[ SHOWGSD-L ] Logistics and statistics...
- From: "Kathaleen Strong" <inflight2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 09:17:25 -0800
Wow. While perusing the posts before a mass delete, I sorted through these
"bettering the breed" posts and just shook my head.
The OFA zealots have taken rein again and have run amuck with the list.
Bloody hell. And while I'm at it, I'm going to say this. PRE-LIMMED ---- as
In PRELIMINARY X-rays. Not PRELIMBED. which I can't imagine how the spell
checkers that are in most programs let that one through. I mean.
Pre---before, earlier . Limbs? I hate to say it. yes, bringing this up is
probably considerably catty. but if we're going have to have this
conversation at least we should have our terminology correct.
Next. X-rays and the OFA are TOOLS. Nothing More, Nothing Less. If wise
breeders are preliminary x-raying their youngsters prior to investing
$thousands, then they are doing the smart thing. If the aren't, that's
their business --- not the OFA Zealot's business to start in about hip
dysplasia and elbow dysplasia "wreaking havoc on the breed" which is
entirely untrue. The breeders have made great strides in reducing the
numbers of animals that have hip dysplasia in our breed!! Here's a
Statistic. I bred my first litter in 1987 and at that time, this breed was
ranked number 20 for bad hips with the OFA. As of 12/31/2004 (visiting the
OFA website), our breed is NUMBER 37!! Of course there is still room for
improvement, which is why I think the PC's AOE and Select Excellent programs
are very beneficial to the breed as a whole.
Now, all this being said, I think that it would be wise for some people,
prior to espousing their opinions on how the breeders of this breed are
doing it a disservice by not "prelimbing" or "OFAing" to stop and take a
look at the progress that has been made in a 20 years. If you don't like
what people are doing with their breeding programs. DON'T BUY A PUPPY FROM
THEM OR BREED TO THEIR STUD DOGS. It's simple.
I will only say one other thing on the side of the Zealots --- We do have
too many crafty breeders in this breed who hide their dog's and the
resulting progeny's problems. I think far more insidious are those breeders
that tack stomachs and intestines down prior to a dog being shown to prevent
"bloat or torsion". Don't say it doesn't happen. it does and we all know
it. Far more insidious than bad hips are the animals that are still
standing at stud with serious back anomalies that are also producing these
back anomalies in their progeny --- to the level that some are not seen
after 2 years of age because of functionality issues related to these back
anomalies.
How about this. It is unspoken how many animals are put down (in various
ways) for whatever reason --- And to that point, I've often wondered when I
read the Red Book --- the statistics that can be found in there really make
me wonder. How does a dog have 40+ litters, producing 200+ puppies, and
have less than 60% of those animals registered? What are the bitch owners
doing with 40+/-% of the puppies? Also telling is the low numbers of
puppies per registered litters. If a dog is bred say 40 times and they only
have 200 puppies, that an average of only 5 puppies per litter. It used to
be our breed was prolific, and litters would be an average of 6-7 puppies.
I know that sounds like only a small number, but 1 puppy average difference
translates into 40 puppies, 40 more chances of a good one being produced.
Is it a fertility issue; bad management of the stud dogs/brood bitches, or
??
See, I'm using another TOOL --- The Red Book. I will be sending our new Red
Book Chair some ideas to make this TOOL better and more concise because I
have admittedly not been regularly getting my red books and the information
contained there --- can be particularly important to view --- when trying to
determine the producing true producing ability of an animal.
Regards,
Kathaleen
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