This article is not a detailed, complicated study of coat color genetics. I have written other pieces to answer that need. Here, I would like to aim this toward the beginner, though it should be a good review for the veteran breeder and valuable to people whose experience is only in one or two breeds. …
Revised December 2011. Dwarfism is a condition of abnormally small stature, and usually is characterized by altered body proportions. There are several causes and types. Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, and Corgis are examples of achondroplastic dwarfs; they have more or less normal-sized torsos and heads but shortened limbs, and are accepted as typical of their breed. …
I recently led a tour of Europe for a small group of people from all over the U.S. and even one from Germany. The center of focus was the German Bundessiegerzuchtschau (“Bunde” can refer to a German club, you know that “Sieger” means “winner”, and “zucht” means breed or, in …
Revised 2012 German Shepherd Dog Myelopathy, also known as DM for Degenerative (chronic and progressive) Myelopathy (spinal cord disease), or CDRM in the UK, is the first disorder that comes to mind when German Shepherd Dogs and spinal lesions are spoken of together. Almost peculiar to Shepherds, the first symptoms are usually seen at more …
Revised December 2011. Every day seems to be summer in Jamaica, and since I retired from regular hours in the chemicals business, every day is like Saturday or a summer vacation to me. Still, when the Jamaica GSD club called me to fill in for an ill judge, I had another judging job I was …