470 — Molosser Breeds Evoke Old World Characteristics
Molosser Breeds Evoke Old World Characteristics
“The Neopolitan Mastiff is an old-world breed. The Neo is opera, it’s an aria, it’s primal, it’s about all those earthy emotions.”
Denise Flaim with molosser friends…
Denise Flaim, creator of Modern Molosser, Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder and AKC judge, joins host Laura Reeves to share a passionate understanding of the Molosser breeds.
“The name (molosser) comes from ancient Greece….,” Flaim said. “There was a dog called the Mollsus dog. It was reputed to be very large in size. Equally as ferocious. All of the ancient scribes and historians wrote about this dog. The Romans acquired them, legend has it, and they fought in the colosseum and they were used as war dogs.
Basir, the dog on which the Cane Corso standard was based
“What it’s come to mean today is a group of dogs, some of them related, some not, or only distantly, that have certain physical characteristics: great bone for their size, thick skin, oftentimes wrinkled, but not always. A role that involved being a guardian of people or property or sometimes livestock. Imposing large heads, oftentimes with muzzles that are slightly shorter than the length of skull but not always. So that’s kind of the phenotype of the molosser.
Dogue bitch, Tyrannus Skyejacked by Emberez
“They are sort of a group of breeds that consider themselves part of this family. That list would include Mastiff, Bullmastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Neopolitan Mastiff, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Boerbel etc.
“I’m always very impressed by the molosser breeders, because they’re hard to breed. Many of them of are of a size and scope in terms of bone and substance that’s very hard to achieve. Many of them are head breeds. Because their heads and certain aspects of their bodies, the differential between one breed and another is minimal.
Mario Querci and Neapolitan Mastiffs
“So, for example, Neopolitan Mastiffs and Cane Corsos, head planes are incredibly important. Neo’s are parallel planes and Cane Corsos are convergent. If you have a Corso with parallel planes, you’re starting to go down the slippery slope of losing type. So, in those two breeds, the fine points are super important because there’s so much inter-relation.
“There used to be this old wives’ tale, that the Tibetan Mastiff was the mother of all mastiff breeds. Now we know from genetic research that every region of the world, mastiffs types evolved separately. Sighthound archetypes and mastiff archetypes pop up in every culture.
“There is an incredible lack of respect for many of these breeds. As usual, people make fun of things they don’t understand. Across the ocean, the ability to judge and breed Neopolitan Mastiffs is considered the height of connoisseurship in dogs.
“In America our idiom is one of loftiness and verticality and expansion. The Neopolitan Mastiff is an old-world breed. The Neo is opera, it’s an aria, it’s primal, it’s about all those earthy emotions. It’s a completely different way to look at the breed.
“Go look at (Neopolitan Mastiffs) again through the prism of ‘this is an old-world breed.’ Re-calibrate yourself. The dog shouldn’t adjust to you and your preferences. You should adjust to the dog, its history, culture and its type.
The Deer Run kennel was hugely influential. Ch. Deer Run Wycliff shown by Vic Capone.
“Every breed is its own country, with its own language, its own traditions, its own culture … What you don’t wanna do is be like the stereotypical American tourist with the socks and sandals and the guidebook clenched in your hand with the real superficial understanding of whatever breed you’re bumping into.”
LISTEN above to hear more of this extraordinary conversation.
469 – Curating Living History Through Purebred Dogs
Curating Living History Through Purebred Dogs
“Purebred dogs are the only living museum of mankind’s journey on Earth.” Dr. Richard Meen
The dog god Anubis at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Photo by Lance Woodruff
Amanda Kelly, Fwaggle Toy Manchester Terriers in Canada, and host Laura Reeves take a deep dive on the history of purebred dogs. From the Victorian era, through the Industrial Revolution to today, we discuss how and why purebred dogs developed and how preservation breeders are curating living history through purebred dogs.
“I think that (Meen’s quote) is such a profound statement,” Kelly said. “Because it speaks to two things for me and there’s a tension between them. One is, it talks about the reasons why preservation is so important. We preserve our breeds because we love them, which is always going to be the number one reason that we do anything in the dog world. But there’s a broader purpose. There’s a broader service to society in preserving some of these breeds, particularly the very old ones. In that we are the ones who are maintaining this living museum.
“We are the ones who can show to a 10-year-old interested in ancient Egypt a dog that maybe looks exactly like a dog that sat next to Cleopatra… We can talk about the history of the country. And we can put a living artifact in front of people.
“I think the importance of artifacts and touch points that allow people to not just read above something, but to have an emotional and physical connection, is maybe a little bit more present for me when it comes to dogs, because I think that as a tool we are telling the story of our history on this Earth.
“Dogs have a really particular way of doing that because they speak not only to the things that they did for us, which in turn tells us about the way that we lived in different times and in different places in our history, they also allow us to actually feel a connection to that time you just can’t get through words on a page.
“What Doctor Meen said also speaks to the concept of evolution… all of these animals, whether they were developed in one part of the world or another part of the world, they all come from a place. We didn’t arrive in 2000 with 400 plus dog breeds that just magically rained down from on high. These were purposely developed animals in whatever area of the world and for whatever reason they were developed.
“They reflect the hand of humans who were the ones that were choosing them. Whether we’re talking about 500 years ago when they were being selected for behaviors that helped people actually live. I mean, people relied on these animals in order to be able to put food on the table.
“So, whether you’re talking about that or you’re talking about perhaps a companion dog that was developed by the Victorians because it was cute sitting on a pillow, it doesn’t make any difference why it was developed. But as part of that living museum. We are also reflecting that we have developed these animals through this concept that I talked about earlier, which is this idea of evolution with intent.”
“So 2021 is a whole lot different than 1821 or 1921. And it has different things that are important to the people in this society. And I think it is noteworthy that dogs, in some format or another, are still one of those things. They are one of the through lines of all of our history,” Laura noted.
“The concept of preservation breeding is a really important one,” Amanda added. “And thinking about what is it that we’re preserving and how we do that most effectively.
“But I think as groups of breeders we have to think more about where our breeds are going to be in 50 years and how we’re going to make sure that they’re still here. And that may require us to make hard choices. It may require us to make backup plans and to plan breedings that have alternate agendas other than producing your next best in show winner and those are hard things.
“If you’ve devoted your entire life to a breed. And the difference is that you can’t crop it or you can’t dock it. Or perhaps both, depending on your breed. Would you be willing to not only not have that breed in your life? But to actually see it disappear completely because of that.”
I don’t know the answer, but that is the question.
468 – Bloat 911: Know the Signs, Be Prepared
Bloat 911: Know the Signs, Be Prepared
PRINT this chart for reference in your dogs’ area.
Dr. Marty Greer, DVM joins host Laura Reeves for a primer on one of the most terrifying and emergent situations we can encounter with our dogs – bloat. Most noted in large and giant breeds of middle to advanced age, Greer notes that small dogs and puppies are not immune.
“There are parts of this that no one still understands,” Greer said, “even though we’ve known about gastric dilatation volvulus, GDV or bloat, for decades and decades. I mean, when I was in veterinary school, it was a big deal. Unfortunately, we have still a lot of holes in the knowledge we have about it.
What happens
“Essentially what happens is the stomach fills with fluid, air, food, different materials and in gastric dilatation it dilates. In gastric dilatation volvulus it dilates and then rotates inside the abdomen.
“It can be one or both. The distinguishing feature is going to be available only by X Ray. Just looking at a dog at a dog show or in your hotel room or at your house and your kennel, in the veterinary lobby, you can’t tell the difference between a volvulus and a dilatation. So, an X Ray is needed to determine what’s going on.
Why it happens
“(When) material starts to fill the stomach and it starts to dilate, there’s some kind of an outflow obstruction, which is not clearly identified, which keeps the fluid and gas from being able to go down into the small intestine. The stomach dilates further and further and further …gas is produced either by fermentation or by gulping air.
“The dogs typically will attempt to vomit, but are unproductive in their efforts …That’s probably the one distinguishing thing that you can determine when you’re looking at a dog, as the abdomen is distended… if they’re able to productively vomit, food is coming up, fluid is coming up, it’s probably not a boat. If their efforts to vomit are unproductive, you have a genuine life crisis medical emergency on your hands and you cannot get to a veterinary clinic for care fast enough.
“The problem is this becomes this really vicious cycle of metabolic and respiratory and circulatory disasters that just feed on each other. As soon as the stomach starts to fill with gas, the dog develops acidosis. They can’t produce any vomit. The stomach starts to press on the diaphragm, so they can’t breathe adequately. And then their circulation starts to slow down because there’s pressure on the vena cava.
“There are all these metabolic cascades that start to happen that become a vicious cycle. One makes the next part worse, which makes the next worse, which makes the next worse. Which is why the dogs decompensate and die of shock or ruptured stomach or cardiac malfunctions.
What can you do?
“There are some correlations that people have made with the time of eating and the amount of exercise afterwards, but there’s not a strong correlation. You can follow every single guideline that you possibly have ever read about to try and reduce the risk of it. And it can still happen anyway. That’s what’s really devastating about it … You feel really helpless because you can’t prevent it and you can’t predict it. And when it happens, it doesn’t matter what time of the day it is. You need immediate medical care. Half an hour ago.
“(The stomach is noticeably distended)… it can sound like a watermelon when you thump it… so if there’s any possibility, a little inkling that something is not right, if a dog is restless, won’t lay down, won’t eat, won’t drink, and it’s really non-productively trying to vomit, you go get an X Ray. Period, end of discussion.
“You call the emergency clinic on your way. You tell them what you have for a breed, the circumstances and you say I’m coming in for an X Ray. And you hope to God that there’s not six other really serious medical emergencies ahead of yours so that you can get the immediate attention that’s required.
“If you have the option of going to two different practices, you’ll probably want to call ahead and see who can accommodate you when you arrive, because there is no sitting in the parking lot and waiting. There is no calling in the surgeon. There is no ‘we’ll get around to you when we get around to you.’ It is right now.”
Listen to the rest of our conversation to learn about passing a stomach tube to give the dog more time, prophylactically tacking the stomach, potential genetic predisposition that can impact breeding decisions and more.
Listen HERE for our previous podcast on first aid for bloat and other emergencies.
467 – Proposed CA Legislation Radically Regulates All Dog Breeding
Proposed California Legislation Radically Regulates All Dog Breeding
California’s AB702 threatens to decimate the hobby breeder population in the state, according to Patti Strand, President of the National Animal Interest Alliance.
Learn more and find contact information for YOUR legislator at NAIA Trust.
Text of the bill is below. Please read the bill. Listen to Patti’s recommendations for when and how we can all stand together to help educate legislators in the state.
AB 702, as introduced, Santiago. Animal breeding: permits.
Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs, which regulates and licenses various businesses and professions in the state.
Existing law, the Polanco-Lockyer Pet Breeder Warranty Act, establishes various requirements for dog breeders. Existing law also authorizes the regulation and licensing of dogs by cities and counties.
This bill would prohibit a person from establishing or maintaining a dog or cat kennel for breeding purposes, as specified, without a breeder permit, as defined. The bill would require an application for a breeder permit to contain specified information requested by the local jurisdiction and would require a local jurisdiction to issue a breeder permit if the owner provides specified proof that various conditions are met, as specified, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the local jurisdiction to assess fees pursuant to these provisions but would prohibit those fees from exceeding the reasonable costs of administering the provisions.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
DIGEST KEY
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal Committee: yes Local Program: yes
BILL TEXT
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 122336) is added to Part 6 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
CHAPTER 8.5. Breeder Permitting Programs for Cats and Dogs
122336.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) “Breeder permit” means a document issued annually by a local jurisdiction or its local animal control agency if authorized to issue these permits, that authorizes a person to own or possess within that locality an unaltered cat or dog for the purposes of breeding and meets the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 122338.
(b) “Local animal control agency” means the municipal or county animal control agency or other entity responsible for enforcing animal-related laws.
(c) “Local jurisdiction” means any city, county, or city and county.
(d) “Spay or neuter” means any procedure performed by a duly licensed veterinarian that permanently sterilizes an animal and makes it incapable of reproduction.
(e) “Unaltered” means any female or male dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered or has otherwise been rendered incapable of reproduction.
(f) “Breeding” shall be deemed to have occurred upon the production of offspring, whether the offspring result from sexual activity or artificial insemination, and whether the sexual activity was intentional or the result of improper confinement.
(g) “Proper shelter” means an enclosure with four walls, a roof and a raised floor that adequately protects from exposure to cold, heat, and water, and that gives access to an enclosed yard or other open outdoor space.
122337.
(a) Subject to subdivision (b), no person, as principal, agent, employee, or otherwise, shall establish or maintain any dog or cat kennel for breeding purposes, keep any dog or cat for breeding purposes, or breed any dog or cat that is owned, harbored, or kept without first applying to and receiving a breeder permit.
(b) The application for a breeder permit shall contain information that is requested by the local jurisdiction, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) A complete description of the nature and extent of the breeding to be conducted and for which application is made, including the breed of cats or dogs proposed to be bred.
(2) The address of the location at which breeding will occur and, if different from the breeding address, the address of the location at which the litter shall be queened or whelped.
(3) The name and address of the applicant or applicants.
(4) A statement by the applicant or applicants stating that each applicant or applicants owns either of the cats or dogs to be bred and that there are no other owners.
(5) A statement by the applicant or applicants stating that at least one of the litter is intended to be offered for sale.
(6) Evidence that the cats or dogs to be bred do not have the same sire or dam.
(7) Evidence that the dam to be bred is at least two years of age and no more than seven years of age.
(8) A copy of a valid certificate of health for the dam.
(9) Evidence that both cats and dogs to be bred have microchip devices implanted with the permittees contact information.
(10) If the owners are not the applicant or applicants, written authorization to do any of the following:
(A) Breed.
(B) Queen.
(C) Whelp.
(D) Breed and queen.
(E) Breed and whelp.
(11) A statement by the applicant or applicants stating that the applicant or applicants have reviewed and will comply with all applicable rules and regulations regarding breeding and keeping animals on private property.
(12) Other information that may be required by the jurisdiction, consistent with the purposes of this chapter.
(c) A person who is in possession of any document issued by the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency that permits actions described in subdivision (a) shall be deemed in compliance with this act until the document expires.
122338.
(a) A local jurisdiction shall issue a breeder permit if the owner provides sufficient proof, as determined by the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency, that the following conditions are met:
(1) The owner demonstrates, by providing a copy of their business license and federal and state tax number, or by other proof, as required by the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency, that the owner is doing business as a cat or dog breeder at a location for which the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency has issued the business license.
(2) The owner agrees to comply with the following requirements:
(A) Only one litter per year, per cat or dog per household may be queened or whelped.
(B) Proper shelter shall be provided for all cats, dogs, and litters.
(C) Clean and reasonably temperate water shall be provided to all cats and dogs at all times.
(D) Nutritious food sufficient to properly nourish the dam and the dam’s litter shall be provided.
(E) Cats’ and dogs’ living quarters and yards shall be properly maintained at all times, including, but not limited to, removal of feces and urine to prevent odors from entering surrounding areas.
(F) Births shall be reported to the local jurisdiction within 10 days of their occurrence.
(G) No offspring shall be sold or otherwise transferred, whether for compensation or otherwise, until it has reached the eight weeks of age, has been immunized against common diseases, and has been issued a certificate of health.
(H) All offspring shall have a microchip device that identifies the breeder implanted before the eight weeks of age. The identity of the breeder shall remain on the microchip device along with the identity of the new owner upon the sale or transfer of the animal.
(I) All advertising in any medium undertaken to market the offspring of a permitted unaltered animal shall prominently feature the permit number and identity of the permitting jurisdiction.
(J) An owner who transfers ownership of a dog or cat for compensation or otherwise shall disclose to the transferee information regarding the license and permit requirements of the jurisdiction applicable to the transferred animal and all medical records, health certificates, and microchip information.
(b) (1) The amount of the fee for a breeder permit shall be determined by the local jurisdiction, but shall not exceed the reasonable costs of administering these provisions.
(2) A fee assessed by a local jurisdiction pursuant to this chapter shall not be duplicative of any other local fee in that jurisdiction.
(c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a local jurisdiction from adopting or enforcing more restrictive spay and neuter, unaltered, or breeding provisions pursuant to Section 122331.
(d) (1) Any individual or organization breeding animals for services provided by guide dogs, signal dogs, or service dogs, as defined in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) of Section 54.1 of the Civil Code, shall be presumptively entitled to a breeder permit issued pursuant to this chapter.
122339.
(a) A local animal control agency shall be responsible for enforcing and administering this chapter.
(b) A local animal control agency may revoke a permit of an owner, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, for a failure to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 122338.
SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.
466 – Borzoi: Epitome of Elegant yet Powerful Hound
Borzoi: Epitome of Elegant yet Powerful
Borzoi breeders Kristina Terra and Corrine Miller join host Laura Reeves to learn more about the powerful, elegant sighthounds made popular by Russian nobility.
Once known as the Russian Wolfhound, the Borzoi’s history provides a fascinating study of the Russian aristocracy.
“I think the Russian Wolfhound, it’s a bit of a misnomer,” Terra, president of the International Borzoi Council, said. “Because, actually, the breed in its native land used to hunt many things other than Wolves, but Wolves also. So they were initially bred as a typical sight hound that would hunt the European hare, kind of like a jackrabbit. They’re big in the Russian steppes and the big open spaces but also the forest meadows. So those sighthounds initially had to have a lot of speed on short distances.”
Terra, along with her mother, moved from St. Petersburg, Russia to the United States and acquired their first Borzoi in 1993.
“The first depiction of a Russian wolfhound, Borzoi, is actually at the Saint Sophia cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine,” Terra noted. “It’s one of the frescoes. Since Sophia cathedral dates back to 1037, that is one of the first depictions (of the breed) And also in the illuminated Chronicles of a couple of centuries later, there’s another beautiful depiction of one of the czars hunting with Borzoi. So that’s kind of the second depiction of the breed.
“So the breed goes back ancient and it has changed over the years. Different breeds have been added to it. As the country changed both geographically, you know the forests were cleared, so more stamina was required of a sighthound, the breed changed. Also as the country changed politically, for instance when the serfdom was abolished, when the big aristocratic families of Russia could no longer take care of big kennels, then the breed changed again. But it has always been the symbol of that country and just the epitome of an elegant, yet powerful creature.
“The Royal family is always the one that draws the most attention and just kind of nostalgia, and these beautiful tales and palaces. Of course the Russian czars, they had their own hunt it was the Imperial hunt and it was in the suburb of Saint Petersburg. But one of the biggest breeders and the most famous kennels of the time was actually the czar’s uncle.
“But that was just the czar’s family. There were many Noble families across this vast country and they all considered it their duty to have their own line of beautiful Borzoi and they all competed against each other in how beautiful their Borzoi were, and how fast and agile they were, and how many Foxes or hare or Wolf they could catch.
“They would have many kind of field trials, where different neighboring land owners would get together with their dogs and just compare them. The very first written description of the breed appeared in an article in a hunting magazine in 1888. That description was voted on by the Imperial hunting society members. They all voted on that and I suppose that could be called the first standard of the breed.”
Miller added, “a lot of them (breeders) wrote their own standards, which was interesting. There was one (that was) like ‘oh the black and tan ones are the best’ and then this other guy that lived over the other ways like ‘Oh no, tan markings is bad.”
465 – Allison On: Tips from the Top on Drop Coat Grooming
Allison On: Tips from the Top on Drop Coat Grooming
Allison Alexander, founder of Leading Edge Dog Show Academy and President of the Canadian Professional Handlers Association, joins host Laura Reeves to talk about grooming drop coated breeds, from maintenance to polish.
Allison’s years of experience provide enormous insight into the maintenance on coated breeds from a Maltese to a Briard. Along with professional tips on the tools of the trade…. What kind of pin brush, what type of wraps, HOW to wrap and band. We cover it all right here. Read on for just the tip of the iceberg. And click to listen to the entire fabulous conversation.
“Obviously the basics start with line brushing,” Allison said. “And one thing I will say about drop coats, and people might disagree with me, but drop coats more than any other coat type, you can’t have a bad day.
“Even a poodle in full show coat, you can skip a bath. They could get wet in a rainstorm or snowstorm and it’s midnight and you’ve driven for two days to get home and, I’m not recommending it, but you can let them get away with like towel him dry, sleeping it off overnight and starting the next day. You have a long coat, especially as single-coated long coat, and you do not have those options.
“So the commitment is like times 10 to me. There are no days off. So when it comes to line brushing to me to keep a really fully coated drop coat breed in coat, line brushing has to be something that you’re doing every day. You’re going to change those wraps every day. You’re going to change that topknot every day. You’re going to make sure that they look perfect.
“When it comes to line brushing, my kind of general rule of thumb is, the longer the coat the more coat they have, the longer the pin in the pin brush. When it comes to a single-coated drop coat, I’m going to use a brush with a slightly softer pad firmness. The double-coated drop coats, I’m going to use a brush that has a slightly firmer pad that the pins go in.
“We also know that no matter what we’re brushing, but again more important for long coats, never, ever brush the coat dry. You need some kind of brushing spray, whether it’s a brushing spray that’s just cutting down on static, whether it’s one that’s adding some kind of conditioner to the coat or whether it’s a detangling brushing spray. But they cannot be brushed dry. You’ll just keep snapping those ends off.
“When I am line brushing, I like to teach my dog to lay down on their side. Especially a drop coat because obviously, with that longer outer coat hanging down, you’re not going to get underneath. So if you’re drop coated dog is standing up, even if it’s a Skye terrier, even if it’s a Briard, how are you going to hold all of that coat up out of your way. You’re not going to be able to do that. So the first thing you can do is teach your dog to lay down on the table.
“Remember that our grooming tables are fabulous, they have non slip surfaces, but they are not the thing that our dog really wants to lay on. When I’m laying my dogs down to be line brushed, they typically have maybe a yoga mat, a grooming mat or like a thin dog bed, at the very least a nice thick bath towel underneath them. Mine typically have some kind of grooming mat and then a nice thick bath towel underneath them so that they’re comfortable. ‘Cause you’re going to be here for awhile.
“You’re going to start at the very shortest hair like as far down on the belly as you can and then I like to take the sections when I’m line brushing… so line brushing actually means going line by line through the coat… you have to create those lines. So, you’re creating those lines, typically you could use a knitting needle. I like to use a plastic rat tail comb. Some people use a metal rat tail comb, some people get really good at using their fingers.
“I like to go about a finger width between each line ’cause sometimes people are lined brushing but they’re using like 3 inches of code at a time and wondering why they’re not getting the same results so a fingers width. Obviously like on a little dog like a Maltese it probably would be my little finger and probably on a bigger dog like a Skye terrier, a Briard, it would be like a bigger finger.
“You’re going to take a layer coat, you’re going to mist it with whatever your brushing spray is, brush it with your pin brush, check it with your comb. We’re not using our comb to groom the dog because otherwise you’re going to be removing too much coat. We’re using the comb to check that we did get all the way down to the skin from one end of that line that we did (to the other.)
“Typically I’m going to go from the belly to the top line. Then I’m going to do each leg in the same manner. I don’t typically do the legs or the tail or the neck at the same time. I go from the armpit to the loin area all the way up from the belly. Then I’m going to the front leg from the bottom of the foot up. Back leg, under the tail, the tail, then the neck. It’s in sections. An it’s line by line by line.”
464 – Autoimmune Disorders: Thyroid Disease
Autoimmune Disorders: Thyroid Disease
Dr. Robin Nelson, DVM and her GWP, Outlaw, CH/VC Scotian Tougher than Leather, JH, UDX.
Dr. Robin Nelson, DVM joins host Laura Reeves for a deep dive into the impacts of autoimmune mediated thyroiditis, both on individual animals and on breeding programs in general.
“The thyroid gland is a little gland on either side of the windpipe in all dogs,” Nelson said. “It is behind metabolism, so it affects nerves, organs, the brain… it is in charge of a lot of things, so presentation can vary. When I first graduated (Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine), if you didn’t have a morbidly obese patient, thyroid didn’t cross your mind. It just wasn’t a concern.
“Certainly, obesity or weight gain without an explanation, without caloric intake increase (is a symptom) but even alopecia across the nose, unexplained lameness, chronic skin conditions, chronic ear conditions, vestibular disease… the list is long. Seizures, I mean if we have a dog with seizures (in the clinic), we look at thyroid function.
“The important piece of the equation, when we’re talking about thyroid, is how many different bodily systems it impacts … if your gut feeling is — ‘I’ve treated my dog skin appropriately or I’m not feeding my dog that much food that it should be overweight or here’s my dog that has loved to train, its young still, why is it all of a sudden selecting to sleep in the sunshine not firing up to do its job’ — those are all subtle (clues)… thyroid disease can also mimic all sorts of medical conditions, so trying to confirm that it’s thyroid disease is a whole ‘nother process.
“I just think if we don’t look for it, we don’t see it. It is common. As a practicing veterinarian, it is out there. There’s nothing better than diagnosing it and having your patient respond because it is so treatable and the majority of the symptoms disappear with synthetic thyroid hormone (which is) inexpensive.
“(Owners should) look for a lab that actively searches for the different numbers that you need to confirm a diagnosis. You need to make sure that the free T4 is measured by equilibrium dialysis that will allow that number not to be affected by medication, not to be affected by most other systemic disorders.
“Just as a veterinarian, I worry more about the numbers of people that don’t test at all. There are a lot of breeds with thyroid disease. I will tell you that there’s even a range, for me, looking at equivocal… I have told people, if you have an equivocal profile and everything else about your dog is so fantastic you can’t hardly stand to think that it won’t be in the gene pool, then minimally you need to really do a lot of vertical and horizontal pedigree research on both sides of the pedigree.
“There are lots of equivocals that go on to produce and I think there are lots of people who have equivocals that everything else is looking good, they just breed. But at some point, equivocal can turn into autoimmune mediated thyroiditis.
“Hypothyroidism is a process that occurs over years. A dog is not hypothyroid until about 70% of its thyroid gland is destroyed. So, you have a list of numbers that you’ve used to assess thyroid function and it’s such a gradual process … Technically, people should be testing dogs in a breeding program annually, not just taking the two year old result.”
For additional insight on thyroid disease, listen to Dr. Jean Dodds here.
463 — 4H and All-American Dogs Competing in Juniors
4H and All-American Dogs Competing in Juniors
The Conversation this week is the flip side of the coin, as we continue a dialogue about the American Kennel Club’s new policy allowing junior showmanship exhibitors to participate with canine partners, potentially mixed breed dogs.
Sarah Gardner shows dogs in the American Kennel Club and is the leader of a 4H group in New Hampshire.
“In 4H in New England, we do three different kind of subjects,” Gardner said. “We do showmanship, which is essentially junior handling, plus a few other things. We have to do obedience and there’s an educational aspect to it as well. There’s a written test that we have to take at the fairs.
Gardner discussed her introduction from 4H to AKC juniors in which her mentor suggested “you can do juniors.”
Gardner’s response: “I was like ‘whoa, this is a way out of my comfort zone’ because of the outside appearance that if you’re not kind of born and raised into the breed ring, you’re not always welcome. So I was scared to death going into the juniors ring, but I did do it …. there was a lot of people who were not welcoming in the juniors ring. A lot of the juniors themselves. It wasn’t open arms. It wasn’t ‘Hey, nice job. Hey, what’s your dog’s name.’ And that’s something I was used to in 4H. We encouraged each other, we congratulated each other.
“I am 100% for the (Canine Partners Proposal). In 4H we call them All Americans, so I am 100% for these 4H kids showing their mixed breeds. I’ve have noticed that the numbers of juniors have gone down. I look at the open senior class, we had twice as many when I was showing. That’s something that definitely bothers me, that these numbers are going down, that there’s not the participation. I think AKC needs to do whatever they can do to get the numbers back up.
“I know a lot of people have said you know ‘we don’t want the mixed breeds. These kids, they don’t belong here. The dogs don’t belong here.’ But that being said, I think this is a great opportunity for breeders and handlers to mentor these kids.
“I think it’s the responsibility of the Breeders and handlers of these purebred dogs to approach these juniors as they come out of the ring, saying ‘What a great job, congratulations! Hey I have a tip for you, I notice your dog was wiggly, I’ve done this. And hey, by the way, I have Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, why don’t you come over and meet my dogs… where do you live, who’s near you…’ I think that opens up the conversation for these kids.
“4H kids, they don’t always have the money to go out and buy a purebred dog. I think having mentors in the purebred world that can approach these 4H kids to say, ‘hey, listen, if you’re looking for a dog, do you wanna take this puppy in the show ring for me…’ I think opening up that conversation to becoming mentors to these kids… they don’t have these mixed breeds to tick off the purebred world… this is what they came up with. This is what their family had available.
“In New Hampshire, we have about five 4H dog clubs. One at the very tip of New Hampshire, we’re in central New Hampshire and there’s a few at the southern border. In my club, I have 30 enrolled members. My numbers are climbing, they’re not declining.
“I think 4H members compared to the juniors, I think a lot of them are more well-rounded because of what the 4H program adds. They have to do showmanship, they have to be in obedience and then there’s a knowledge aspect of the dog judging.
“…(T)here’s so much education that goes into it. I think that the AKC junior showmanship program in and of itself could use more of.
“I think sportsmanship is huge and I think kids take their cues from adults be it parents, handlers, breeders and even judges. I think sportsmanship is probably the number one thing. If you’re a junior standing outside of the ring and you see somebody who you don’t recognize, whether it’s a purebred dog or an all American, go up and say ‘hi, how are you.. good luck. Make it heartfelt.
“I did speak to my 4Hers the other night when I knew we were going to be talking about this. I have a couple kids that have all Americans. I said hey would you go to an AKC show. I had one that’s like absolutely, she doesn’t have a fear in the world anyways. I had another one going ‘oh, I hear they’re really mean’ and that’s something that really saddens me, that there is that persona that the purebred world is not always welcoming.
“I think in junior show you are there to show your dog off to the best of its ability … I don’t think it matters whether you have a purebred dog or an all American. I think if you see that that 4Her is able to stack that dog appropriately, so if it’s a dog that is say a lab type ish whatever that that dog is square, that dog is appropriate, the head is up, the ears are up, that handler is watching the judge so they know what’s going on. They’re watching the other handlers in the ring. They’re not running up the dogs in front of them and they are not blocking the person behind them because they are stacked 3 feet in front of everybody else. It doesn’t matter what’s on the end of the leash. I don’t think it matters if it’s an all American or if it’s a purebred I think it’s the handling ability of that youth.
462 – Talk ON! Juniors and Canine Partners
Talk ON! Juniors and Canine Partners
Morris, Laura’s 4-H project dog — a mixed breed of Beagle, Dachshund, Cocker, Lhasa, Poodle heritage. The dog without which, I wouldn’t be here today.
As part of Pure Dog Talk’s commitment to engaging conversations, modeling appropriate dialogue and encouraging thoughtful discussion, we are bringing you two sides of the currently white-hot topic in the dog world: AKC’s pilot program to allow junior handlers to exhibit Canine Partners in Junior Showmanship classes.
From Dog News:
At its January meeting, the American Kennel Club board of directors green-lighted a proposal from the Delegate Junior Sub-Committee and AKC staff to allow non-purebreds to be exhibited in Junior Showmanship.
The AKC pilot program is modeled after the rules used in 4-H, where mixed breeds are permitted. In order to compete, dogs must have an AKC Canine Partner number and meet the ownership eligibility criteria. Juniors will indicate the breed that the dog is being exhibited as on the entry form. So, for example, a dog entered as a Golden Retriever mix would be presented in the same way as a purebred Golden.
The rationale for allowing mixed breeds in Junior Showmanship is to provide an opportunity for a wider range of youngsters to participate in the sport of dogs, and give them an opportunity to learn, practice and improve their handling skills, as well as find mentors.
This pilot program will go into effect on July 1, 2021, and continue for 18 months before it is assessed in 2022. It is limited to all-breed shows or events holding all-breed Juniors.
Predictably, this topic has engendered heated discussion amongst the children and adults who populate this arena. Sadly, many of those conversations have devolved into the 21st century curse of ugly discourse.
As an antidote to this, we’re bringing you two weeks of conversation, devil’s advocate positions and insight from two perspectives in this debate. Listeners may or may not agree with one “side” or the other. But I firmly believe that until we *hear* one another, we can’t make progress … in anything.
Feel free to share your thoughts on the Pure Dog Talk FB page, or here in the comments. But rest assured, ANY ugliness, name calling or other inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Be passionate AND polite.
Today, Jody Davidson, long time Juniors coach and advocate, along with Bevin Towell, junior showmanship exhibitor, join host and moderator Laura Reeves to make the case for their position.
Next week we are joined by 4H leader and advocate Sarah Gardner for the “rebuttal.”
As always, talk ON!
461 — Genetic Ancestry – Deep Dive on Genetic Testing
Genetic Ancestry – Deep Dive on Genetic Testing
Aaron Sams, the principal scientist at Embark, joins host Laura Reeves to take us through the algorithms and data sets that create the genetic codes for each purebred dog breed.
“Dog population and dog evolutionary history is really complex,” Sams noted. “There’s a lot of dogs in the world and most of them are what we call village dogs. They are just free-breeding free-ranging dogs that live with human populations … then you have some of these ancient breeds … salukis and other what I think of as landrace breeds, these are dogs that are living with humans, they are purpose bred, they’re adapted to the region in which they live… Then you’ve got the purebred dog breeds that we are most familiar with in Europe and America.
“A registration organization decides these are the standards, this is what this dog has to conform to to be a registered purebred of this breed. But genetic variation is a lot more complex. Within each of those breeds, there are genetic variation across those dogs. They’re not clones of each other. They’re not genetically identical. A lot of breeds are related to each other.
“So it’s all pretty complex. How do you do ancestry testing and decide, given some random dog, what ancestry is the best fit for that dog? What’s our best estimate of the ancestry of that dog? So rather than thinking of it from a single reference genome, we have to think about it as a population. We have a reference database with large numbers of individuals that serve as references for that given population.
“What we’re trying to do is capture as much of that genetic diversity that represents that population as we can, so that anytime we take a new dog and we compare it to those reference individuals we can see that this dog shares DNA that’s very, very similar to those reference individuals.
“There’s different levels of genetic diversity in each of these populations. If you have a very inbred breed that doesn’t have very much genetic diversity, you might need a smaller number of individuals to capture the genetic diversity for that entire population. The more individuals you add to your reference, the more accurate you’re going to get, the more you can match those individuals that you’re testing identically.
“Let’s say you send one of your dogs in and we say it’s around 90% German wirehaired pointer and 10% English pointer … that happens. Those are very closely related breeds. Sometimes you have lineages of that breed that we don’t have in our reference database. So sometimes you’ll see that kind of thing happen. But a year later, you come back and we’ve added more registered German wirehaired pointers. Now we have dogs in our reference data set that are actually better matched for that DNA … Over time these things are going to change.
“If you take a frozen semen sample from several generations ago, say 5-6 generations in the past, then you bring that forward and you breed a dog with that frozen semen sample. If there was more outcrossing or the breed was still kind of information (when that dog was alive), there’s definitely a good chance that if we now have a very well-established reference data set for that breed, that you bring that genetic diversity forward, it may not actually be present in most dogs in that breed today. Now you’ve got ancestry or DNA from earlier in the population that’s maybe been lost over time and you’re reproducing it … if we don’t have that in our reference data set for that breed it’s going to be called as something else….”
For more on this absolutely fascinating deep dive on genetic ancestry DNA testing, listen to the podcast episode above.