> Laura, How can you compare the two? One is completely cosmetic with no > associated health problems. HD is potentially disabling and painful. How > would you justify breeding a dog with HD with being on the Premier site?
1. There is little chance I would find myself in the situation I suggested as so few breeders truly test for hip dysplasia that there is almost no chance I would have a bitch with the HD history I suggested. 2. If perchance I did find myself in that situation, knowing that HD is not totally genetic, and knowing both parents and tested siblings were free of HD--and especially knowing that few, if ANY, TESTED clear Cavaliers would have as good of history as I suggested, I would feel the chances the offspring having a *worse* inclination to developing HD would be very slim indeed. 3. The most important--in my opinion more dogs (not just Cavaliers) suffer and die early from immune system problems than any other single element. I believe preserving genetic diversity is the most important step towards producing and keeping a strong immune system and that the less genetic diversity there is in a breed, the weaker their immune systems--on average--will be. So if all else is really good (as suggested in my example), I would opt for keeping the gene pool as large as possible to preserve genetic diversity by also breeding dogs who may have problems but have very low risk factors. Final summation: Tiny risk due to 1 and 2, possible large payback due to 3. Last, I wasn't comparing the two technically. I was making reference to the MANY breeders who have no trouble breeding two dogs together who haven't been tested for hip dysplasia, but would be horrified to breed two dogs who have ticking together! Just seems quite goofy to me! Especially because one is nothing more than aethetics and the other usually causes some amount of pain. Laura Lang ========================================================= "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 2002 by its original author.
