Breeding for Game & Health?

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

You must of misunderstood me, i didnt mean they threw more stocky dogs than tall leggy dogs, just that there tends to be a couple more stocky ones than usuall. And when i say stocky i dont mean like the blues.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

I am sure that most well bred dogs from game lines would have no problem passing health tests.
I hear it all the time from Amstaff and many "show APBT" breeders that dogs from game lines tend to have health problems, such as dysplasia, because they don't health check. They never have proof to back this comment up or proof that dogs from game lines are prone to health problems in general.

Anyways, it would be nice to have a game dog breeder that health checks to shut these "no health checks = poor health" people up.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

I was on another board awhile back and I remember reading about this guy whose game bred dog had a cruciate ligament. He went in to have his dog vetted and the xrays showed the dog was also displasiac. Proof to me right there that health issues of the genetic kind DO exist in game dogs. A dog that is truely game is less likely to show pain when in "work mode" so all the more easy for it to go undetected. IMO

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

One instance.... and a gamebred dog to some people is not the same dog to others. It really depends on who has the dogs and where they came from and what sort of standard is set. I don't think you can claim one example to be the total truth.

Regards,

B

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

blah blah blah...all breeds will and can encounter health issues. No one said a game dog is invinsible to health issues. but it is less likely that a dog will devolp heath issues if has regular exercise and feed a healthy diet.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

You said it, they don't have proof because people won't test their dogs. I'd too like to see game dog breeders prove all the 'nay-sayers' wrong.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Yes. It is only one example but I wonder how many more examples would appear if dogs were regularly tested. I don't understand what the big aversion to it is. If I was breeding performance dogs I'd take advantage of every tool available to me to make sure my dogs were the best of the best. I'd make sure my breeding stock was proven in ALL ways possible.
JMO

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

blah blah blah...all breeds will and can encounter health issues. No one said a game dog is invinsible to health issues. but it is less likely that a dog will devolp heath issues if has regular exercise and feed a healthy diet.

took the words right out of my mouth

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

IMO, GSDs have a higher occurance of HD than APBTs, gamebred or otherwise. Not all working dogs in Germany are health tested, but I would say serious breeders would screen their stock for health defects, simply because it's such a common disorder among large-boned breeds.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Working GSD's arent tested as thoroughly as ours are in the field. They work extremely hard and maybe with more "fury" in their feild of work but it is for a much shorter time. Its not a fault at all, its how they are supposed to be bred and I respect the breeders keeping them true to form. I'm not saying any type of work is better than the other-thats not the purpose of this post, its to say that you will notice health issues more after 2 hours than 2 minutes.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Genetic health issues, which is what health testing is about, are going to be there regardless of lifestyle. No doubt a less than healthy life style can make the issue show up younger or exasperate a problem but if a dog is born with a weakness, it is there right in it's genes and will be passed on to it's offspring.
I would think the physical health of our breed would be a hell of alot more important than to just Blah Blah Blah it away.

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Ah, but see how would you know these problems aren't prevelant in performance dogs unless you screen? I mention hip dysplasia in particular because, yes, a dog can and will perform with hip dysplasia.
How does OFA testing tell one anything-have yet to see any study on dogs that pass at 2 checked again at say 8, would be curious to see the findings? How accurate at predicting soundness (long term) is an OFA rating? When a dog is conditioned for whatever event they are participating in any health problems will come up. An Iditarod dog doesn’t need to be tested, his training will tell everything and more than any “machine test”. A person wanting to register their dog with the SSDA has to have it pass their endurance test which will tell them everything if not the actual test the conditioning routine prior to taking it. A field trial dog out running the field all day long, every week if not multiple times a week will tell its breeder all it needs to know. Same with those dogs that actually herd livestock for their owners their daily job around the ranch will tell them everything they need to know.
You have breeds such as Border Collies, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Singers, Olde English Bulldogs (Leavitt variety), etc that are know for their loose hips. Not as much as a fault just how they are designed and the extreme flexibility aids them in their work. Genetics aren’t the main cause of hip/elbow dysphasia as much as combinations of that, nutrition, exercise, etc. My thinking/guess is that joint shape and laxity itself aren’t the problem, but a combination of poor connective tissue and synovial fluid that leads to lameness? More to it than genetics as recent studies have shown, also contributing factors include diet and exercise, etc. Those studies are a main reason most of the sub par dog food companies started changing the protein levels in their food. I don’t think it really makes much different as to the levels as much as the type of protein that is fed. Feeding a high collagen protein and other sources high in connective tissue might be more important than say those high quality proteins from muscle meat or eggs? Heck what do I know though? I think if someone is truly worried about it they should look more into the dogs parents and grandparents when they was older than emphasize on a OFA rating?

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Right often they hve Easty- Westy feet
bow legs
spwayed feet

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

good post...

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Thanks for sharing facts and teaching me something Tex.

Regards,

B

 

Re: Breeding for Game & Health?

Tex, what a great post!