Suze, So well said. Thank you. JoAnn ps any chance we can see a photo of your home bred almost AKC champion??
> > Given the fact that health is obviously a huge concern (or should be) and a > > 'hot topic', I would think that those who DO test would certainly be screaming it > > > You know, I do have a problem with this. The problem is that testing > does NOT guarantee ANYTHING. If I sell you a pet or show pup who was > bred from parents who were heart clear at 2 1/2 and whose grandparents > were clear at age 5 it only means that the parents were clear the day > that they were tested. The next day (and for an unknown year later) > they could have developed a heart murmur. We, who test and don't yell > about it, do so with the thought that we're hoping against hope that it > will help delay onset of MVD and perhaps provide our breeding program > with the benefit of better and sounder dogs in terms of hips, eyes, > etc. After all, what breeder really WANTS those problems in their > dogs? Most good breeders aren't breeding to breed pets. I'm sorry to > say it that way, but we are striving to improve on what we have and > breed to have the next show prospect/breeding prospect for the next > generation. We are surely not breeding for sick dogs either. > So, then we care very much about the health of the dogs, but some of us > also care about the disingenuity of selling them as "tested" as if they > are now "free and clear of all problems for life". Even if I educate my > buyers and inform them of all that can go wrong, they will walk away > with the feeling that somehow I'm doing something better than other > breeders. And that is not true. And..............MOST > importantly.....it isn't worth more money to buy from breeders who > advertise "healthy pets" if they are simply doing the testing that > should be done. It should be a "given" in our breed that we have > cardiologists listen to our dog's hearts. For sure you should ask about > whether health testing has been done. You may well want also to ask > about longevity in the breeder's lines. But for heaven's sake, don't > think that the breeders who advertise are the only ones who test and > therefore pay more money for their prospects. > We, who don't advertise "healthy" pets are just a bit more circumspect > about genetics and false promises. > > > ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 1999 by its original author.
