Health Stats (with a pinch of breeding philosophy)
No matter what the breed or mix of dog, some conditions will always arise. When selecting for breeding stock I make every effort to ensure dogs are screened and conditions that may be genetically linked are either avoided completely in recent generations or not repeated frequently elsewhere in the pedigree. This involves considerable on-going research across lines in the UK and Scandinavia, keeping close contact with fellow breeders and monitoring incidence and prevalence of old and emerging conditions. Temperament and vitality are also crucial in the selection process - calm, happy dogs from lines that are long-lived are more likely to produce calm, happy and long-lived progeny!
I also eye screen my breeding stock annually. Monitoring the older dogs helps give me a heads up on any emerging problems, both for them and also for their progeny.
There may be more physical variation in Starlapps pups in a litter as I go to particular lengths to ensure that I keep the coefficient of inbreeding (COI) low - ideally below 3% for 10 generations. Likewise, where possible, I would aim to avoid popular sires and minimise ancestral loss - although a consistently low COI without popular sires is pretty difficult to achieve! As a compromise, I aim to include dogs and combinations from less-used lines in each of the pairings. While I may 'pay the price' for these choices in exhibiting, numerous peer-reviewed studies show that these strategies are good for breeds over time - and I can honestly say to potential and existing owners that I did not compromise health for looks alone. 'Cookie cutter' replication of looks is simply not possible in a varied landrace breed without significant loss of genes. Significant loss of genes will mean more recessive disease over time. To me, it is a simple choice: health before beauty.
The following table outlines conditions screened and present in my dogs. It is regularly updated and can be checked against the KC published data for each dog by entering their full pedigree name.
I also eye screen my breeding stock annually. Monitoring the older dogs helps give me a heads up on any emerging problems, both for them and also for their progeny.
There may be more physical variation in Starlapps pups in a litter as I go to particular lengths to ensure that I keep the coefficient of inbreeding (COI) low - ideally below 3% for 10 generations. Likewise, where possible, I would aim to avoid popular sires and minimise ancestral loss - although a consistently low COI without popular sires is pretty difficult to achieve! As a compromise, I aim to include dogs and combinations from less-used lines in each of the pairings. While I may 'pay the price' for these choices in exhibiting, numerous peer-reviewed studies show that these strategies are good for breeds over time - and I can honestly say to potential and existing owners that I did not compromise health for looks alone. 'Cookie cutter' replication of looks is simply not possible in a varied landrace breed without significant loss of genes. Significant loss of genes will mean more recessive disease over time. To me, it is a simple choice: health before beauty.
The following table outlines conditions screened and present in my dogs. It is regularly updated and can be checked against the KC published data for each dog by entering their full pedigree name.
| BVA/KC Hips | prcd-PRA | BVA/KC Eyes | GSD Type II | Repro. | Dentition | Misc. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E. Ilo at Starlapps ♀ | 7/6=13 | Normal 2006 | Clear June 2016 | Normal/clear 2012 | Normal/intact | Full/scissor | Anal gland abscess/renal failure |
| S. Jolas (Tykky) ♀ | 2/6=8 | Hereditary Clear | Clear Oct 2018 | Normal/clear 2012 | Normal/intact | Full/level | - |
| S. Suossa (Ronja) ♀ | 5/5=10 | Carrier 2019 | Clear Jul 2019 | Hereditary Clear | Normal/intact | Full/scissor | - |