[tamizami]

i am also wary of HSUS, but i did read this article and here are the last few paragraphs. all of the firm examples of genetic diseases in pets are dogs that were purchased at pet stores. i think they do a good job of describing responsible breeders and pointing people in their direction if they can't find a pet in a shelter. every day i look at reina or stuart, i thank God that there are dedicated, responsible breeders out there

"When you can’t find the dog you’re looking for, however, responsible breeders are another option; they are devoted to their animals’ well-being and committed to placing them in loving homes. And if every shelter dog were adopted and every puppy mill were shuttered, there would still be a need for good breeders to supply dogs to American households.

Whether you decide to get your next dog from a shelter or a breeder who treated her parents like part of the family, here are smart ways to stack the deck in favor of finding a healthy pup.

• Do your research. Want a particular kind of dog? Check out the available dog health resources, such as the Canine Health Information Center (Canine Health Information Center) and the Canine Genetic Disease Network (Canine Genetic Diseases Network), to learn about what disorders your chosen breed may be prone to, as well as what genetic tests are available.

• Check with a rescue group. These groups know their favored breeds and are generally forthright about both their great qualities and the challenges they face. Not only will they try to find you a great dog who needs a home; they’ll be able to give you tips on any health issues the breed is prone to.

• Choose a responsible breeder. How can you tell? A good breeder lets you check out the place where she’s raising the puppies—frequently, her own home. She socializes her pups and doesn’t place them too early. She asks you lots of questions and is concerned about where her dogs are going. She’s able to provide papers that show not only the pup’s heritage but any genetic screening that was done on his parents. And she makes you promise to bring the dog back if you ever become unable to care for him.

• Be realistic. Sometimes, no matter how good a dog’s breeder was, no matter how carefully her parents were screened, she will get sick. There aren’t yet tests for all the genetic disorders out there, so now and then even the best of breeders get a sad surprise (and if one of their puppies does get sick, even years later, they will want to know). For dog owners, it’s good to have some money socked away in case the worst happens—and that goes for owners of purebreds and mutts alike.

• Consider adopting an older dog. Millions of adult dogs are in need of homes—and it is often easier to assess the health and temperament of an already mature companion. An added bonus is that these animals are usually housetrained and have passed the destructive teething and hyperactivity stages."

 

[tamizami]

Thank you Tami for pointing out the more balanced elements of that article. It is perhaps surprising that an article from HSUS would offer such balance as the propaganda they use often lacks it. I will say I was surprised by some of the very useful elements of that article as the way it was presented here in this thread above reflected a much more one sided view.

I was particularly interested in this section:
The AKC and its member breed clubs have devoted considerable effort to improving the health of purebreds, in part by funding research to find the genetic markers tied to certain disorders. In 1995, the AKC launched the AKC Canine Health Foundation, a charitable organization that raises funds to support canine health research; the AKC gives the foundation $1 million in annual funding.

Dedicated breeders have also made significant strides, says veterinarian Fran Smith, citing the success in correcting a disorder known as collie eye anomaly. “In order to have that pretty collie head shape, it doesn’t leave as much room in the skull for a particular eye shape,” says Smith, who serves on the AKC’s Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Panel and is president of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. “But collie breeders—the serious collie breeders—have made a huge impact in selecting for dogs who have the correct eye shape without that eye problem.”

...

Smith doesn’t blame written breed standards as much as people’s interpretation of those standards. What needs correcting, she says, is “this idea that if one wrinkle is good, then 12 wrinkles is better. If a 4-pound Chihuahua is good, then a 1-pound Chihuahua would be spectacular.” It’s a trend that even prompted Consumer Reports to issue a warning in 2003, telling readers that the “demand for ever-more-perfect purebred dogs has concentrated bad recessive genes and turned many pets into medical nightmares.”

I found myself very drawn to that particular section. I do feel that some breeds are truly suffering from extremes. However, if we look at a standard such as we have in Maltese we notice the key words about balance. IMHO our standard is a work that promotes the health and welfare of our breed. In fact, our standard has been changed by dedicated and concerned breeders to reflect concern about the health and welfare of the dogs. Like the quote about the chihuahua above, once people believed that breeding a Maltese under 3 pounds was most desirable (our standard in the early part of the 20th century). Well intentioned breeders recognized the dangers inherit in that and changed it in the most recent standard. In other words, they took out the words that suggested a dangerous extreme.

Responsible breeders with the help of their parent clubs should make such adaptations. There are certainly faults in some breeds that are related to choices that breeders and judges have made. However, it will be the responsible breeders who care about those breeds that will fix them. I certainly do not expect the puppy mills who are churning out "designer-mixed breeds" and extremes to appeal to a pet market such a "muzzless-teacups" to be part of that solution.

As pet owners, I believe we have a responsibility to learn about the steps that responsible breeders are taking to ensure the health of their dogs, including making decisions about breeding away from genetic faults and dangerous extremes. This is why it is so important to support responsible, ethical breeders and avoid those greeders who are breeding to fill a pet market. Ethical show breeders a put a desire to preserve the breed for the future foremost in their minds, they are not breeding for the buyer with the most money, but for a higher purpose. A breed that will continue to thrive for even longer than its ancient history.

:goodpost: