So true.. that Beagle that one Westminster... I don't think his family tree has ANY hunting in the lines (well maybe if you go WAYYYY back) And the breeder gets touted as having produced the 'best beagle in the country'. How can it be the best beagle if it can't follow its nose? And they get mad if you say its a canine beauty pageant... Not sure why that is a bad thing.
That I agree as well. Without any hunting titles, it does raise an eyebrown doesnt it.
As far as genetic disorders, the only to properly find out if it passes is not just to check the following breeding dogs, but the entire litter- whether the will be bred or not. Its the only way to actually know if it carried or not in the litter. With degenerative diseases it makes it even harder. One of the problems for example in the Cavalier with the degenerative heart condition is that many times it doesn't show up until later in life- even if screened for it at age 2,3,4 for example. Not being present if the dog is bred, but later at about age 8 for example it shows up, meanwhile the litter produced can be potentially have it as well.
Thyroid is a huge problem in most sighthounds. This isn't tested once- its tested over and over. And usually not just prior to breeding, but for the health of the dog. I had heard about thyroid problems in sighthounds for years, but having Femka it sure became an eye opener. A friend of mine that also has Borzois has her dogs tested yearly. Never had it shown up before in the full panel test. As the routine prior to a breeding, she had this one dog retested early due to the breeding coming. To her shock the dog, although prior tests were good, the dog came up low thyroid on the that panel. There was no reason to suspect the thyroid condition was present prior. ( obviously the dog was not bred.)
Another condition that is in this breed is low reproduction rates. However- these breeders keep trying to breed finally getting a litter. I disagree with that as well. Not conceiving one time is one thing ( anything can happen) but twice would be the charm to me as a tip off whatever the reason ( be it a sex link gene etc) but should not be passed on. Even the club says if we do not stop trying to breed the dogs that have problems conceiving, although eventually we get that one litter, what good is it=- they are not even sure how this is passed. To me this is no different than a female that is not a easy whelper trying again except that the risk to the mother and pups.
I have known people over my life that although their breeding 'stock' may be clear on these different conditions relavant to their breed, they do not check litter mates of these dogs. I have not bred to say certain dogs due to finding out a litter mate of that dog has certain conditions.. Its genetics- "its prego- its in there..". Or at least - potentially in the genes. And in the world of over population, the question should be " why SHOULD one breed" and NOT " oh sure- why not...".
Over the years I have watched the shepherd deteriorate. And I am resonably sure one of the causes is that far too many times, even for those that test their breeding stock ( which is at least an attempt to help) but alot only testing breeding stock and not the whole litter. Some breeders I know even their pet puppies are required by contract, to have certain tests done. If nothing else the only determination as to whether or not for that breeding, the genes continued as good.
A point a friend said recently was " how can a dog get a championship prior to the age of 2? They should not be able too. Champion at that age, titled or not, still doesn't prove the dog is 'sound". Yes while some conditions the problem conditions can be evident in their gate, but I also know that like with HD even a mild case the dog can still have proper movement. ( or at least for a while). In some club registries a dog can not even get a championship until a certain age. However in the AKC once a champion if you have a breeder that says " oh well its a champion lets breed the dog", that isn't going to help matters.
I had great plans for Hottie. He was just beautiful! You would look at him and go " wow- what a dog!".. However- his injury that occured at 4 months old, not treated properly, causing his condition left one big open question with no answers.. "Did his injury occur due to an true accident, or was there a genetic weakness that caused the accident?" Hottie was never bred, and looking at how he was in old age, I am thankful for that decission.
I have met breeders that do not get a hip x-ray on one leg due to an accident. " Oh the one hip is fine, so the other is too had it not been for that accident..".. Well- how do you truely know that? And my whole point is when in doubt- ANY doubt- do not breed. There are plenty more that would be better candidates to breed. And that includes my beloved Hottie- as I look around the house with nothing left of him anymore. And still, although I still miss him terribly, I do find good thoughts even without having " his son".
**/edit sentence- Good Lord I wrote a book...