Genetic defects in puppy - Page 5

Blitzen: "I don't know why you've never had an allergic dog, but if you can figure that out I'll bet you could make a lot of money selling that information LOL." ************************************************************************************************ Why? Perhaps because I breed/buy dogs only from bloodlines that I can trust and with which I have personal experience. I don't buy from big name breeders/brokers or buy dogs sight unseen. As often as possible, I've seen whole litters (or littermates) when I've made my selections. In the past, I've had very limited FAD (flea allergy dermatitis--primarily, ages ago, when I lived in the SF Bay Area) and Staph pyoderma (both easily resolved--if the dog is not bombarded with steroids). BTW, we can never totally eliminate Staph in the GSD because the GSD has a different skin pH than other breeds--creating an environment more conducive to the proliferation of Staph. These infections are best be avoided by keeping the skin dry and clean. Unlike you, I did not see a preponderance of atopy in the breed when I was a tech. Most skin problems that I've witnessed are those caused by owner/veterinary ignorance, veterinary mis-diagnosis, and/or "benign neglect".

One more thing, Blitzen, most of my dogs of German lines came from herding stock (largely older Kirschental). The last thing that a shepherd wants is for his dogs to have allergies and health problems (that restict their ability to do what they were bred for).