One of the hallmarks of a preservation breeder is the excellent level of care provided to their dogs. Our dogs have tremendous value to us. Each individual has a contribution to make. Hopefully, many of them will contribute to their gene pools in a way that maximizes their attributes. The value of others may be what we learn from them about the disease processes that affect our dogs. This could include information about effective treatments and information about genetic transmission and environmental influences that play a role in an individual’s wellness or susceptibility to pathological conditions. Our dogs improve our lives through the emotional bond that we share and through our shared biology which makes purebred dogs excellent subjects for research on disease that affects both of our species. Preservation breeders not only do their very best to produce healthy dogs, but failing in that, maximize opportunities to utilize affected individuals in scientific studies that will provide more information for a healthier future generations.
Experienced fanciers of purebred dogs generally understand the basic elements of physical health care. These included a good quality diet, access to clean water, regular preventative veterinary care, as well as appropriate treatment for illness or injury. The impact of appropriate physical conditioning and nutrition begins long before the contemplation of any breeding. Rob Greger of Anduril Kennels, home of endurance racing Alaskan Huskies says, “The way I keep my dogs, there is virtually no pre-breeding change in diet or exercise. We strive for optimal health for all of our dogs for their whole lives.” Preservation breeders understand that the imperative of providing the very best care for our bitches is reflected in the health and vigor of their pups.
While regular veterinary care is important to all dogs, particular attention should be paid to the timing of routine veterinary care in a bitch being considered for an upcoming breeding. Particularly she should be wormed and vaccinated well in advance of the breeding. Your veterinarian can help you determine an appropriate schedule. A pre-breeding veterinary check up may include a complete blood panel, including thyroid, a urinalysis and physical exam with specific attention to the reproductive organs. Brucellosis is on the rise with the increased importation of street dogs from foreign countries, so a brucellosis test is more important than ever. Whether your veterinarian is a boarded theriogenologist or a general practitioner, this visit would be a good time to ascertain that they are both knowledgeable and supportive of responsible dog breeding. The veterinarian’s willingness to be accessible and available around the time of whelping is a crucial component.
Mental stimulation is another very important aspect of wellness. The majority of dog breeds were developed to accompany and assist us with various jobs. Whether hunting, herding, pulling sled or carts, or ridding the environment of pests, working together has been a crucial factor in the conjoined evolution of humans and dogs. In the context of our history together, it has only been in the very recent past that we have moved ourselves and our canine companions toward primarily urbanized living situations and thereby deprived them of the jobs that are a part of their DNA. If dogs are going to remain a part of our citified lives, preservation breeders will be at the forefront of reminding the public about our shared history with our dogs and helping them to develop the mindset and the tools necessary to provide appropriate mental stimulation for our pets. Opportunities to “play” at the activities that once served survival-related needs are, of course, ideal. But both dogs and humans are remarkably adaptable, such that a wide variety of activities can be utilized to provide mental stimulation and pleasure for both.
In his commentary in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association published in April 1, 2002 entitled Development of a Mental Wellness Program for Animals, Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM says the following about social interaction, “A large body of research indicates that social animals have been evolutionarily equipped with a complex set of emotions to promote social bonding, affiliations, and relationships. These emotions appear to be associated with highly pleasurable feelings, which act as a strong motivator and reward for social interactions.
Provided your bitch is in good health going into the breeding, the pregnancy will be focused on monitoring her health and happiness. In recent years we are learning that environmental influences can have an impact on in utero puppies beyond what we could have imagined. The field of epigenetics is a relatively new field of scientific study and it is particularly confusing because much of it is in conflict with what we previously learned about genetics. The University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center website includes the following discussion, “Epigenetic inheritance is an unconventional finding. It goes against the idea that inheritance happens only through the DNA code that passes from parent to offspring. It means that a parent’s experiences, in the form of epigenetic tags, can be passed down to future generations. As unconventional as it may be, there is little doubt that epigenetic inheritance is real. In fact, it explains some strange patterns of inheritance geneticists have been puzzling over for decades.” We are only beginning to understand the ways that diet (including levels of DHA and other fatty acids, probiotics and antioxidants), stress and toxins can affect prenatal development. Science is increasingly providing hard evidence for what preservation breeders have always known, providing the pregnant bitch with optimal nutrition and secure, quiet environment is critical to a healthy, happy litter of puppies.
Breeders vary in the ways that they approach verification of pregnancy and the actual whelping. Many experienced breeders palpate their own bitches and whelp their litters at home without assistance. Others utilize ultrasound and/or x-rays to confirm pregnancy. Monitoring services can be controversial. While information about uterine contractions and fetal heart rates can be extremely useful, the “at home” administration of medications meets with strong disapproval by many veterinarians. Make a plan in consultation with your veterinarian. Be sure to consider possible complications in addition to the ideal scenario. This will allow you and your veterinarian to clarify mutual expectations and mitigate the panic that can strike when things don’t go according to our visualizations.
Our beautiful bitches are born with all the eggs they will ever have. That is not within our control. But we are learning more every day about our ability to maintain their health and happiness, and maximize their ability to conceive, settle and whelp a litter of healthy happy pups. An excellent brood bitch is a treasure of inestimable value. Our role as preservation breeders revolves around treating her like the priceless gift she is, and by doing so, we can maximize our contributions to the next generation of irreplaceable brood bitches.
© Peri Norman 2016