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Breeding Better Dogs Newsletter... 17 March 2006 Building a Better World of Breeders - Courtesy Dr. Carmen Battaglia **

To get you started, http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com      Click on “articles”       and print those you need.
My suggestions:
    Selecting Sires
    Developing High Achievers
    Singletons
    Founders Effect

Here are two examples of how continuing education works.  Supposed you want to make a specific improvement or a correction in your breeding program.  You have heard about the method called "formula breeding" that focuses on maintaining and improving specific traits and type.  It assumes that if there is an outstanding ancestor (a grandfather), his genes can be passed on.  To learn more, go to the website, click on Articles, print “Bracketts Formula”, read it, use the ideas and file it your notebook.

A second benefit of continuing education is the learning experience such as attending breeder seminars. A list has been posted for 2006 and 2007. Go to the home page and click on “Seminars”, then click on “schedule” to find one in or near your city.   New ones are added each month, check it regularly.  If you don’t see one in your area perhaps your club would be interested in sponsoring one.

Dual-sired litters are allowed from frozen semen, fresh semen, natural or any combination.  These breedings require a special application.   Cheek swab samples must be obtained and submitted to AKC.   For more information about dual-sired litters and DNA contact: http://www.akc.org/dna/frozen_semen.cfm

The National Championship offered more than $225,000 in prize money.  The Best in Show winner received over $50,000. The breeder of the Best in Show winner was awarded $15,000.

One interesting fact is that approximately 1,000 dogs representing nearly 40 percent of the total were also entered in the Bred-by" competition.  For more information about the National Championship, visit http://www.akc.org/           or        http://www.topdogshow.com/

Too many owners believe they will never lose their dog. In retrospect, those who experience these unexpected events wish they had enrolled in AKC/CAR which provides recovery services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. AKC/CAR is so successful
that they are now reuniting an owner with their lost pet every 7 minutes, 24/7.

Those who enroll their pets with AKC CAR share in its highly-regarded philanthropic history of veterinary school scholarships, small grants to animal rescue groups and, donations of free scanners to non-profit shelters.  Breeders that have dog/cats already microchipped but not enrolled in AKC/CAR can enroll them on-line http://www.akccar.org/

The worldwide view has also changed.  Microchipping is expanding throughout Europe and all of its trading partners. They have mandated microchipping as a condition of positive identification.  This rule applies to pets being shipped in and out of the European Union.  Switzerland's Federal Council has taken this even further and introduced compulsory microchipping for all dogs.  Their goal is to have all dogs clearly marked by 2007. Currently about 25% of all Swiss-bred dogs are micro- chipped.
The US government is considering a microchip requirement.  It could impact those who ship dogs/cat to shows on commercial carriers.  If your dog or cat is not microchipped or if it is already microchipped but not enrolled in the AKC CAR database, you can go online and enroll them at http://www.akccar.org/

There is a one time fee of $12.50 for the life of the pet. It’s a bargain. Don’t worry, CAR enrolls all brands of microchips including Home Again, Trovan, AVID, ISO etc. and has over 3 million dogs and over 450,000 cats in their database.  Responsible dog owners should chip and enroll all of their dogs and cats.  The Katrina and other hurricane victims serve as a constant reminder
since over 90% were not microchipped.

Senior author Kathie M. Cole reported that dogs from twelve breeds were used to study the “dog effect” on patient anxiety. Besides anxiety levels, patient levels of epinephrine, a hormone the body makes when under stress were reduced by 17%. Reference: Front page feature, “Pooches have power to heal” San Mateo Daily News, San Mateo California, November 16, 2005, pgs 1 and 3.

The AKC staff in-house reinstatement committee procedure is as follows:
1. Verify with the disqualifying judge that the dog should be considered for reinstatement.
2. Have the exhibitor send documentation of successful completion of stability training since the attack. (I.e. Obedience training or CGC)
3. If 1 & 2 are completed the dog is then scheduled for a reinstatement exam by 3 judges with the exam monitored by the AKC Field Rep.
A dog would not be considered for reinstatement for more than one incident.

Contact person: Robin L. Stansell, Assistant Vice President, Event Operations.  Voice: (919) 816-3646       FAX: (919) 816-4265