Interesting article on health testing
 

https://gordonsetterexpert.org/2016/...-health-tests/

A manchester Toy Fox Breeder. Has some good points to make; the rarer breeds are facing a dilemma probably earlier than the popular breeds as our gene pool to select breedings from is narrowing.

The complex question is how do you work with the results you get back, and how do you handle the consequences of your decisions with your next litter?

An interesting point she made only 200 Manchesters were shown in North America last year. Well I guess I could dig out *somehow* all AKC show enteries - subtract the duplicate dog entries - do the same for Canada and come up with a number. But I don't think I will come up with a number much different than 200+/-. Remember when you start showing your dog, you tend to go onto entering multiple shows until it is *finished* champion. Sometimes you get very lucky and it is the minimum of 3 shows winning majors of 5pts in each show and btw under two different judges. Then there are the specials finished champions that go onto show to earn top dog points. Again subtract out the duplicate entries to come to what is the potentially viable breeding pool. Then of course add back in previous years Ch's and find out who is still currently breeding.... It gets a tad complicated;)

I always appreciate the links you share Gail, thank you. Did you catch this one from best in show daily? It really caught my brain.

Best In Show Daily

informative
 

the post was really useful.

Thank you Gemy!

[QUOTE=Lilah Charm;4643110]I always appreciate the links you share Gail, thank you. Did you catch this one from best in show daily? It really caught my brain.

Best In Show Daily[/QUOTE

Alyssa thank you so much I did so enjoy your own link and had not read it before. It is about time we breeders started to think about these things - how-ever it might make our breeding decisions more difficult and our automatic policy of spay and neuter. I can't tell you the number of breeders who have placed an unpromising pup in a pet home they have been neutered and then when the dog has matured more fully they clap their hand to their forehead and say why ever did I make that decision.

I do know that the CKC mandates that all their breeders sell on a spay and neuter contract unless you want that puppy to be bred. So it also has to start with those reputable registeries.

Well, yes, it seems reasonable to me that the more you test for the more bad things will come up. If we cull in reaction to all the things that can go wrong, there will soon be no breed left.
We need to love a breed because it's wonderful while accepting there will always be some risk of nature taking the wrong course with health.
Really weird to me is how much emphasis we put on animal breeding with none whatsoever on human reproduction.

Well in the 1900 s or so there was something called Eugenics and of course the notorious Hitler Reich experiments. Human beings will protect for a very long time to come their right to breed as they see fit! And there seems to be no understanding that *you* are responsible for those lives you bring into the world. Instead many folks who should have known better as at the start and before pregnancy had none of the means in any way to rear a child go ahead anyway and then ask the state to help them out with their messed up decisions.

IMO until we have honest discussions about this, education, ethical and moral boundaries explored we will be with this situation for a very very long time.

Well what I got from that article I posted was be judicious in how much emphasis you put on the breeding tests. Start with protecting the sound dogs let them live intact. Then or even before then - decide as a group of dedicated breeders once you have those sound dogs identified what and which tests are necessary to be done. The author positives a certain criteria - is that inclusive enough - is it a justified - logically intact position?

Mike you are oh so welcome. Now how do I get a kisser to stop licking/kissing me. I really don't like it. LOL

The Biewers just finished phase 1 of a canine diversity study at University of California--Davis. One of their points was to not throw the baby out with the bath water. If you aren't happy with what you are producing, you need to look outside your breedings. If you are happy with your litters, healthy and happy dogs then you are on the right track. Diversity is important for a new Bree's with a small genetic pool.