Re: [pyrnet] LGD breeders

["Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@home.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <M3A4E5@aol.com>

Dalmatians suffer from deafness as a result of breeding for "SPECIFIC" spot
patterns. The Breed Standard does not require any specific spot pattern.>>

Terry is right that the deafness problem in Dalmations is connected to the
spotting pattern but the Standard does play a part in it, not just judges.
The Dal standard faults patched dogs and asks for spots of half dollar (I
think) size, evenly distributed and not running together.  This kind of
spotting requirement tends to perpetuate the deafness problem.  Hang out on
any canine genetics list and you will learn more about Dal deafness than
you thought existed.  But Cindy is right too, in that people still breed
Dals without Baer testing their hearing, so they are possibly breeding
unilateral deaf dogs or some other degree of impairment.  If you are out to
cash in on 101 etc, spending the money and going to the trouble to Baer
test in certainly not on the agenda.

Linda