Ch. Stahlkrieger's Southern Light, CGC

Monday, November 15, 2010

Herding Instinct Test

Although this is old news to some we decided to add it to our new blog anyway.
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It was incredibly hot this Labor Day weekend and the weather report warned that storms were brewing but we packed up our little band and trekked out to the "wilds" of Hempstead, Texas for the Houston Herding Association's annual Labor Day Fun Day/Work Day. Joy Sebastian-Hall (Roux Crew) was nice enough to invite us and we looked forward to this event for weeks before the big day arrived.

Despite the weather and the distraction of an overtired toddler, Kord didn't disappoint us. He passed his herding instinct test, chasing sheep till his little heart was content and looked like he was having a blast doing it.
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I am attaching a link to the video we shot below.  Please excuse the quality... it was the first time that we used the camera.



Monday, November 1, 2010

Health Checks

Health checks are an interesting topic... but not one that is covered in any of the books or other websites that I have personally read.

Members of the SSCA and other reputable breeders will often elect to have the health of their breeding stock checked by a veterinarian with expertise in a particular area. Health certifications can cover most any organ system.  However, standard schnauzers are most often tested for hip/joint health and vision.  The two primary certification bodies for these are the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (among other things they maintain a registries for hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, cardiac diseases, thyroid disorders, and congenital deafness) and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation which maintains a registry of potentially inheritable eye diseases. Links to their websites can be found in our Favorite Links Section on the right hand side of this page.

The timing of these tests is very important.  Preliminary examinations of hips may be conducted anytime after the age of one but a formally recorded exam may not be conducted until the dog is at least 2 years of age. Eye certifications may be completed any time after one year of age. All tests should be repeated annually if the animal is to be used as part of a breeding program.

These tests require special training and not all veterinarians will be able to conduct all tests. If your personal veterinarian is unable to conduct the test, there may be special certification clinics held through local kennel and breed clubs in your area. These events are often held in conjunction with major shows (we had some of Kord's testing done through a clinic offered by the Houston Boston Terrier club in conjunction with the Reliant World Series of Dog Shows event this summer).

Its important to know that even if you have the testing done through one of the special clinics, you are still personally responsible for mailing the exam form to the appropriate registry.  The form will have to be submitted with the appropriate registration fee. (It took me a couple of months to realize that Kord's name hadn't yet appeared in the registry because I hadn't mailed the form :-) But I will know for next time.)

Whether you plan to show/breed your dog or not, I believe it is a good idea to have the animal tested and registered.  The registries are an important tool for ensuring the health and longevity of our breeds but they don't work if we don't participate.