Hi Terry, In reverse order...
> Are female dogs really at risk of shorter life spans if they are not spayed? Here are the average age at death stats (in months) from the 2000 BMD heath survey: FEMALES Total: 142 Average age 91.58 Neutered: 105 Average age 101.77 Intact: 34 Average age 67.21 Bred: 60 Average age 98.52 Maybe Pat Long can clarify the numbers... As far as when to spay, your vet is absolutely correct in suggesting a medical reason to do so prior to the first heat. Mammary cancer is a common and deadly cancer in intact bitches affecting 24%-26% (all breed data) during the course of their lives. Spaying BEFORE the first heat cycle reduces the risk to almost nothing... This is old research, oft quoted in veterinary articles, but I can't find the original data source online. The figures used are 96%-98% reduction in risk for bitches spayed prior to their 1st heat. The risk reduction declines very sharply with each heat so that spaying after the 3rd season has no affect on a bitch's risk of developing mammary cancer during her lifetime. Further, research shows that estrogen begins circulating in bitches long before their first heat. (Estrogen affects skeletal development in bitches) Bitches spayed at 7 months vs 2 years show virtually no difference in timeframe for closure of growth plates. Studies also show no increase in incontinence or obesity and no observable behavior differences for spayed bitches. > Obviously, procreation is important for the survival of the breed. There's procreation...and there's procreation. <g> The future of Bernese...their health, longevity, temperament, and looks... depend on *selective* procreation. It's the breeding choices we make today that will define the Bernese Mountain Dog of tomorrow. > Based on her excellent health history, her father's awards and beautiful > markings, we were considering showing/breeding After 10 years of being deeply involved with BMDs, I made the decision to carry forth the genes of one of my dogs. Here are some of the things I considered in the process of making that decision (in no particular order): The Basics: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Screening for the presence of hereditary diseases which he could pass on to his puppies: His hips and elbows were evaluated free of dysplasia by OFA at 2+ yrs of age. His hips were evaluated for laxity using the PennHIP process. His eyes are evaluated free of eye disease (annually) by a CERF exam (must be done by a board certified ophthalmologist) His heart was screened free of SAS and other anomolies by auscultation (by a board certified cardiologist) at 1+ yr and by ultrasound at 4 yrs (prior to breeding). He was tested clear for von Willebrand's Disease by DNA (VetGen). His DNA Profile was put on record with AKC (so parentage of progeny can be verifyied) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evaluation of conformation (How close to the ideal BMD is this dog, in what respects does he excel and in what aspects is he lacking) He was shown to his AKC Championship by a novice handler (me). He was evaluated sieger style by (3) judges, including one of the founding members of the BMDCA, one BMD breeder, and one all breed judge. He was evaluated by his breeder. He was evaluated by other breeders with many years in the breed. He was evaluated, mercilessly, by me...after I'd developed my eye by sitting ringside at many national and regional specialties, attending several breed presentations by the BMDCA Judge's Ed Chair, asking endless questions of people with years in the breed, and re-reading, re-reading, re-reading the standard throughout the years. Breeder's who've inquired about using this dog at stud have been provided a detailed, (3 pages) description of him, including both his strengths and his weaknesses. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Evaluating temperament: This dog has been put into all kinds of situations, beginning with a road trip, hotel stay, and hundreds of people and dogs in his face when he was 9 weeks old (national specialty). I think in terms of what people might want to do with his puppies...Can they do therapy work? Draft work? Will the puppy play cheeruflly with the kids in the yard? Will he go to soccer games... and not come unglued when people cheer a goal? Will the puppy learn what's expected of him easily and have a desire to please his owner? Is this dog adaptable and pleasure to live with, in any setting? I'm always aware of how he deals with a situation and evaluating whether his temperament is one I'd like to pass on or not. He earned his CD (AKC obedience title) in three straight trials,...at hectic, cramped, noisy, indoor, all breed shows (lots of distractions <g>)...under male judges. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That pretty well covers what you CAN see...ie: the dog's *phenotype*. But in breeding, what you CAN'T see, CAN hurt you...the puppies you produce... and their owners. So the next step is evaluating the dog's *genotype*...the genetic 'package' he carries that you can't see. But by doing research on the dog's extended family, you CAN get a glimpse at what he may be carrying (for bvetter or for worse) in that genetic package. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Exploring the Genotype: I contacted the owners of dogs in his pedigree going back through 4 generations to gather age and cause of death data. (I already had complete health screening information on the pedigree.) I've networked my way to several owners of his sire's sibs and the breeders of his sire (1 litter and out of the breed) to learn everything I could about his sire, dam, and the litter...especially in maturity. I spoke to the owner of his sire and other breeders who'd used him to learn what he'd produced in terms of soundness, health, and temperament. I'd gotten to know the breeder of his dam and her line over many years so was already familiar with her family of dogs. His sire was the product of (2) German dogs brought to the US so his breeder (who bred & owned his dam) provided me with copies of the Zuchbucht pages and notes from people who knew the dogs on the European side of the pedigree. I reviewed BernerGarde records for familial information. I ask questions...and more questions...continually trying to learn as much as I can about dogs of similar ancestry. Putting all of this together, I formulate a good idea (I hope) of what positives and negatives he's more and less likely to produce. I discuss everything I know about this 'package' with breeders interested in using him. I specifically ask about and discuss the 'package' their bitch likely carries in terms of the areas in which he's weak. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Then, it's a matter of agreeing (or not) to stand him for a particular breeder and bitch. If a breeder hasn't done a full compliment of health screening on their bitch...I won't deal with them. If a breeder doesn't have a thorough understanding of their bitch's strengths and weaknesses (both phenotypic and genotypic) and doesn't have an interest in learning them...I won't deal with them. If a breeder doesn't require health screening (hips, elbows & eyes) of all their puppies, companion or show...I won't deal with them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You mentioned awards of the sire ... Awards are only of value when placed in a context. You have to know the dog...not his titles. And, what of her dam? Temperament is a combination of heredity and environment...including early puppy teaching by the dam. Is her dam a confident dog, capable of going into a show situation and holding her own physically and mentally? Is she a good mother, instinctively taking care of her pups? Does she stand to be bred and free whelp? These are things I'd want to know were I considering a bitch for breeding. ...and her nice markings. I have yet to rule a bitch in...or out...because of her markings. > but our main interest is having her live a long healthy life. There IS some risk involved in breeding...anyone who's done it for a while will tell you about their bitch who bled out on section, or died of a ruptured uterus, etc. So when someone takes on the mantle of breeding...they've put their bitch on the line for the sake of producing the next generation. IMO, that's a line you cross when you decide to breed your bitch. Crossing it's not for everyone.... ~ Sherri Venditti