[ Post a Response | JDJ American Bulldog Preservation Board ]
Posted by Red
(SSG Remaley) on 2/25/2008, 5:28 am, in reply to "Hips One of the Biggest side steps breeders make "
213.132.254.2
PennHip/OFA
Good TOOLS to determine if a dog is breed able or will better the breed by its off spring. The key word is TOOL. A dog that has scored well in either of these studies can still produce a dog with bad scores or be dysplastic. I also agree that generation after generation of dogs going through this process “could” lessen the amount of dogs produced with bad hips. When I say could I am referring to dishonest people who manipulate this process by paper hanging numbers and names, having a dog checked @ 6 months and keeping those numbers (the dog has not developed yet). How many Vets out there know exactly how to take these x-rays for the study to be properly done? Bottom line is it can be manipulated. I will agree that with the rapid popularity of the breed and more and more people wanting to be breeders with their first 2 AB’s. PennHip/OFA are great tools because these people generally lack the knowledge and experience to truly judge a dogs well being and hips.
On the other hand, one can not take away from the vast knowledge and experience some breeders/people may have. You can not convince me that there are not breeders/people who have been in this breed for decades who can not look at a dog during its growth and tell if it is breed worthy / if its hips are good without some type of scientific study. We can not discount the vast knowledge and experience some breeders have. There are those out there that were around before these technologies were available. Just because a breeder does not use these studies does not mean they are not trying to better the breed or not selective breeding.
It comes down to the integrity of the breeder. It all comes down to selective breeding and culling, whether it is selective by scientific studies or by the trained eye of an individual whom knows these dogs better than most of us and Vets.
I would rather deal with people on their character. Just because you have PennHip score does not mean you are an honest person and does not mean you have intentions of bettering the breed. Just because you do not use these studies it does not mean you are not honest and are not trying to better the breed.
I hear God this and God that on this board. Well let’s stop generally judging the intentions of people because of the methods they choose evaluate their dogs. Determine your opinion on ones character and how they have represented the breed not on their means of evaluating their dogs.
How many newbie’s out there will never develop a keen eye for hips elbows and knees because it is off to the x-ray machine and then producing pups. Never watching the animal grow and develop. Never sitting with old timers and learning from hands on experience, never being able to diagnose the gait of an animal or the elbows with out a vet. Again for people who just want to jump in and make puppies, these studies are a great TOOL. But for those who want to sit around and spend time with the Mr. Johnson’s, Scott and Susie Weaver’s, Cheryl Devine’s, Mitch Durden’s, Mark Moler’s and other breeders of this breed who have breeding dogs for many, many years and learn what they have to teach and share, now that knowledge is priceless and can tell you a lot more than a PennHip and an OFA score.
So again, we should draw our opinions of the individual’s intent and not because of their method of evaluation. This is a general statement and I am not pointing fingers at anyone. It is just my opinion that what is right for one is not right for everyone.
Red
--Previous Message--
: Unfortunately we see everyday people talking about hips in our American Bulldogs. Why
: It truly sadens me to see people say the things they do primarliy because they want
: to make bottom line money! $$$$$$$ Off there Bulldogs instead of making sure the
: breed is healthy and sound! Is it worth it?
: We all read things like I cannot see anything wrong with the way my Bulldogs move
: from people who have had bulldogs only a few years and say things like
: "treat the patient" not the x-ray!" from a medical background? Or it
: does not matter if a person has DVM in front of there name as if the years and
: years of training mean's nothing and a couple of years of seeing a young Bulldog
: move is proof the American Bulldog does not need help in that particular area!
: Spining the truth or the lie does not take away from the truth
: we have avery dysplastic breed folks and we see every year Bulldogs who cannot get
: off there rear ends some young and some old! Our breed is in the Top six out of 139
: different breeds for hip dysplasia.
: Everyone of us has seen a "very healthy looking man or woman" looking
: great on the outside and they move hreat and find out they have cancer or some other
: major health problem(like heart disease or kidneys failing) and it strikes them dead
: or disables them completely soon after we witness them looking great on the outside.
: We all know money drives every poor decision and it drives every misinformed
: person to make a choice they usually regreat later.
: Make no mistake checking for bad hips in your bloodlines and pups makes a
: difference. Your puppy may be cheaper and sure you'll get a replacement most of them
: have 30-40 bulldogs so what's the problem? Waitng a heart break or your puppy
: bloodline wasn't worth the fight for right! I've got to get ready for church I just
: read and read and read the garbage people are writting about hips and the spin they
: put on hipsthat it made me sick! This is not a personal attack on anyone , I love
: you all no matter if you check hips or not ,my commitment is to this breed and my
: aliance is with God so if you have a problem with what I believe about hips take it
: up with God ,I won't argue or fight with ignorance or people who spin things for
: personal gain. I will stand up and be counted for what I believe in. Its kind of
: like that old saying live for something or die for nothing! Well if I can't do it
: right I won';t do it at all thats the way I think.!
: God Bless All: Mark @ Big Sky
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Responses:
Board Administrator: Mark Moler
Co-Administrators: Paul Ciancio, Rob Barry,
and John Healy
