The most meaningful tool for any breeder is a sense of responsibility, to your puppies and your puppy buyers. Your action in breeding and selling each puppy will directly impact on an entire family. In most cases a family is at your mercy.
The most meaningful tool for any breeder is a sense of responsibility, to your puppies and your puppy buyers. Your action in breeding and selling each puppy will directly impact on an entire family. In most cases a family is at your mercy.
Responsible Breeders--Do you measure up?
http://www.akc.org/breeds/breederinfo/dbbrdr.cfm
There's little challenge to breeding puppies, it's an act of nature. Those boxes of puppies offered at malls, swap meets, and roadsides prove how easy it is to produce a litter. There's no comparison between the puppies YOU produce and those given away by the box load because YOU are a Professional breeder.
A fair question might be: "What is a breeder?"
http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/k9journal/k9j001.htmlIt is a formidable task to be an ethical, responsible breeder. Breeding better dogs is both an art and a science. You, the breeder, bring "art" through your knowledge and vision of the breed standard. By knowing the history of your breed, you can match purpose to structure and breed with those goals in mind. Science provides the tools to maintain a healthy gene pool. Producing healthy puppies with sound temperament is the hallmark of a responsible breeder. The following web sites offer an abundance of good information.
Understanding the basics of dominant and recessive genes is a necessary tool. Curiously, many people cling to the notion that each puppy in a litter is genetically identical. They may be the same breed but the similarity ends there. As a breeder, you need at least a basic background in genetics. These sites will be of enormous help to you.
Your dog looks healthy but is it a carrier for a disease known to occur in your breed? Here's how it works:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gentest/interp.html
List of canine genetic diseases by breed
http://members.aol.com/PugsUK/webpage/listpurb.htm
To learn more about genes and genetic tests, click over to this site:
http://members.tripod.com/~Jerrier/Genetics.html
http://www.awsaclub.com/healthgenetics/caninegen.htm
Heritability--is it genetic or acquired?
http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0189.htm
http://www.dogs-in-canada.com/features/features/genetict.html
BAER Test for deafness
http://www.esaa.com/baerinf.html
http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/baersite.htm
CERF Home Page
http://www.vet.purdue.edu/~yshen/cerf.htmlPennHIP is a new screening for hip dysplasia. Learn more about it at this website:
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/pennhip/A good background on thyroid and autoimmune disease testing:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/ThyroidDisease.htm
http://www.natural-akita.com/JPTeez/html/thyroid1.html
Understanding Canine Epilepsy.
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/Little dogs and big back aches
http://members.aol.com/pxlbarrel/dachcirc/discdis.htm
Hip dysplasia
http://www.southpaws.com/topics/hip-dysplasia.htm
http://www.cah.com/library/hipdysp.html
http://www.thepetcenter.com/xra/hd.html
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals now offers many different services to breeders: http://www.offa.org/
You know how some breeders like to keep their heads in the sand
when it comes to genetic problems? "If I ignore it, it will go away!"
We all know it doesn't go away, it turns into an epidemic. One
breed club succeeded in gaining total support for an open registry, minus finger pointing. They serve as an example for
everyone. Spend some time at their site to see how it's done:
http://www.havanese.org/heart/
The OFA is the voluntary diagnostic service and registry for:
Hip Dysplasia - canine and feline
Currently, the OFA functions as a DNA Registry for:
Elbow Dysplasia
Patellar Luxation
Craniomandibular osteopathy
Copper Toxicosis - Bedlington Terriers
Cardiac Registry
Thyroid Registry
Von Willebrand's Disease - Shetland Sheepdog, Doberman Pinscher, Scottish Terriers, Manchester Terriers, Poodles, Pembroke Welsh Corgi Phosphofructokinase Deficiency - Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel Progressive Retinal Atrophy - Irish Setter
Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency - Basenji
Cystinuria - Newfoundland
Copper Toxicosis - Beddlington Terrier
Congenital Stationary Night Blindness - French Briard
Renal dysplasia- Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier
Animal Health & Breeding Registry (AHBR) : Bull TerrierSpecific information on these registries can be obtained by contacting the
OFA
2300 E. Nifong Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65201-3856.
Telephone Number 573-442-0418,
Fax Number 573-875-5073,
E-Mail Address ofa@offa.org.
Murphy's law: The top winning Best in Show dog has difficulty conceiving!Causes of Infertility
(animated.gif (c) Kitty Roach)
