst Case Scenario, Solutions, and Accountability: Breed extinction is a very real possibility and a reality for some breeds. Extinction must be addressed and an alternative, achievable universal breeding guideline should be instituted in the existing breeding practices with regards to a global standardized list that covers breed disorders, genetic diversity, health testing, and the coefficient of inbreeding (COI). It also should examine and address accountability by those who continue to breed known faults for profit, continuing generational disease, faults, and ill-health from delivery issues through the gamut of life-long canine maladies. Flaws in the system: There is no transparency. Health certificates offer validity for that moment. Pedigrees offer no health information to the breeders who may or may not withhold health information. Every aspect of canine health is under the microscope for a preservationist breeder. A bounty of blue ribbons does not excuse continuing a bloodline rife with Juvenile cataracts or worse. Truly, it is the lifelong quality of our puppies' health and adherence to breed traits that determines whether one is a Preservation Breeder. Consequences While Havanese are not facing extinction, there are several breeds that have problems just living without human intervention, like the use of surgery. I read an article pertaining to bull dogs having to have nose jobs just so they could breathe. “Not surprisingly, a study published July 29, 2016, found that the English Bulldog no longer retains enough genetic diversity to correct life-threatening physical and genomic abnormalities. This means breeders cannot use the established population of purebred dogs to reverse the trend of extreme and painful exaggerations such as crippling dwarfism and respiratory deformities - traits that uninformed pet owners find appealing . . . The demise of the breed may not be a good thing for Bulldog-lovers, but it will thankfully put an end to the malformed and painfully crippled modern Bulldog we recognize today.” Article was written by Jane Brackman, Ph.D. Want to know more? Check out these recommendations: Institute of Canine Biology and their Facebook Group: The latest canine news, research and science of animal breeding. "Born to Win, Breed Succeed" (2009) by Patricia Craige. Patricia Craige Trotter is an All-Breed AKC judge, author, and legendary breeder of Vin-Melca’s Norwegian Elkhounds. Just one of her accolades is being the only person to win 10 breeder-owner-handled Top Ten All Breed status at Westminster. References: Beuchat Ph. D., Carol. “A Call for Preservation Breeding.” The Institute of Canine Biology, 2 Apr. 2016, https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/a-call-for-preservation-breeding. Beuchat, Ph. D., Carol. “Coi FAQS: Understanding the Coefficient of Inbreeding.” The Institute of Canine Biology, 4 June 2015, https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/coi-faqs-understanding-the-coefficient-of-inbreeding. Borenstein, Seth. “UN Report: Humans Accelerating Extinction of Other Species.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 6 May 2019, https://apnews.com/aaf1091c5aae40b0a110daaf04950672. “Brachycephalic Syndrome – Owners of Flat-Faced Dogs Beware!” Preventive Vet, https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/brachycephalic-syndrome-flat-faced-dogs. Nicholas, Dr. Jason. “Brachycephalic Syndrome – Owners of Flat-Faced Dogs Beware!” Preventive Vet, 9 Sept. 2016, https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/brachycephalic-syndrome-flat-faced-dogs.
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Common Conditions
Tests are continuing to be developed as time passes but the choice of which test presented is strongly driven by profitability - not necessarily desirability, commonality or necessity, especially when it pertains to a specific breed issue. We are not automatically notified when a new test becomes available but we check in as we order our normal tests. Specialized or Specific Test as Breed Recommended/OFA Tests:
From UC Davis – Note some of these tests became available as of Dec. 2017
Testing We learned almost immediately that canine testing can be a mine field. For example, we first learned years ago that one of our dogs had a freckle on his eyeball! We were distraught. If a dog has any of what we called ‘flaws’ in our book, it automatically meant the questions about breeding suitability. It was quite stressful as we were and are still very attached. So, there was a great gnashing of teeth, angst, and hand wrenching about the eyeball freckle. Let us tell you right now that veterinarian speak is not necessarily clear. We whittled our brains away pouring over various articles in an attempt to find some sort of clarity until we found a specialized vet that could explain freckle’s existence. What we were told after many a long night with even longer conversations, was that it meant nothing genetically and did not hamper the function of the eye. In other words that ridiculous freckle was just a dot on the eye and that the eye is ok. What we learned to ask:
Chondrodysplasia The most difficult test to date we have had to decipher is the CDDY/CDPA. You would think results would be clear but it’s complicated. For UC Davis the CDPA test came on line about Dec. 2017. CDPA was earlier known as just CD for chondrodysplasia. As Havanese breeders this meant straight legs versus bowed or deformed in some manner. The early tests included wetting the dog to examine if the dog’s legs were straight. This is true today and straight legs is still something to be examined in a puppy and its parents for good health. Chondrodysplasia is defined as “abnormal cartilage and bone growth mostly resulting in shortened legs”. The FGF4 or Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 retrogene was recently discovered in 2009 and is “involved many biological processes including bone development.” With Havanese it depends on which chromosome this retrogene is found that can determine many things. It can also cause a lot of confusion. Retrogene FGF4 insertion into chromosome 18 is termed FGF4-18. It explains CDPA resulting in short legs in about 40 dog breeds and in particular about 16 of them as “breed defining” (includes Havanese) and it is term ‘favorable’ in these breeds. The short leggedness is “caused by a different mutation other than the undesired dwarfism causing genetic disorder found in some breeds such as the Norwegian Elkhound” (J. Bouirmane). Chondrodystrophy CDDY or Chondrodystrophy was discovered about 2017. It has FGF4 inserted on dog chromosome 12 and includes short leggedness but the difference between CDDY & CDPA, besides chromosomes, is that CDDY may make “dogs susceptible to Hansen’s type I intervertebral disc disease or (IVDD).” – UC Davis -VGL Breeding two dogs with CDDY together should be avoided, if present. According to UC Davis, “breeders can benefit from test results to implement breeding strategies to reduce incidence of CDDY, while retaining the short-legged phenotype conferred by CDPA.” What we learned for the road: Suffice to say, since the ‘Freckle Lesson’ we have learned a lot. We still do not have our DMV but we love our veterinarians, they are amazing. We have learned about finding terrific veterinarians, ask better questions. How to research in order to educate ourselves on pertinent subjects we experience and dive in to do due diligence to understand new issues. It has led to interesting discussions with our veterinarians, head scratching and learning curves with hours of study and some heart break along the way with good stuff, too. It has also added a seasoning we needed when dealing with these tests. A good example of this is within the past two years, there has been a shift in the canine medical community recognizing the damage done jumping off and onto furniture, etc., during a Havanese puppy’s first year. Jumping can result in the same patella injuries previously credited to genetics. So today we caution new puppy owners to limit this activity or get stairs or both. References: Batcher, Kevin, et al. “Phenotypic Effects of FGF4 Retrogenes on Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 7 June 2019, https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/10/6/435/htm. “Havanese Health Panel.” Havanese Health Panel | Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/panel/havanese-health-panel. “Chondrodystrophy (CDDY and IVDD Risk) and Chondrodysplasia (CDPA).” Chondrodystrophy (CDDY and IVDD Risk) and Chondrodysplasia (CDPA) | Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/cddy-cdpa. |
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