Los Angeles... meter readers gonna GETCHA!

The Los Angeles City Council voted (13-0) this week to require the Department of Water and Power to turn over their database to Animal Services about animals noted on private property. Tony Cardenas also asked that the actual number of dogs or horses be included. If you have more than 3 dogs and/or cats, you will be cited for having an unlicensed kennel and forced to get rid of some animals. One councilman wants to pursue cat licensing also.

If notified by DWP that there are dogs or cats or horses on your premises, they will send out a letter to your house and if there is no response someone from Los Angeles Animal Services will be sent out to your property to harrass you.

Their objective? To raise $3-4 million in revenues to help ease the City's budget crisis.

That's corrrect....The money won't go to buy food for homeless dogs in shelters. It won't go to provide low-cost medical care for pets belonging to seniors and the poor. Nor will it go towards laying in a new supply of dog catcher's snares. The cash from dog fees and fines will dump into the trough to feed the city pork.

They plan to raise money from our pets to spend on OTHER city projects, admininstration, salaries etc. More pencil pushers to dream up more ways to harrass the average citizen.

No big deal, just a tiny little license fee, right? WRONG!

Recently, the city of Los Angeles enacted a mandatory sterilization law. (Unfortunately it applies to pets, not the city council members). One who applies for a license and expects to keep his pet intact must request a special permit, delineating his reasons, and proving that he deserves to exercise his right to make his own decisions. There's no guarantee an exemption will be granted, and it can be revoked at any  time. The license fee for an intact dog is $100 PER YEAR. Also, you must pay the breeder's permit fee....even if you have no plans to breed the dog. This fee is $225. Per dog, Per year!

Since when is government justified to penalize for actions that haven't been taken yet? How fundamentally wrong is that?

The concept of dog licensing was originally implemented as a way to track rabies vaccination compliance... PERIOD! Licensing was instituted in the name of public health. But let the camel stick its nose under the tent, and now Big Government thinks they have the right to dictate all terms and conditions of animal ownership.

Saddest of all, when owners are faced with unreasonable, punitive fees and fines, many more animals will ultimately end up at the city shelters. With the current deep recession, people are lucky to be able to afford food, much less pay steep fees and/or huge veterinary bills for unnecessary speuter surgery. Now, some must choose between food and keeping their pets.


And get this....it’s all based on meter readers’ notes and opinions here and there, no official survey, nothing like that. Kinda like hearsay or listening to gossip. So a meter reader hears a dog bark, could be a different house, a visiting dog, a stray, or a tape recording for that matter! Maybe there is a cat sitting on your porch. Then AC gets a whiff of potential license revenues, and demands money from the home owner. If you do indeed own an unlicensed pet, next you are forced to pay fines and have your animal submit to costly and unnecessary surgery, against your wishes....or you must relinquish your pet.

What happened to liberty, due process and....Christ almighty, what happened to PRIVACY! Meter readers peering over your fence to conduct a dog license "sting"?

Oh, why do I even ask? This is animal control and government. ‘Nuff said.

Wouldn't society be better served if the meter readers reported meth labs and gang activity?

No money in that, though.

Dial "M" For Murder

Dial M for Murder....a 1954 Hitchcock thriller. Intrigue and deception abound as a man connives and conspires to murder his unfaithful wife.


But that's not like real life, is it? Chilling, callous behavior is the exception, not the rule.

Isn't it?
For sure, this sort of activity would not be common in the dog world. Politics exists; but heck, no actual physical harm is done as the crawdads climb over each other to reach the top of the bucket.

Right?
Well ordinarily I could give a rat's patoot about who reaches the top of the dog show heap. But when show success becomes a justification for promoting a downright dangerous gene, it's time to speak up.

I have heard it said on several chat lists lately, that it would surely be a shame if the breeders who show merle Chihuahuas and merle Pomeranians were eliminated from the ring. They have done so much work to bring the qualities of the merle in these breeds to perfection.

 HUH? I thought the idea was to select for the better DOGS, not to reward the breeders and handlers based upon the degree of hard work.

Hmmm. Well, ask any poodle or bichon person; a striking appearance and artful grooming can take you a long way. So perhaps it IS mostly about rewarding people for their hard work.

But, if we believe it is truly about the dogs, and selecting breeding stock, how is this a progress toward perfection? A gene that reliably produces some serious birth defects is the polar opposite of "perfection".


In 1968, UK Chihuahua breeder-judge Hilary Harmer wrote the book "Dogs and how to Breed Them", wherein she noted:

"The merle colouring is interesting, because it is connected with a semi-lethal gene, and, when it occurs in a double dose, the offspring may be blind, deaf or sterile. For obvious reasons, therefore, two merle dogs should on no account ever be mated together. In fact, it would be better for merle to be a disqualified colour in all breeds."

Problem is, many people are blissfully unaware of the potential dire consequences of working with this cruel factor. Add it to other genes for white coat, and the odds for defects just multiplied. Add it to the gene pool of breeds that allow all colors, and it can lie undetected under a light-colored coat, just waiting to pair up with a partner to produce it's crippling effects.

And once the pattern becomes acceptable in a breed, there will be people who INTENTIONALLY try to produce double merles...because the double merle parent will produce 100% merle puppies.
Even among the more ethical breeders, an accidental breeding between two merles is not unheard of. Stranger things have happened, and the results can be shockingly horrific. Ask any Aussie, Sheltie or Collie person who would honestly admit it. However, that might be a bit tricky, because speaking honestly regarding this topic is not politically correct. The proof is in the many blind and deaf dogs of these breeds who are sent to rescues.

OK, we have to admit that merle is NOT simply a benign, pretty factor. So, how are breeders justifying the recent infiltration of some genepools with this dangerous bit of wayward DNA?

First off, the fans of this popular color pattern join the "Cleopatra" club... as in "Queens of de Nile".

"We have plenty of health problems in our breed, why be concerned about a color?"

     "Merle is perfectly harmless, and very attractive."

"Deafness? That's not a painful affliction."

"Eye defects, even missing eyeballs? A bit more serious, perhaps."

"No problems occur unless you breed merle-to-merle and just HAPPEN to double up on the merle gene."

"Hey, not ALL double merles have problems."

"Those problems happen with other colors, too....health problems come in all colors!"

"Why punish the breeders who breed merle responsibly?"

"Too late to lock the barn door now, it's already been opened."

"Lethal whites? If most don't survive to birth, then we don't have to worry about them."

And of course there's that ultimate dog show person's rationalization:

"All colors are allowed in our standard! Any questions?"

Once the rationalization phase is complete, on to stage two, manipulating members of the breed club. Let's see, how can we block any standard revision that intends to close our loophole allowing for merle?

• 
  
  Launch an aggressive PR media blitz featuring merle puppies in magazines articles and ads
• 
  
  Organize a well-planned election campaign to install sympathizers into the breed club board of directors
• 
  
  Call club members to inflame with red herring alarmism: "Your favorite color may be next on the chopping block!"
• 
  
  Get a member of the AKC board of directors to send out letters written on AKC letterhead, urging the breed club members to reject any merle penalty in their standard revision vote. (And the guy doesn't even belong to your club or own a single dog of your breed!)
• 
  
  Strongarm the parent club to include references to merles on their website. Judges are then referred to the parent club website if they have any qualms about putting up merles!

Of course it would be an insult to the new merle champions, and so unfair to their owners, to penalize the pattern now! Particularly after we've had our professional handlers remind every licensed AKC judge that ALL COLORS are permissible! Why that would be absolutely criminal, to deny someone their hard-earned opportunity to capitalize on this exotic color!

Connive, contrive, convince and conquer!

It's been working oh so well, so far. Merle is at an all-time popular high...so much so that you can now also find merle Jack Russell terriers, merle Cocker Spaniels, merle Poodles, merle Schnauzers, merle Rat Terriers, merle Miniature Pinschers. Why malign a simple color pattern that is so widely sought after??

And, as long as breeders succeed in that ultimate measure of "quality" and success, the dog show competition, end of discussion! No concern about the future of the breed or your role in promoting a blatant health hazard.

As Hitchcock would advise,

"When murder calls, hang up!"

Black and White

Remember these whisky ads from 50-plus years ago? They graced the pages of most major magazines.

Black and white.
Salt and pepper.
Yin and Yang.


There's a natural partnership noted here, and it's not a coincidence. Not too long before the 1890s when this "Black and White" advertising campaign was initiated, these two now-distinct "breeds" were considered varieties of the SAME breed of dog. Black, white and sometimes wheaten and even brindle-colored terriers often appeared in the same litter. 

Folks who lived in the wilds of Scotland needed hardy dogs capable of digging rabbits, rats and foxes out of burrows among the craggy rockpiles (known as "cairns") and under thorn bushes; places where bigger dogs would be unable to go. The small terriers were the result of this need. The word terrier comes from the Latin "terra" or earth. Terriers will dig furiously into burrows in search of their quarry. Sometimes they dig in so deeply that the hunter might have to pull them out by their stocky tail. Their harsh, shaggy coats keep them warm in the snowy winters and protect their skin from brambles. The eyebrows help to keep the soil out of the eyes when digging.

In the 1800's,the terriers of Scotland were a diverse lot of similar type. The dogs were long and low, rough-coated, and well suited to rout out foxes, badgers and martens from their dens. 

Scottish Terriers as a group were referred to as Skye terriers, or Diehard Terriers, or Aberdeen Terriers. However, when dog shows came into vogue in the late 1800's, standards were drawn up and interbreeding between various subtypes of Scottish terriers was subsequently forbidden. "Fancy points" such as head type were selected for and little attention was paid to how well the dog controlled vermin.

The Scottish dog breeds that descended from the Aberdeen or Skye terrier of yesteryear are the modern Skye terrier, the Cairn Terrier, the West Highland White Terrier and the Scottish Terrier. These breeds have only formed over the past one hundred fifty or so years years as distinct breeds.

The Dandie Dinmont was another type of terrier known in Scotland, and likely shares some common ancestry with the other Scottish terrier breeds. Check the resemblance in this depiction of Guy Mannering in 1814; "Dandy Dinmont" with his terriers:

Any crossbreeding between these similar terrier varieties is strictly forbidden by the registering Kennel Clubs. According to Scottish Terrier historian Cindy Cooke, all today's Scottish Terriers descend from ONE common female ancestor. In the early 20th century, the gene pool was narrowed further down to just a handful of popular dogs. 

And therein lies a very serious problem. The result of generations of inbreeding is a physical depression, characterized by shortened lifespan, decreased vigor and fertility, and increased susceptibility to autoimmune disease, infectious disease and cancer. There is also a propensity for recessive health problems to become entrenched in a breed through inbreeding, and the proscription against outcrossing to other groups of terriers assures that defects will continue to affect a large percentage of a breed's population.

But don't take my word for it: more in depth information is posted on the "Great Scots" blogpage:

http://tartanscottie.com/macblog/?p=58

Dog breeding is not a black and white activity. We should stop occasionally and ponder the nuances of those shades of grey.

More on history of the Scottish terrier breeds:
http://stcinc.org/learn.htm

Early terriers.

Terriers in the 1940's. Distinct yet remain very similar in physical appearance.

The BS behind "Designer Dogs"

I ran across this ad this morning:

http://sfgate.kaango.com/feViewAd/16213571

If you can’t access the link, it’s an ad for Labradoodle puppies, selling for 2700.00 each.

Twenty seven hundred dollars!! That’s more than twice the average price of a genuine purebred dog, which, by definition, is “bred from members of a recognized breed, strain, or kind without outbreeding over many generations,” often hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of years. Also known as pedigreed, meaning it has a written, traceable, record of the lineage that proves its purebred status.

A Labradoodle, on the other hand, is NOT a purebred. Originally a mix of Poodle and Labrador, its initial claim to fame, that it was hypoallergenic, got great attention and a lot of folks, seeing a way to make a quick buck, jumped on the bandwagon, paired up random Poodles and Labs and sold their offspring as Labradoodles. This led to a rash of so-called “designer dogs,” an endless list of mixes with cute names such as Goldendoodles, Cockapoos, Pomapoos, Bascotties, Buggles, Malorkies, Pithuahuas, Pointsetters, Schnairedales, or the ever popular Jack Russell/Shih Tzu mix, aka the JackShiht. OK, that last one isn’t real (as far as I know), but shows how ridiculous this has become, because, again by definition, each of these dogs is an “animal of mixed breed,” or uncertain ancestry, also known as a crossbreed, half-blood, hybrid, mutt, or, the type of dog most often found in animal shelters. Did I mention those Labradoodles are going for 2700.00?

I could say it was an example of the gullibility of the American public, but it’s more than that. Over the past few years, the animal rights crusaders have done a fabulous job of downgrading purebred dogs and glorifying mutts, to the extent that adopting a shelter dog has become the only acceptable way to acquire a pet. On the other hand, people who are lured by the prestige of owning a special breed of dog, something that makes them the Paris Hilton of their community, will fall for the hype of a Labradoodle or any other cross bred “designer dog.” It doesn’t have the sour taste of being purebred, but it has the cachet of being something special, which makes them easy targets for the shysters out to make a buck (a LOTTA bucks!) off them.

What’s really sad is that by investing in “designer dogs,” these people are shelling out their hard earned cash for what they supposedly hate, backyard breeders and puppy mills, which are the main source of these animals. But what’s even worse is that even those who resist buying these mutts are still “drinking the kool-aid,” indoctrinated by the animal rights fanatics into donating millions of dollars to the Humane Society of the United States, the driving force behind the AR jihad, and thereby contributing to the fanatics who intend to remove ALL pets from our lives, no matter how we define them. Purebred, “designer” dogs, mutts, Heinz 57, every last one of them, gone forever. But that’s the subject of another blog.

"Parade of Mutants" seen in Westminster BIS ring!

Mark Evans, Chief Veterinarian, RSPCA:

"When I watch Crufts, what I see is a parade of mutants. It's some freakish, garish beauty pageant that has nothing, frankly, to do with health and welfare."

Last night, during the Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show judging, attendees had to endure an horrific spectacle...an actual, bona fide "parade of mutants". The lanky bodies of the deviants featured raised arms with banners stretched between them. Excessive layers of clothing were required to maintain body warmth. It seems that the AKC premier event had spawned a defective breed...the "PETA terrorist".

The adverse effect of inbreeding was evident. No brains! The mutants flashed signs proclaiming "Mutts Rule" and "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances". The media tagged this interruption in the night's planned activities as a "protest."

These defective mutants are obviously missing some DNA, or perhaps their frail bodies are suffering the effects of a protein calorie malnutrition. Maybe due to a vitamin deficiency, their brains can no longer process in a logical manner? They haven't noticed that Westminster KC and Pedigree partner up every year for the "Dogs Rule" Pedigree Adoption Drive. The Westminster broadcast is peppered with commercials advocating homes for shelter dogs, and they raise MILLIONS for this cause every year. These advertising spots are narrated by none other than the alien-chasing, vegetable-chomping, sex-addicted star of "The X-Files", and star of "Californicator"... PETA's champion, David Duchovny.

In the Pedigree commercial, David softly growls "I am a good boy".
Sure you are, David! You're a good boy! Yes, you are!

Now why on earth would a group (PETA) that claims to love mutts and shelter dogs protest an event (Westminster show) that raises literally millions of dollars for them, each and every year?

As we noted earlier, this particular breed of human suffers from a profound mental retardation.

But the most glaring evidence to support the case of the mutants' missing chromosome lies within PETA, the organization they represent.

PETA kills animals.

Execution-style. 

By the thousands.

http://www.petakillsanimals.com

Accusing breeders of harming shelter dogs! Pot, meet kettle.

Thankfully, the Westminster organization pressed charges against these deviant lawbreakers. PETA minions often resort to terrorism...just ask the FBI, who list PETA on their official list of domestic terrorists.

Next time, there could be violence.

Personally, I worry about the welfare of ALL dogs....whether they be mutts, shelter dogs, or show dogs like Sadie.

Perhaps we should have unleashed a few well-trained Schutzhund guard dogs to subdue these garish, freakish mutants. That type of action might reduce the chances of any future protest parades.

And wouldn't that truly help promote the welfare of dogs!

"Sable"..Ultimate Natural Beauty!

Ah, sable! The very word evokes images of ladies' mink stoles of yore; plush and rich in color. It's not often these days that we see an actual Real McCoy fur coat; so when it comes to dog coat color we sometimes need to refresh our collective memories a bit in regard to natural coat color and the genetics involved.

The AKC glossary defines "Sable" thus:

Sable: Coat color produced by black-tipped hairs on a background of silver, gold, gray, fawn, or brown.

But a genetic sable may display an appearance very that is very different from this restrictive, limited definition.

First, let's back up a bit to the biology of coat color. There are two basic coat pigments. There is "eumelanin" which is your basic black, and the other is phaeomelanin which produces red/yellow. (The prefix "eu" means "true", while "phaeo" is from Greek meaning "color of the twilight sky".) All other coat colors are variation on these two foundation pigments.

Coat color genes work by reorganizing the basic pigments. Agouti genes result in a banding of individual hairs; a combination of eumelanin and phaeomelanin on each individual hair. Other genes may dilute black eumelanin to blue or brown....or two recessive dilute factors can combine to form the color of the Weimeraner. Still other genes modify phaeomelanin to form shades of red, orange, yellow, or cream.

Various pattern genes rearrange the color..for instance, the gene for the tan point pattern instructs the phaeomelanin to congregate in "points" above the eyes, on the face, legs, under the tail and on the forechest. Brindle genes instruct the eumelanin to form in stripes. White spotting genes remove color pigments completely, leaving defined areas of white. Merle dilutes whatever underlying coat color is present. The result can be a splotchy effect on phaeomelanin, or a silvering of eumelanin to result in "blue merle".

In genetic parlance, sable has traditionally meant phaeomelanin added to or replacing the black coat color. Agouti is the technical term for haircoat banded with different shades of eumelanin and phaeomelanin. It's often referred to as a "wild" type coat. And it's tough to beat Mother Nature when it comes to beauty! Think of that sable or mink coat, if you are lucky enough to have actually seen one!.

We normally think of black tipped hair when we think of a "sable" dog. But, not all dogs that are genetic sables have extensive black tipping. Some sables lighten with age or have banding that does not fit the "tipping" description....the hair can be banded in unusual ways, perhaps darker at the base and lighter at the tips. Some breeds like Collies have sables that do not have much black tipping if any! Some pups are born dark sable and lighten with age. Many dogs registered as "orange" or "red" are actually genetic sables.

Of course there are many examples of traditional sables....German shepherds often have a heavy sable coat with the heaviest black tipped hairs in the "saddle" area.

Fred Lanting wrote an interesting article about sables, where he notes there exists:

"So-called "golden sable" resulting from good brown lower parts of the guard hairs but not as much black tipping as some other dogs pictured in this article."

SABLES: GENETICS AND MYTHS

I believe we should not hold strictly to the AKC definition of "sable" as dark tipping, because many of our genetic sables do not have much dark tipping. "Sable" as a color category that would include anything from wolf sable to cream sable to orange sable, to dogs that appear yellow, red or orange!

Sable....true natural beauty!

Thomas Jefferson wearing a sable coat

Sable Marten (Weasel family)