Things Puppy Buyers Should Know
More information coming soon!
I HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONFUSION ON CONTRACTS OVER THE YEARS AND PEOPLE ASKING ME WHAT SOMETHING MEANS. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD DO A LITTLE INFORMATION PAGE FOR PEOPLE TO COME BACK AND REFERENCE TO.
HEREDITARY
1. The passing on of characters or traits from parents to offspring as a result of the transmission of genes.
2. The genetic characters so transmitted.
3. The characteristics of an individual that are considered to have been passed on by the parents or ancestors.
CONGENITAL
1. Of or pertaining to a condition present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment, especially the uterine environment.
HEALTH CLEARANCES
For each breed the list of health clearances done are different, most reputable breeders will list these on their contract. In Springers the puppy you buy should come from parents that have had an OFA and are free of hip dysplasia, should have a CERF or AVCO exam to be clear of PRA, progressive retinal atrophy.
For people who have field bred springers they should have a PFK done, a lot of breeders in springers are now doing the CORD 1 PRA DNA test for eyes or just the DNA Test for eyes. Also a lot of breeders are doing a heart exam and certifying through the OFA.
OFA
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals: Registry for hip and elbow dysplasia and numerous other health testing, Heart, eye, etc.
Website: www.offa.org/
CERF
Canine Eye Registry Foundation
Website: http://web.vmdb.org/home/
ACVO
American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
Website: http://www.acvo.org/
PRA
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
More information: http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/disease-information/progressive-retinal-atrophy.html
PFK (Phosphofructokinase deficiency)
Is an inherited disease that affects both the field trial and show lines of English Springer Spaniels. M-PFK is an enzyme required for the metabolism of glucose into useable energy. Without the PFK enzyme, some cells, such as muscle cells and red blood cells, cannot produce adequate energy for their needs. Therefore, affected dogs display the following intermittent, clinical signs: weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance, poor performance, muscle cramps, anemia, jaundice, and dark-colored urine. Dark-colored urine, a hallmark of this disorder, usually appears after strenuous exercise or after excessive barking, panting, and heat exposure.
PFK deficiency is caused by a mutation of the gene that codes for the enzyme M-PFK. Because PFK deficiency is an autosomal recessive trait, a dog must have two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to show clinical signs. A dog with one copy may be healthy but will pass the mutation to its offspring. The mutation has so far been documented in over 100 English Springer Spaniels, especially in field trial lines, but the actual prevalence of the mutation is unknown
Full Registration
Puppies/dogs sold with breeding rights, many breeders require appropriate health testing be done and shown to a champion or obedience titles etc. Before the dog can be bred.
Limited Registration
Puppies/dogs sold with NO Breeding rights, meaning if you don’t have that dog spayed or neutered and decide to produce a litter out of it anyway, NONE of the offspring will be registerable. A lot of breeders have clauses in the contract that if any puppies are produced out of that dog whether on purpose or accident you will owe them money. It is their way of safeguarding the puppies they produce.
More Information: http://www.akc.org/reg/limitedreg.cfm
HEREDITARY
1. The passing on of characters or traits from parents to offspring as a result of the transmission of genes.
2. The genetic characters so transmitted.
3. The characteristics of an individual that are considered to have been passed on by the parents or ancestors.
CONGENITAL
1. Of or pertaining to a condition present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment, especially the uterine environment.
HEALTH CLEARANCES
For each breed the list of health clearances done are different, most reputable breeders will list these on their contract. In Springers the puppy you buy should come from parents that have had an OFA and are free of hip dysplasia, should have a CERF or AVCO exam to be clear of PRA, progressive retinal atrophy.
For people who have field bred springers they should have a PFK done, a lot of breeders in springers are now doing the CORD 1 PRA DNA test for eyes or just the DNA Test for eyes. Also a lot of breeders are doing a heart exam and certifying through the OFA.
OFA
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals: Registry for hip and elbow dysplasia and numerous other health testing, Heart, eye, etc.
Website: www.offa.org/
CERF
Canine Eye Registry Foundation
Website: http://web.vmdb.org/home/
ACVO
American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
Website: http://www.acvo.org/
PRA
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
More information: http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/disease-information/progressive-retinal-atrophy.html
PFK (Phosphofructokinase deficiency)
Is an inherited disease that affects both the field trial and show lines of English Springer Spaniels. M-PFK is an enzyme required for the metabolism of glucose into useable energy. Without the PFK enzyme, some cells, such as muscle cells and red blood cells, cannot produce adequate energy for their needs. Therefore, affected dogs display the following intermittent, clinical signs: weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance, poor performance, muscle cramps, anemia, jaundice, and dark-colored urine. Dark-colored urine, a hallmark of this disorder, usually appears after strenuous exercise or after excessive barking, panting, and heat exposure.
PFK deficiency is caused by a mutation of the gene that codes for the enzyme M-PFK. Because PFK deficiency is an autosomal recessive trait, a dog must have two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to show clinical signs. A dog with one copy may be healthy but will pass the mutation to its offspring. The mutation has so far been documented in over 100 English Springer Spaniels, especially in field trial lines, but the actual prevalence of the mutation is unknown
Full Registration
Puppies/dogs sold with breeding rights, many breeders require appropriate health testing be done and shown to a champion or obedience titles etc. Before the dog can be bred.
Limited Registration
Puppies/dogs sold with NO Breeding rights, meaning if you don’t have that dog spayed or neutered and decide to produce a litter out of it anyway, NONE of the offspring will be registerable. A lot of breeders have clauses in the contract that if any puppies are produced out of that dog whether on purpose or accident you will owe them money. It is their way of safeguarding the puppies they produce.
More Information: http://www.akc.org/reg/limitedreg.cfm
THINGS YOU MIGHT SEE ON A PEDIGREE
CH : Champion - the title earned when a dog receives enough points from winning at a conformation show competition.
GRCH/GCH : Grand Champion - there are now different levels of Grand Champion: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
BIS : Best in Show
BISS : Best in Specialty Show
AOM : Award of Merit
ROM : Register of Merit
CD : Companion Dog
CDX : Companion Dog Excellent
BN/RN : Rally titles
WD : Working Dog title, in Springer’s would be a hunting title
WDX : Working Dog Excellent
There is a very long list of Obedience, Rally, Agility, Hunting Titles, etc.
Some Field trial titles in Springer pedigrees:
FC : Field Champion
AFC : Amateur Field Champion
NFC : National Field Champion
CFC : Canadian Field Champion
CNFC : Canadian National Field Champion
JH : Junior Hunter
SH : Senior Hunter
MH : Master Hunter
I will add more as I find them and/or think of them.
GRCH/GCH : Grand Champion - there are now different levels of Grand Champion: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
BIS : Best in Show
BISS : Best in Specialty Show
AOM : Award of Merit
ROM : Register of Merit
CD : Companion Dog
CDX : Companion Dog Excellent
BN/RN : Rally titles
WD : Working Dog title, in Springer’s would be a hunting title
WDX : Working Dog Excellent
There is a very long list of Obedience, Rally, Agility, Hunting Titles, etc.
Some Field trial titles in Springer pedigrees:
FC : Field Champion
AFC : Amateur Field Champion
NFC : National Field Champion
CFC : Canadian Field Champion
CNFC : Canadian National Field Champion
JH : Junior Hunter
SH : Senior Hunter
MH : Master Hunter
I will add more as I find them and/or think of them.