Round Table: Q and A Issue 7
Which is more important in a solid breeding program?
Genetic health, temperament, or conformation?
Round The Table
Question: Which is more important in a solid breeding program? Genetic health, temperament, or conformation?
This is a great question that deserves some careful consideration. I have always tried to regard these three as being basically equal and view them as the three main pillars of a quality dog.
Answered By: Perfect Match Poodles
Let’s break it down so you can see what I mean. Let’s say you have a dog with a great temperament that everyone loves, but he has a few minor health issues or even a major health issue. Is that dog still worth something? I will dare say the owner of the dog would say “Of course, there’s no question” What if that dog is a poor representation of its breed standard, with or without the health issues. Is he still worth something? The answer stays the same.
Now let’s say you have a dog that has no health issues, has a clear health panel on its genetic testing, is a perfect representation of its breeds confirmation, but has one flaw. He has a bad temperament, or is simply the type of dog that no one likes. Is that dog worth something as a companion? No, he really isn’t. I think we can all understand that virtually all dogs exist for one purpose, and that is to bring joy to their owners.
Go back in time and think of all the dogs you have ever owned or gotten to know well. Think of your favorites, the ones that stand out to you, and try to remember all the fun you had with them. Why were they special? Why were they your favorites? Is it not because of their temperament and personality? I think for most of us the answer is yes.
Here’s another thing to consider. What do you think is the number one reason dogs are euthanized? Is it because of health issues? No, it is because of temperament and behavior issues. Genetic health and color testing has become very affordable and easy in recent years. And that is great, as it is an important tool you should take advantage of. But it seems many breeders become distracted in their quest for the perfect dog on paper and forget about the genetically inherited traits such as temperament, conformation, and health effects. Let us never forget to see our dogs for what they really are. Pets!
Why did you have two conflicting articles about wearing body cams during an inspection, and why was the second one from an unanimous source?
Answered by: The Dog Journal
After the first article was printed, we got some negative feedback on that way of looking at inspections. We were merely printing what was submitted, and are sorry if we have created any confusion or mistrust, which is not our goal. In one of our conversations with a credited source of knowledge about the subject, I asked this person to contribute an article explaining the other angle to the first approach, which that person did under the agreement to stay unanimous.
This brings out a necessary point, that not all contributors of this publication are in 100% agreement to every other piece of content in the same magazine that their content is published, which is ok. As anyone reading this is well aware of, the dog breeding topic is a very controversial topic, and there is no way to ensure that everything that gets printed will strike every single reader’s fancy.
That’s actually part of our mission, to create some controversy, and help all of us focus on what’s important, and be willing to look at other people’s perspective in this industry as well, even if we don’t always agree!
Have you ever considered a section where readers can share tips and tricks that they have learned about regarding dog breeding?
Answered By: The Dog Journal
That’s a great idea, and here’s an actual letter we received regarding that: Hey Ivan Lee, I know you like ideas and feedback for The Dog Journal, and here’s a couple of ideas I had, though I don’t know if they amount to much. What would you think of having a “Letters to the Editors” section? In other magazines, that’s one of the first things my wife and I look at. I don’t know if others find it as interesting as we do, but I thought it would be neat for The Dog Journal to have one.
The other idea is to have a “Tips” section, where readers could share tips they have found to be helpful. Sometimes I get little tips from other breeders that are just incredibly helpful. I just thought with a readership as large as The Dog Journal’s, surely there are a lot of breeders out there with some great tips to share. Anyway, that’s all I have, and thanks for the great magazine. First of all, I would like to thank this reader for taking the time to write this letter. The idea for this publication is to create interaction, so I love, love, love getting letters and emails!
We have considered a “Letters to the Editor” section, but too often, especially in this industry, it can turn into a lot of bashing and nonsense, and we’re just not interested in putting up with the drama. However, with that, I will say that this exact column was started as an interaction column, and sharing tips and tricks for success on here is a great addition to the Q&A.
Can anything be done for a dog that tests positive for hip dysplasia, or is that now part of reality for that dog?
Answered By: Dr Fran with OFA
Most important point is to confirm hip dysplasia by having a ventral dorsal radiograph of the pelvis taken by a veterinarian. Positioning is very important.. Depending upon the dog and the degree of hip dysplasia some dogs will be lame and other may appear completely normal. The disease process is progressive and over time the hips usually get worse. As far as care of the dysplastic dog, it is important to encourage but not force exercise, keep the dog lean in body condition. Many experts recommend a joint supplement such as Dasaquin and many dogs benefit from daily pain medications. There are many other treatment options some of which include surgery but these are recommended on a case by case basis.
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Round Table: Q and A Issue 2
Is it okay to breed my female every time she comes into heat? It is generally not recommended to breed till the dog is at least 1 year old and
Round Table: Q and A Issue 1
Weaning puppies is a gradual process which usually takes place from 4-8 weeks of age. Puppies will initially start to investigate soft puppy food, in addition to suckling from their mother.