Ethical Choices: Breeding For Health

By Susan Vargas

This booklet discusses genetics in a way that's important to both breeders and pet owners. While the breeder will use the information to make good decisions on behalf of his/her breed, the pet owner should and must understand these things as well. It's the only way to have a respectful conversation and understand what lies behind your dog's genetic problems. Unfortunately, too many people believe their dog was just "unlucky" when s/he come down with an illness, and while that can be true, there's more to the story. Unless and until all dog lovers (breeders and pet owners) become involved in the conversations that matter to health (it's not about the titles the dog wins), dogs lose.

This isn't about asking questions regarding the genetic diseases in a breed because although those are good questions to ask, answers are easily found on the internet these days. More important is understanding why and how breeding decisions are made and how they can reflect on the health of our dogs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Doggie Diner inc
• Release date: Jan 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781617811920

Susan Vargas

Susan Vargas, PhD writes about ethical choices in breeding.

Book preview

Ethical Choices

Breeding for Health

BY SUSAN VARGAS, PH.D

Ethical Choices

Breeding for Health

BY SUSAN VARGAS, PH.D

About MonicaSegal.com

Monica Segal provides consultations and diet analysis for individual dogs with a focus on special needs dogs.

In addition, Monica writes books and articles for people who want to learn more about their dogs and their diets.

Her web site also provides a range of pure essentials, supplements designed to increase the vitality of healthy dogs and strengthen the systems of dogs suffering from allergies or serious illness.

Visit www.monicasegal for more information or join her forum K9Kitchen at Yahoo! Groups.

©2012 Susan Vargas, Ph.D. All rights reserved worldwide. No reproduction of this article is permitted in any media without the written permission of the author. Do not post on lists or web sites without prior permission of the author.

This article intends to present canine medical and behavioral information. Advice in this article is not meant to be a diagnostic service for individual dogs. Readers should always consult qualified health-care providers for specific diagnosis and treatment. Acting on any information provided without first consulting a veterinarian is solely at the reader’s risk.

Designed and produced by Triadicon, Inc.

Table of Contents

Ethical Choices

Ethical Choices

Breeding for Health

BY SUSAN VARGAS, PH.D

ARE YOU BREEDING FOR YOURSELF and your ego or are you seeking the betterment of, and indeed the continued existence of, your breed? Current breeding practices are neither in the best interest of the individual dog in terms of health and temperament, nor do they bode well for the future.

The canine