My dearest Pat While I admire your diplomacy (as always :), saying that diet and exercise will make a problem worse is very different from suggesting that diet causes hip and elbow dysplasia.
Why does it matter? Because when breeders hide behind the belief that diet causes hip and elbow dysplasia, it gives them an excuse not to accept responsibility for the problems that many, many berner owners live with each day. Bad orthopedics are genetic -- and that is simply the bottom line. Yes, diet and exercise can make the existing problem worse but if a puppy comes up with hip dysplasia, it is NOT the owners fault -- pure and simple. Blaming the owner is simply an excuse not to take responsibility. And it hurts the owners very much -- they do their best and then get blamed at a time when they need support from their breeder :( Many novice people are on the berner-l -- they need to hear the message -- do not accept excuses for bad orthopedics!!! Check the clearances -- ask for copies -- ask about the full siblings, the parents' siblings -- and do not accept excuses (did I say that enough??? :) Hip and elbow dysplasia are inherited conditions!!! If you have a dog with one/both of these problems, you are not a bad berner parent and did not cause the problem!! But yes -- keep that dog lean and well exercised (to their abilities). Amen! Mary-Ann Bowman Utah
