Pituitary Dwarfism in the German Shepherd Dog - Brattina88's link

Brattina, I hope you don't mind that I made your link into a new thread, but it's just so cool!!

http://www.dogstuff.info/dwarfism_lanting.html

My dreams have come true - a permanent state of fluffy puppy!! Yay! Priscilla is just one of the most darling dogs I've ever seen!!! I know that technically it's a 'flaw', but talk about 'eye of the beholder'....I want her!!

Delisay

OMG They are adorable!!!!!

THey ARE adorable - but DEFINATELY shouldn't be bred for..

There are lots of mixes that look like mini GSDs..

It's interesting that the article states that Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, English Bulldogs and Corgis all owe their existence dwarfism genes. I didn't know that - that the genetic defect has actually been bred for. I had presumed that their odd proportions had somehow (and rather cruelly) been bred down from various breeds of normal dogs.

Also it says that dwarf GSDs are not that uncommon due to lots of in/line-breeding by key show-winning pedigree breeders. They are apparently often put down to save embarrassment, or otherwise kept out of view. Shame... I guess if I saw one, I'd just presume it was a puppy.

(BTW, I've never seen a mix that looks like a mini GSD, nevermind lots of them. I'm trying to think...which mixes produce a mini GSD look? Or I could just rescue a real GSD considered 'disposable' by a show breeder! )

Del.

Dwarfism in any breed is can bring major health issues. FYI

Yes MomOf7 that's true, thank you. I'm sure that such a dog would need special care and risks a shorter life. Check this out though...

I just got this (OMG!!! :yikes from the web site of the official GSD breed association in Australia: "Number of puppies affected ... 20-50 per year Australia wide*, these are very obvious usually by 8-10 weeks of age, are usually euthanased and thus removed as an immediate problem. They are also, due to the nature of the problem, sterile."

OMG!!! What exactly is the "problem" that's "removed" by killing them if the dogs are sterile?!! Automatic euthanasia of viable gorgeous puppies - God's little fluff balls - just because they are small and may have just a few more health management issues than most GSDs?!!

D.

(*If there are the same number of GSDs per head of population in the US as in AU, that's 300-750 small GSD puppies per year, mostly euthanised, in the US.)

I have no clue where you are from, but around here in the shelters there are lots of mutts/mixes here that look like little GSDs... they more then likely have GSDs in them and are mixed with a much smaller breed.. It happens and its very very sad...

Any truely respectable breeder would never put a puppy down from a litter for shame of embarassment - if anything they should publicly protray the lines that HAVE the issue to show other breeders a "beware" sign...
THey should either fixed it themselves (neuter/spay) or have them sold or given away on a spay/neuter contract - non-breeding contract.
THe only time a breeder should have a puppy put down would be because of a health threatening ailement.

I agree completely ^

Anouther interesting site on it. There are also Saarloos Wolf Hounds with Dwarfism.

I agree though it should not be bred for

http://www.accdata.co.uk/dwarfism/

Anouther very good site for info
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/6074/index.html

Check out poor Trisha
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/6074/dwarfs.html

Yes you'd think/hope so, wouldn't you?! But unfortunately egos and dollars too often rule the day...

The expert who wrote about the dwarfism and first mentioned the euthanasia, is a long-standing international dog show judge, GSD specialist, author and lecturer on canine orthopedics, so he knows what he's talking about. To then read the pedigree associations themselves openly describing euthanasing non-perfect puppies as standard practice ... well!! It's hard to argue.

I suspect that most of us here are softies and rather naiive about what goes on in some quarters. Some large breeders of 'type' dogs (rather than pets) are no doubt much more mercinary about how they go about things. We must remember than large breeders do it at least partially to make a living; show-winning pedigrees can be sold for far more $$$ than average dogs, so the incentive to hide problems is very high. It's financial aswell as fear and ego-based.

My old GSD breeder had a practical 'farmer's mentality'. Breeding any animal to type nearly always involves some culling. I think it's horrible and in cases like this dishonest and unnecessary, but I've no doubt it goes on. If you look in the right places, key people discuss the practice quite openly.

Ya' learn something everyday...

Del.

Those are great links Pixie, thanks!

[Note how they say when calling for information, "Any information you provide can be held in total secrecy..." They know some breeders are paranoid about their reputations because of this, so promise absolute confidentiality.]

heh... I didn't even know anyone looked at my link!

Yes, they're cute. And I would take one {rescue } in a heartbeat. But I would *not* approve of purposely breeding for them! In addition to them being miniaturerized, there are often problems with limb deformities and such. I think its very sad, and I wonder about the dog's health, structure, and temperment. Some of the websites mention a 'diminished IQ'

http://www.dogstuff.info/osteochondrodysplasias_lanting.html

a friend of mine had a dwarf in her litter. He was actually placed in a home with a person that had bought one of her puppies (from the same litter) a couple months ago. She wasn't going to place the puppy cause of the health problems that are associated (or can be associated), but after a few vet checks and a few more months the vet thought it would lead a pretty much normal life, just be smaller. So they decided to give it to this person cause their daughter had fallen in love with the little guy. Not everyone is ashamed and put them down.

Oh that's nice... I would urge your friend to be careful though, because even to vets these dogs can appear fairly normal initially, until they start to lose their coat.

Check out the links provided here by Pixie and read the case studies of pooches far less cute than Priscilla... They have quite significant health issues, though many can be avoided if the vet is talented at managing thyroid and growth hormone supplementation.

Fingers crossed for this little pup!

Del.

They're aware of all the risks, but bloodwork so far shows that besides his outward appearance his level of things are just a little low. They realize this could change, but figured for now, there is no need to put him down.