Dead Tails -- another unspeakable - Page 2

Hello DH nice to make your aquaintance. I think you have many valid points. As for proposing change and time factors, my above observations was what I saw at the Sieger last year and this year. Like you mention hooky tails, poor colours etc are not going to stop a dog from working, but I do believe breeders are acountable for their practice, I personally would never go to Germany to use a male who I noted had a 'fixed' tail as I would not want this in my line. We can get problems without trying lol! But I would like to see steps taken towards the 'fixing' of tails as I believe this to be ethically wrong. You mention time scale: In my humble opinion it could be stamped out pretty quickly if these dogs were not allowed to be shown, and although I do not personally like hooky tails I would prefer seeing this to a tail bouncing off the hock, and lastly it should be judged just like any other fault is in our breed. But alas I don't think this will happen. Regards Sting

D.H., you make good points. Perhaps you misunderstand the purpose of what I suggest. I know that no dog is perfect genetically (either in phenotype, the external, what shows---or genotype, the actual genetic material the dog with transmit during breeding to form approximately 1/2 the puppy's genes) (I say approx. 1/2 since due to the wierd phenomena of chromosome Xing or crossing over and re-separating back into two distinct but non-normally comprised chromosomes). But the task of the dedicated GSD breeder should be to know what is the likely phenotype and genotype of his GSD and any potential breeding partners and make efforts to select said partners to best mask the bad genotype, make the good genotype salient to appear as phenotype, while combing the phenotypes of both breeding partners to creat a tendency for the phenotype to appear and serve as a dominant set of traits (bury the bad stuff back into the pedigree and express the good stuff). Double up on desirable phenotype and genotype traits, and separate on undesirable phenotype and genotypical faults. To do this successfully involves a lot of knowledge aboyut what the breeding animals produce and carry behind them. It also necessitates using the currently available technology of lab tests and xrays to do one's best to screen out or bury the seriously debilitating traits, thus increasing the statistical odds of healthy GSD with good temperaments, joints and longevity. A dedicated breeder can actually make progress by doing this over time, and and educated well informed GSD buyer can assist the breeder by being willing to pay for many of these lab tests and xrays if they value the GSD enough and really want to buy a healthy, correct GSD with longevity. For example, if I buy a 9 month old GSD and insist that every available appropriate screening lab test and xray is done and am willing to pay for it with a first refusal to buy contract, and if they all turn out normal, then I have drastically increased my odds of buying a healthy GSD with longevity. It is up to me to know the difference between normal temeperament and good or adequate confirmation or bring in a consultant to help if I don't know (there are some that will even help you for free). It's like pay now or pay later while then suffering a great deal when the GSD you are devoted to gets terribly ill prematurely due to serious genetically based health problems that would have readily shown up on screening tests. Soon there will be genetic testiog for the genes that control at least 40-50% of the hip confirmation (the rest is environment). When this comes only the ignorant will not make use of it. The same is true for EPI down the road. I'm arguing for using the best technology and experience availbale to us in breeding and buying GSDs.