The saddest breeding program I have ever seen! - Page 5

No though this past weekend I had 4 spayed females ranging in age from 1 to 11 years of age.  My GSD, my aged lab and my fathers two lab bitches.

All 5 dogs got along fine.  Inside resting, outside playing, feeding time. 

Its often been observed that a bitch fight will be to the death, where a dog fight can be more about posturing but that has to do with gender and can affect any breed of dog.

Although I am  not AT ALL in agreement with what this breeder is doing, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. She doesn't call her dogs German Shepherds and she hasn't bred to German Shepherds in 15 years. As far as who buys these dogs, I say to each their own. In this day the average person doesn't want a high drive GSD that needs a job and is much happier with a laid back family companion. Plus, new breeds are being created all the time (AGAIN, I am not in agreement with the way this breeder is going about it).  We, in  the GSD world, should keep our focus on what is happening to the dogs that are still called GSDs. There are a lot of GSD breeders (german showline, working line & american showline) that knowingly breed dogs that are unhealthy and/or have genetic defects or that don't do adequate health testing on their breeding dogs. Our breed has the  reputation of being one of the unhealthiest breeds out there, and rightfully so.  

"There are a lot of GSD breeders (german showline, working line & american showline) that knowingly breed dogs that are unhealthy and/or have genetic defects or that don't do adequate health testing on their breeding dogs."

I think this is a fair statement.

But does a high percentage of breeders of all these lines knowingly do so?
 
I don't necessary agree. Many dogs are healthy while young and don't show problems until,say,  six years or older.

HD and ED are screened by OFA, but there is no momentum for other diseases for all lines in GSDs.
 
Incidentally, in order to claim that one line is healthier than another re a hereditory disease, there must be established filter for that disease. Otherwise, it is just hearsay and attitude.

There are many American Showline that have good OFA background, but this is sort of elite class among GSDs bred in the USA. Most GSDs bred in the USA are inferior to imports re OFA background, but some American bred GSDs also have low risk of HD and ED. The search engine for OFA exists, one just have to investigate.

HighdesertGSD, I think we are in agreement for the most part. I still know that breeders can do a lot more than they do.  DM can be tested early on and the test is 80% accurate. The test can determine if the dog is a carrier or not.  The dog can be checked for cardiac issues and there are plenty of problems that can be detected early on. Epilepsy usually surfaces around 2 years of age. There are immune system issues that can show up early on as well. EPI and megaesophagus can show up early on.  That is just to name a few. THe only way we are going to create healthier dogs is to have mandatory health testing and that will never happen. All the dogs in the lineage need to be looked at, not just the parents, grandparents, great grand parents, etc. What about the siblings, aunts and uncles, etc.? I agree the imports are probably healthier than the Amer. lines, but still leave a lot to be desired. Think about it. The SV has required hip screenings for a very long time and still there is a lot of hip dysplasia in these dogs. 
The best,
Char

That just one or two dogs among parents/grandparents/greatgrandparents are certified free of a certain hereditory disease is not meaningful.

 

For a filter to be useful, there must be a momentum among breeders against that disease.

 

I'd say that against HD and ED there is already such a momentum among elite American lines, still swiss cheese but fewer and fewer voids.

 

"That just one or two dogs among parents/grandparents/greatgrandparents are certified free of a certain hereditory disease is not meaningful." Yes, exactly,  and that is why even the most ethical and responsible breeders only have so much information available when trying to determine if their dog may pass on a hereditary disease or health issue. That is why the only way to start weeding out genetic issues is to have all dogs tested,and  as I said before, that will never happen.   

 

"For a filter to be useful, there must be a momentum among breeders against that disease."  Yes, and unfortunately unless all breeders and dog owneres are forced to do testing and reveal the results, the attempt to develop a healthier dog will go nowhere.

 

US Dept of Veterans Affairs starting to use these as PTSD alert dogs. I guess that's consindered a working dog, and does some good for the world.  

I don't know a single gsd breeder that would ever say "The litter was not the greatest, but the GENES ARE THERE...  That is what i am looking at as a founder and breeder." (per schwartz kennel)

 

Hard to imagine breeding dogs that were not great. NOT the way anybody improves a line.

Back to the breeding program--awful!  Just goes to show some people don't need to have pets, much less be breeding them!