Dogs are imperfect biological beings, just like us. We humans experience health issues and hardship related to those issues and yet no one suggests that our parents should not have fallen in love and started a family. Animal husbandry, and in our case, dog breeding, is a bit different in that we manage nearly every aspect of reproduction and determine so much about the future generations of our dogs. We decide which traits we hope to carry forward and we do our best to increase the chances of producing those traits in each subsequent generation. The best breeders among us do everything possible to reduce the incidence of common illnesses and other conditions that affect the quality of life of pups that we produce. We (responsible breeders) do our best, yet we cannot control everything...as much as we might wish that we could.
People purchase puppies with their hard-earned money. And, just like the parents of a newborn child, they hope that their youngster will live a long, healthy life, free from pain and adversity. But puppies are not a product of manufacturing (like a car). They are flesh and blood and bone, like us. I wish responsible breeders could guarantee perfect health for every puppy that we produce, but it's not possible to provide such a guarantee. What we can guarantee is that we will do everything that a person can do to reduce the risks of health issues by using the tools currently available to us. Responsible breeders do genetic testing for those diseases for which the scientific community has managed to find genetic markers. We x-ray hips and elbows for orthopedic weaknesses. And, we do annual eye exams for those eye conditions that can be visibly observed by a canine opthalmologist. Some of those conditions develop over time, which is why an annual exam is necessary. But, there are more health conditions than there are available tests. So, where we don't have a test, we have to research the health of dogs in the pedigrees of our sires and dams. We talk to owners and breeders of closely related dogs We commit ourselves to doing diligent homework.
When people buy from responsible breeders, they want guarantees that this new recipient of all of their love, hard work, and training will be perfectly healthy. But, as we've already said, no one among us can give you such a guarantee. We can and do promise you that we will devote ourselves to education and research about how to breed the healthiest puppies possible and that we won't compromise or skip any important steps in achieving that goal. But, that is truly the only guarantee that a responsible breeder can offer you.
Gudgeon and Gina have happy news.
With all of that said, we are pleased to say that our two year-old Gudgeon has just received a batch of results for all of the major health clearances that are most commonly done in our breed. Though the bulk of health screening is now behind us, she will continue to get yearly eye exams. We are happy to report that Gudgeon is clear of the following genetic diseases: Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise-Induced Collapse, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (pr-cd), and Ectodermal Dysplasia. Her x-rays have been evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Her hips received a rating of "Good" and her elbows were found to be "Normal." In addition, she has two clear eye exams. Now, we breathe a sigh of relief and we begin planning for the future of The Weatherdeck.