Genetics

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Disney

Skin issue like dandruff or allergy sort of thing?

By blue born pup, do you mean instead of being born black and tan, they is blue and tan? What kind of breeding produces that? Or is that when the dogs not tested before mating?

They are actually bluish gray in color.

Major skin issues that contribute to losing coat. These dogs do not have the ability to grow coat.

These dogs can crop up in a breeding at any time. What contributes to them is putting the wrong two dogs together.

Remember every dog can have the required tests performed. Tests only tell you that the dogs do not have a disease, they do not tell you if the dog is a carrier of a problem. There is no genetic marker that informs you of that.

[Disney]

So what do you do to attempt and prevent this sort of thing?

[topknot]

Blue born pups - most of them can also not live to maturity. So this is a huge health risk. You do not want a blue born.

Black and tan yorkies (that are black and tan as adults) usually are your woolies. I have one that I got many years ago as a pet and is neutered. I would never want to breed him, since he is not to standard. My feeling is - if you cannot show them, why breed them??

One should want to uphold the standard and to do right by the breed. Breeding is a very serious science and not to be dabbled in lightly without knowing what you are doing - reason you need educated mentors to teach you. Some mentors are good and some are not. So when choosing a mentor, one needs to choose wisely.

[Brooklynn]

Originally Posted by Disney

Wow...With those kind of issue just reiterates the importance of testing and breeding as close to standard as possible for healthy puppies.

My dear, I think you got it

[Tnyorkiemom]

yes Disney..you dont want to have a blue born yorkie..........this is the thing with them........you can have perfectly healthy tested mommy and daddy....always throw standards for litters and litters ....and then all of a sudden throw a blue..........it is a recessive gene....and from my understanding the MARS test is the only one that the gene shows up with......the basic testing that is done on dams and sires prior to breeding doesnt show it.

[topknot]

Originally Posted by Disney

So what do you do to attempt and prevent this sort of thing?

Research and educating one self with genetics and learning the pedigree lines (and researching them). Learn as much as you can. There is a breeding seminar in Atlanta in Sept. I will be going to this even though I have been in yorkies for many, many years. One should always continue learning about all they can on this subject if one is breeding.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Disney

So what do you do to attempt and prevent this sort of thing?

You don't breed the pair again.

But, it does go to show you that breeding the Yorkshire Terrier it is one of the most difficult breeds to breed.

While studying genetics is a great asset, there is no absolutes in this breed. As most breeders will tell the breed is difficult to get exacts with. You can't breed pheno type to pheno type as you do with say Poodles and know what you're going to produce. Most judges will tell you that it is a difficult breed to judge. No absolutes.

[Disney]

Originally Posted by topknot

Blue born pups - most of them can also not live to maturity. So this is a huge health risk. You do not want a blue born.

Black and tan yorkies (that are black and tan as adults) usually are your woolies. I have one that I got many years ago as a pet and is neutered. I would never want to breed him, since he is not to standard. My feeling is - if you cannot show them, why breed them??

One should want to uphold the standard and to do right by the breed. Breeding is a very serious science and not to be dabbled in lightly without knowing what you are doing - reason you need educated mentors to teach you. Some mentors are good and some are not. So when choosing a mentor, one needs to choose wisely.

That is perfect way to say it! May I use that as my signature?

Originally Posted by Brooklynn

My dear, I think you got it

Thanks you! This is all so incredibly interesting, I cannot seem to learn enough fast enough! I am starving for information! The next five/six years will be filled with research.

Originally Posted by Tnyorkiemom

yes Disney..you dont want to have a blue born yorkie..........this is the thing with them........you can have perfectly healthy tested mommy and daddy....always throw standards for litters and litters ....and then all of a sudden throw a blue..........it is a recessive gene....and from my understanding the MARS test is the only one that the gene shows up with......the basic testing that is done on dams and sires prior to breeding doesnt show it.

So which tests do you breeders perform? Do you perform before every mating even if the dam and sire have been tested before?

[Disney]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

You don't breed the pair again.

But, it does go to show you that breeding the Yorkshire Terrier it is one of the most difficult breeds to breed.

While studying genetics is a great asset, there is no absolutes in this breed. As most breeders will tell the breed is difficult to get exacts with. You can't breed pheno type to pheno type as you do with say Poodles and know what you're going to produce. Most judges will tell you that it is a difficult breed to judge. No absolutes.

Is this why we see so many more health issue on the forum? I've never even heard of some of these illness in other breed. How much of these illness could be prevented by responsible breeding?

What is it about the Yorkshire Terrier genetic makeup that makes them so much more at risk?

[rbelland]

Mary mentioned a seminar with Dr. Centers. I would be very interested in attending.

Does anyone know when/where they are scheduled?

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Disney

Is this why we see so many more health issue on the forum? I've never even heard of some of these illness in other breed. How much of these illness could be prevented by responsible breeding?

What is it about the Yorkshire Terrier genetic makeup that makes them so much more at risk?

Each breed has it's own set of problems. Maltese has a very high insidence of Liver Shunt. Every Toy breed is plagued with Luxating Patellas.

What is happened with the Yorkshire Terrier is that it became such a popular breed and people saw a money making business and decided to capitilize on it. These breeders only perpetuated health issues by breeding indiscrimenatly....not taking the precautions, hence that is why you see so many health issues on this forum.

Breeding is not anything to take lightly. It takes years and years of studying before one should embark on it.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by rbelland

Mary mentioned a seminar with Dr. Centers. I would be very interested in attending.

Does anyone know when/where they are scheduled?

Usually held at Dog shows......I don't think Dr. Centers has a website showing a schedule. Most breed clubs contact her prior to a show and request her seminars.

[topknot]

Disney;3180473]Is this why we see so many more health issue on the forum? I've never even heard of some of these illness in other breed. How much of these illness could be prevented by responsible breeding?

Many people have bought from mills, backyard breeders, or are breeding their pets. It is a cycle. When you buy substandard yorkies and breed substandard yorkies, you get problems. And this cycle gets worse when testing and education is not done.

[Disney]

Well luckily Yorkie not common breed at all in Australia so we don't have yorkie puppy mill.

I completely agree on the years it takes before you breed. I'm taking five/six years of study before I even begin to SHOW yorkie. If I ever bred, it wouldn't be for tenish years and I would breed purely for the ring.

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by Disney

Is this why we see so many more health issue on the forum? I've never even heard of some of these illness in other breed. How much of these illness could be prevented by responsible breeding?

What is it about the Yorkshire Terrier genetic makeup that makes them so much more at risk?

There are lots of breeds of dogs (and many other species of animals for that matter) that have color specific diseases or health issues. Color can be just an undesireable trait, or it can be the mask for someting far more serious or fatal depending on the circumstance/species of animal. Many of these diseases can be prevented by responsible, knowledgeable breeding practices.