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Breeding and Genetics

A blog by Katariina Mäki in General

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About this blog

My specific aim is to feature successful breeding programs but I discuss also dog breeding and genetics generally.

Entries in this blog

Supply and Demand

FCI Online conference: ‘Illegal puppy trade in the European Union – Causes, consequences and solutions’

I attended the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) online conference on the illegal puppy trade on 4 February. The conference program included a slate of expert speakers who addressed various aspects of this important issue.   Educate the buyers – Without demand, there’s no supply In their opening speeches, Dr. Tamás Jakkel (FCI President) and Jørgen Hindse (President of the FCI European Section) emphasised the need for cooperation between different stakeholders in this ar
Katariina Mäki
Genetic testing

New breeding tools from Wisdom Panel and Embark

Wisdom Panel and Embark have new features in their tests that may be of interest to dog breeders and owners:   Wisdom Panel’s new Behaviors feature Wisdom Panel Premium test has a new feature called Behaviors. The feature includes these 15 analyses related to dog behavior: Nesting Crossing paws General fear and anxiety Splooting Propensity to gain weight Pointing Avoids getting wet Friendly towards strangers Hesitant
Katariina Mäki
Partners actions

New breed-specific breeding norms in the Netherlands

IPFD Partner, The Raad van Beheer (RvB), has published the first five ‘foknormen’ (breeding norms) for breeding. The first breeds to have breeding norms are the Borzoi, the Beagle, the Manchester Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Breeding norms are mandatory pre-mating tests and/or screening results for a dog and bitch. These may include eye examinations or screening for hip or elbow dysplasia, or a minimum breeding age or a (positive) result of a beh
Katariina Mäki
Educational material

How to breed healthy dogs - Projects and infographics from the Netherlands

Breeding for health in pedigreed dogs Wageningen University in the Netherlands has completed an interesting project ‘Breeding for health in pedigreed dogs’. An excerpt from the project page: The “Science shop” of Wageningen University has set up this project in response to questions from three breeding organisations, with the aim to provide knowledge on how to better breed for healthy dogs and use the latest insights from scientific developments. Next to dealing with health problems, g
Katariina Mäki
News on dog breeding

The Supreme Court in Norway: It is allowed to breed English Bulldogs but not Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Norway's Supreme Court has upheld the order of the Court of Appeal, which ruled that it is contrary to Section 25 of the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act to breed the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. For the English Bulldog, the judgment requires health screenings for the breeding dogs. The requirements are identical to those of the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) today, so for the organized breeding of the English Bulldog, the verdict has no new consequences. "This is a recognition of the work
Katariina Mäki
IPFD and Partners

What does IPFD offer to its kennel club Partners?

IPFD - non-political and evidence-based The International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD) is a not-for-profit organisation leading a global, multi-stakeholder effort to improve the health, well-being, and welfare of dogs. We are an evidence-based, non-political, independent organisation that gathers, presents, and promotes issues on dog health and welfare. Sharing and exchange We are a large, diverse community whose members benefit from shared discussions and the exchange of info
Katariina Mäki
Health strategies

Working for Breed Health: Activities of the Norwegian Lundehund Club

The Norwegian Lundehund is an endangered breed, and the Norwegian breed club, Norsk Lundehund Klubb, works for responsible breeding to preserve the breed and increase the number of Lundehunds in Norway. The club has several activities and resources to help dog owners and breeders so that they can participate in this work. All these are worth checking for everyone who wants to work for breed health! Surveys: Breeder survey about dogs that have been used for breeding, as well as litters born.
Katariina Mäki
Health strategies

Genetic diversity tools in the Finnish Kennel Club's breeding database

The idea for this post came during the discussions around our virtual International Dog Health Workshop on genetic diversity in May (see Ian Seath's great article about the workshop). We were discussing what kind of population statistics would breeders and breed clubs need, in order to take care of their breed population in a best possible way. I spoke to the group about the tools in the Finnish Kennel Club's breeding database, which elicited enthusiastic reactions. The Finnish Kennel Club
Katariina Mäki
Partners actions

Kennel Clubs and Responsible Breeding: Examples from Finland

A new Animal Welfare Act will be in force in Finland next year. The Act is intended to define harmful animal breeding more precisely and clearly than the current Act. The aim is to steer animal breeding in a direction that takes greater account of animal health. According to the draft law, animal breeding should aim at the production of viable, functional and healthy animals. The Finnish Kennel Club (FKC) is committed to promote the health and well-being of dogs. Therefore, the FKC consider
Katariina Mäki
Partners actions

WSAVA Calls for ‘Health-focused’ Breeding

IPFD's Collaborating Partner, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), has published a position paper where it confirms its support for the recent efforts of Animal Protection Norway and the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act. WSAVA shares the concerns expressed by the Norwegian court regarding the breeding of English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. It calls for a much greater focus on health screening of breeding animals and educating the public and urges that the sel
Katariina Mäki
Health strategies

Norway dog breeding bans – what can you do to save your own breed?

Oslo district court in Norway ruled that breeding of English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is against the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act. However, breeding is allowed to be continued in a form of planned, organized breed crosses bringing new genetic variation and healthy alleles into these populations. We have seen this coming. We have talked about this for a few decades. “If we don’t improve the situation, someone from outside is going to intervene.” The English Bulldog, t
Katariina Mäki
Health strategies

Reducing epilepsy in the Finnish Spitz

(Above photo by Kaisa Huttunen) We published a Get a GRIHP! article on the Finnish Spitz in August 2020. While gathering information for the article, we got to know the work being done in the Finnish breed association Suomen Pystykorvajärjestö - Finska Spetsklubben ry (SPJ). SPJ, together with the other Nordic breed clubs of the breed, has worked very hard to maintain and improve health and genetic diversity in the breed. A very good example of this is the successful work in reducing the fr
Katariina Mäki

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