Human Interest Breeding Health
Where Have All The Pure Breeds Gone
This seems like a rather strange question to ask as I sit writing this and beside me, curled up on the sofa and at my feet are 6 purebred dogs of various sizes. I am not going to deny that I am a pure breed fancier, exhibitor and occasional hobby breeder or as I like…
Conformation Judging Breeding Structure
The Head of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Sideways, the foreface is about as deep ast is wide. This type of head, with a good stop and set with neat rose ears, is the ideal. It can be quick to punish, with ease of movement. The circumference of skull should be about the approximate height at the shoulder. This should also coincide
Conformation Judging Breeding Structure Q & A
Ask TSK – Q&A Hocks
The easiest way to explain this is to compare the Stafford hock to that of a rabbit. A rabbit must have an overlong hock because it must be able to quickly and purposefully get away from its prey. It does so by a very long and quick hopping motion so that it removes itself from…
Breeding
Breeding The Big Picture
In the canine world, inbreeding is defined as breeding closely related dogs to each other, i.e. parent to offspring (vertically) or brother to sister or half-brother to half-sister (horizontally). Let me stress right away that inbreeding in itself can be a valuable tool to fix certain desired genes and should not be quickly
Conformation Judging Breeding
The Ostrich Syndrome
The Ostrich Syndrome can damage dogs in a number of ways. The ignorance, denial and fear it fosters in breeders can prevent genetic diseases from being identified and studied early enough to keep them from becoming widespread. Breeds which develop a reputation for being disease-ridden risk rejection by the public – including that part of…
Conformation Judging Breeding Structure Q & A
Ask TSK – Q&A Slipping Hocks
A slipped hock will fold forward with virtually NO pressure, and the dog will be unable to resist it. To determine a slipped hock, place several fingers on the back of the hock lightly pressing forward until the dog either picks up the foot and steps forward or the joint collapses forward . …
Conformation Judging Breeding Structure Q & A
Ask TSK – Q&A The Skull
… meantime we can use the drawings from Alan Mitchells book (with hispermission) to explain what we are looking for in photography. Dish-faced – A slight concaveness of foreface, the tip of the nose is higher that the stop, when viewed in profile. Down-faced – where the muzzle inclines downward from the skull to nose .
Veterinary Breeding Health
Hip Dysplasia
No one can predict when or even if a dysplastic dog will start showing clinical signs of lameness due to pain. There are multiple environmental factors such as caloric intake, level of exercise, and weather that can affect the severity of clinical signs and phenotypic expression (radiographic changes). There is no rhyme or reason to the severity of radiographic changes correlated…
Conformation Judging Breeding Structure
Preferred Breed Type
I make this statement at the expense of being tarred and feathered but increasingly, the best dog youll ever breed may be the hardest dog you will ever finish. It will be the odd man out and look different from the majority of dogs represented in the ring. Why? Some judges, insecure in a breed…
Conformation Judging Breeding
The Rule Of Fives
Breed Type. You should know it when you see it. Richard Beauchamp put it this way Breed type is such an elusive thing It is something that cant be taught but it can be learned. Even when type is present to the fullest, one person may see it and the person next to him may…