Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Common Hereditary Issues In A Labrador Retriever

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A responsible Labrador Retriever breeder should realize that certain matters of health are his responsibility.  Such a Labrador Retriever breeder should do everything possible through his breeding to keep certain known inherited serious faults from becoming widespread in Labrador Retrievers.

He should also try his best to understand what to do about inherited faults detrimental to the breed that have already become widespread within the breed.

There seems to be two extremes among persons interested in breeding dogs. There are those who are over-cautious and others who will breed anything to anything and trust to luck. The more intelligent approach is to investigate and leave the final decision to the weighing of various aspects of each particular problem.  Elimination from the breeding program of every dog falling the slightest bit below perfection is not the intelligent approach.

Various breeds of dogs have their own particular inherited problems, some of which are a matter of physical beauty, such as eye-color.  Light eyes in Labradors are frowned upon, but since there is no basis in fact that the color of eyes in a dog has anything to do with his vision, color becomes an aesthetic choice.  Dark eyes are dominant in inheritance in most breeds; if a breeder prefers not to have that color, he should take care never to breed to a yellow-eyed dog or he will develop “carriers” for light eyes in his strain, if not light eyes themselves.  This fault of appearance is not widespread in the Labrador breed and is a far lesser fault than progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

Progressive retinal atrophy leads to complete blindness and is widespread in many breeds, including Labradors in England.  It is not a serious problem at the present time in this country but any signs of it becoming on the increase should be watched for by breeders.

The danger of it becoming widespread is the fact that blindness develops slowly and a Labrador cannot be declared free of affliction until he is four years of age.  This age factor varies with different breeds.  Any case of blindness should be diagnosed by a qualified doctor or veterinarian.

Kennel owners should obtain the services of an expert in eye diseases and have all dogs checked.  Temporary certificates are issued for those dogs proved clear under four years of age and permanent certificates after that age.  The British Kennel Club lists all dogs holding such types of certificates in their monthly official magazine. They also do this for their hip dysplasia program.

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Effort is being made to bring progressive retinal atrophy under control, but it will be difficult since many Labrador Retriever will be bred from under four years of age without knowledge of whether or not they are passing on the genes of inheritance for this blindness.

Choosing A Reliable Poodle Breeder

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Poodle Breeders

So you have decided that you want to buy a Poodle. You’ve made the big decision and you know you love Poodles. Now you need to ask yourself the inevitable hard questions.

1. Can you afford a Poodle? Not including the purchase price (after all, you may get one for nothing), you can expect to spend up to $1,000 a year on food, supplies, and vet bills. Professional grooming can raise the price even more.

2. Are you willing and able to spend time and energy playing with your Poodle, walking him, and just hanging out together around the house? A dog abandoned in even the most luxurious surroundings is not a happy dog.

If your answers are “yes,” you are still not finished. You still need to decide on the right Poodle for you. What qualities are most important to you – size, playfulness, health, age, temperament, looks? Do you want a dog to show, or just a loyal companion? Will you expect your Poodle to be a watchdog? Do tricks? Entertain the children? Sleep in till noon?

The most important element in choosing the right Poodle is finding a reliable source. This is a matter that requires the utmost care. A Poodle should not be an impulse buy. Do your research; a little extra time and thought now will save you months of heartache down the road. If you are looking for a puppy, seek out a responsible breeder. This is not always a simple task; few of them advertise in the newspaper, and none will be listed in the yellow pages. Since it is almost impossible to make a living by breeding dogs carefully and responsibly, most good breeders are enjoying an expensive hobby. The price of the puppies they sell barely covers their expenses. Yet, because good breeders usually breed from their homes and profit is not their main motive, the price you will pay for a good dog is usually no more than from a commercial establishment, and you’ll almost always get a better quality dog.

To find such a breeder, you need to ask around. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, or knowledgeable friends. Check with your local All-Breed Kennel Club or Poodle Club. If you don’t know how to find a breeder locally, go to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) website for more information. Go to a nearby dog show and check the program to see if anyone showing Poodles lives near you (you can get a schedule online from the AKC). Take a look at their Poodles and see if this is the general type of dog you would like.

If you do see a dog you like, pick a quiet time (usually after the judging) to ask questions of the exhibitors. If they are hurried, ask for a business card and make arrangements to call or visit later on. Although you may get lucky and happen upon a likely litter at just the right time, you will almost certainly have to wait to get your puppy – maybe for as long as several months. If you insist upon a particular sex or color, your wait may be even longer.

Please note that going to a show breeder does not mean that you will be getting a show dog. A person interested in showing dogs will most likely take the time and care to have the necessary genetic testing done to prove that the dogs available are healthy and sound. Therefore, you will get a well-bred, healthy Poodle who has been tested, evaluated, and brought up in a home environment.

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