Thread: A Breeders Guide

Thanks for the link, I have bookmarked it.

Cheers
Amy

Thanks for that Rob,

makes interesting reading

regards Ena

Here's a question I've had regarding testing.

Have seen a number of breeders advocate that you don't let the dog jump or minimize the amount of jumping until they have been HD/ED tested.
Does this help the HD/ED score?
and if it does, is it a manipulation of the testing process?

The reason you don't let your dog jump around and it is more the larger dogs, shepherds and up. The bones are soft while growing and all the weight from jumping around, jumping up and down will cause the bones to stretch in a way and the will cause HD and ED problems.
You wait until they are 18 months before you start the jumping and running is another thing you have to watch.

Originally Posted by Martin Koops

Here's a question I've had regarding testing.


Does this help the HD/ED score?
and if it does, is it a manipulation of the testing process?

Yes IMO it is manipulation.

My own dogs don't get scored till 18m-2yrs.I see many people overseas agree with this theory of waiting because a dog needs to move and exercise to get a full picture of it's physical construction.

Keeping dogs exercised and on a healthy diet should of course promote good construction from an environmental perspective but with genes we have the body (original) of which to work from first.

Temperamentally dogs must pass suitability tests in GMY of which to pass for breeding again this is for getting the complete picture of the animal. We unfortunately don't have those as a Requirement here.

Cheers
Amy

Hi Amy,
I have been told by an ADRK breeder that the minimum age for testing in Germany is 18 months, very much for the Reasons you put forward.

To me the concept of keeping dogs wrapped in tissue paper till Xraying at the minimum 12 month old, is a farce.
Any breeder who actually believes the score they get at this age, has any relevance to it's future joint health should have a long hard think, about where they want to see the breed in the next 50 years.
I think that 2 years should be the minimum and that the total scores allowable for breeding be raised slightly (in our breed that would make it say 25 combined sire/dam instead of the current 20) to offset this.

Cameron

I agree with Cameron

I would rather see a normal dog that has been jumping running and exercising pass the test. then one that has been conditioned until the test. if the later was the case i would consider that the breeder has some issues and wants to have the best chance of fulling every one.

In some countries certain breeds of show horses have to win at races first to prove their stamina before they can compete at a conformation show. And if they break down at the races it just proves that they were not a good prospect to breed from anyway.

I think that all show dogs should first compete in some character trails, before they are allowed to enter a show rink.

Or some utility trails if it is a working breed such a German shepherd, a Malinois, a rottweiler etc. Is should be some form of bite work like schutzhund, or KNPV, or NVBK etc.

if the breed is a border collie maybe a agility trails and character tests.

Then do your X-rays, and conformation show and only then you will have a full picture if the animal is a good breeding prospect.


Amie