Health Guarantees

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="09300500dvldtc.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Bradley Hand ITC" ><B>Vanderbilt Samoyeds </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Bradley Hand ITC" >-</FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Bradley Hand ITC" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Bradley Hand ITC" >striving for global breed type</FONT><B>   |     </B><A HREF="default.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vanderbilt Samoyeds"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="mailto:samoyeds@gmail.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:samoyeds@gmail.com"><U><B>e-mail</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="094d2c00dvldtc.png"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="176" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 565 ><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="167" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 529 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="aa1a0bd0.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="189" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>   <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript">var site="s10vanderbilt"</script> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript1.2" src="http://s10.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s10vanderbilt"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://s10.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=s10vanderbilt" target="_top"> <img src="http://s10.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=s10vanderbilt" alt="Site Meter" border=0></a> </noscript>    </div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>  </div> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Health Guarantees</div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="974" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 3509 WIDTH="968"><div> <B>The Real Poop on Health Guarantees</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> <IMG SRC="a8e2ce80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="232" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> We hear the term "Health Guarantee" bandied about frequently in modern day ads and articles with regard to purebred puppies.  What does it really mean?  In it's most simplistic form, a health guarantee will claim to provide you with a puppy that is healthy at the time of purchase.  Most breeders offer 48-72 hours for you to confirm this with your own veterinarian, and if the dog is found failing - to return it for a full refund.  Good breeders also usually offer a guarantee for the commonly recognized health problems in their breed, and their breeding program employs certain tests to try to identify dogs free of said problems before being bred.  The "commonly recognized health problems" are certainly not the ONLY things that can go wrong with a dog however, but to date there are no means at a breeder's disposal to check every dog for every possible failing of it's anatomy or character that might occur throughout its lifetime.  If a breeder checks hips and eyes for example, that merely means the parents are unaffected by inherited disease in those parts of its body - not necessarily that they cannot produce puppies that are affected.  Most diseases are recessive or polygenic in nature - meaning that they need 'other' genes to join with them before producing problems.  Genes that they can pick up from their "mate" when a breeding occurs.  Genes that nobody knows lurk there because the parent is healthy.  Genes that may also require a certain set of environmental circumstances to cause their manifestation.  All dogs (like all humans) are flawed.  Genetic perfection does not exist.  It therefore stands to reason that you cannot buy a puppy with the predictability of buying a jar of mayonnaise.  But that's "life". </div> <bR> <div> So you're looking for an adorable new puppy and you've done enough research to know a conscientious breeder will offer you a health guarantee.  It pays to not just accept this at face value.  Let's look at some of the issues involved in offering a "guarantee" on dogs.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="a90992c0.jpg" border=0 width="153" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> First of all it is LIFE we're talking about here, and humans don't control it .  We merely manipulate genes to the best end possible.  We hope.  Breeding dogs, like breeding any other form of animals, is done for a purpose.  When humans pick and choose who will be bred to who, and why - we call this "selective breeding".  In the dog world hundreds of individual breeds have been 'created' from the original wild canid type.  With selection for that certain look, size, colour and personality in purebreds comes a degree of "breeding closer" than the average "hybrid" dog population - aka mongrels.   Individuals select certain purebred dogs to be their companions "because" they possess relatively fixed traits that fit with the purchaser's lifestyle.  Acquiring a dog of unknown genetic background is much riskier as far as not knowing what the dog will be like at maturity in terms of health, temperament, size and general appearance.</div> <bR> <div> Are mongrels healthier than purebreds?  Theoretically, they are "randomly bred", and should have more genetic diversity.  Diversity means statistically speaking there is a lower chance of doubling up on recessive genes for disease.  However, here's the rub.  Purebreds get a bad rap for having more genetic problems, but who keeps statistics on mongrels?  I mean stop and think about it.  The same diseases that occur in purebred ALSO occur in cross-breds, but they are such a diversified looking group - no one has ever tried to catalogue the data.  Or at least not kept meaningful statistics.  Mongrels have purebred ancestors.  Dominant genetic diseases of these ancestors will be passed along to subsequent generations of mongrels.  Polygenic diseases (such as hip dysplasia) are certainly alive and well in the non-purebred population as well.  And there can be "unknown" inbreeding behind mongrels - obviously nobody keeps track.  The gamut of health problems seen in mongrels is likely roughly equivalent to that other "randomly bred" species - humans....  And our hospital beds are full of people with genetically induced disease.... heart disease, cancer, glaucoma, diabetes, kidney failure (most with some "environmental push", just like in dogs).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="a922a2c0.jpg" border=0 width="298" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> If we can accept that by involving ourselves with "life" we take on it's omnipotently present weaknesses and risks, then we should be able to get on with purchasing a dog.  Or not.  Think about it first.  Good breeder's do not intentionally breed dogs that they know will produce defective puppies.  Most breeder's, at least the "good" ones, are as surprised as anybody when a problem surfaces.  All dogs 'carry' recessives for genetic disease.  Four to five, on the average, according to canine geneticist <A HREF="http://www.newfdogclub.org/health_longevity/hl_docs/hhl_6_padgett1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.newfdogclub.org/health_longev"><U>Dr. George Padgett</U></A>.  These can be as simple as a flea allergy, right through to serious and lethal cardiac disease.  Owning a dog is not much different than having a child.  With all the best intentions and high hopes that go into creating a puppy - you will be responsible for meeting their needs as they unfold.  Except -- the dog never "grows up" to be independent.</div> <bR> <div> So now that we understand that no breeder can positively "guarantee" any given dog from their kennel will not develop a certain disease (the very few diseases with known genetic markers and parents tested excluded), then we can look at the guarantee more as a "warranty".  That is, what compensation does the breeder offer if certain things go wrong?  Let's look at the value of the dog.  Most purebred puppies sold in North America to companion/pet homes are priced under $2000.00 - which the breeder does not just get to 'pocket'.  When you take into consideration the costs of raising breeding stock to adulthood, gaining Championship titles, screening for hip/eye/etc disorders, stud service, travelling to the stud, pregnancy care, and perhaps a caesarean delivery - you can see that quite a bit of money goes into just getting puppies "on the ground".  Beyond that there's registration, microchips, vaccinations, dewormings, puppy eye tests, food, toys, Owner Manuals, etc - you are looking at about $200.00-$300.00 "per puppy" out in routine expenses.  Minimum.  And we haven't even put a price on the breeders' time at this point.  And time consuming breeding surely is!   Perhaps there are precious few puppies.  We've gone through all of this for a singleton litter on more than one occasion!  Most good breeders go WAY deep in the red breeding dogs "because" of all the extras they do - but they don't look at them as extras - just standard good care.  High standards like this COST.  When breeders guarantee puppies, they are basically offering up to you their good faith that they have tried to produce healthy, typical dogs.</div> <bR> <div> Ok, recap time.  Dog costs < $2000.00.  Surgery for hip dysplasia runs roughly in the neighbourhood of $2000.00.  Per hip.  A breeder obviously cannot warranty the animal for more than it's original cost (which is a composite of assorted costs as detailed above - not pure profit in the breeder's pocket) - but if measures such as surgery are involved, most will offer to replace the dog with a new one, or offer a partial refund.  A few hundred dollars does not go very far with x-rays, bloodwork, meds, consultation fees ....  The <A HREF="http://www.grr-tx.com/resources/hipdysplasia.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.grr-tx.com/resources/hipdyspl"><U>Hip dysplasia example</U></A> is admittedly an extreme one, as HD does not usually require surgery when it is present - and the treatments for most illnesses do not run such frighteningly high figures.  Still, it takes precious little to run a very, VERY large bill at a vet's office.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="a9393f10.jpg" border=0 width="147" height="241" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>PET HEALTH INSURANCE - YES/NO?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In the past few years the larger Insurance companies have been offering pet insurance to owners.  The premiums are not light and of course there are restrictions and limits, but when one considers the costs for something unexpected - it may pay off in the long run for some owners.  And certainly not all problems are genetic in nature. A recent surgery here to remove a sock from one of our girl's intestines cost $1300.00.  No, we didn't have insurance, but had we, the bill would have been mostly covered.  There are sometimes bouts of diarrhea that need to be investigated - with tests and treatments sometimes running into hundreds of dollars.  2002 saw the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) form an alliance with a leading insurance company to allow their breeders to offer "free short term insurance" to all their puppy buyers.  Of course it is then up to the purchasers to sign up for the policy after the free period.  Perhaps it is just a sign of the times, but it would seem verything we value highly has eventually fallen to the underwriter to protect for us.  In 2003 onward we will be offering this free short term health insurance with all of our companion puppies sold within Canada.  We just sleep better knowing that should the unexpected arise, our babies can be cared for.  We don't get paid to refer our clients for this insurance.  CKC gives it's members $2.50 per referral, but that wouldn't cover the time it takes to register a puppy with the program - so we definitely don't do it for the money!</B></div> <bR> <div> At Vanderbilt we have a lot of experience breeding Samoyeds.  The breed IS one of the healthiest purebreds in terms of genetic disease, yet of course problems do sometimes occur.  It could not be otherwise.  Any breeder who claims that 'nothing' has ever gone wrong is lying or simply has extremely limited experience.  We routinely perform hip x-ay evaluation/certification, Gonioscopy and Ophthalmological examination/certification on our breeding stock.  Beyond that we STILL only breed dogs whose temperaments we adore living with, and who are "thrifty" keepers - not given to being sickly in any regard.  TEMPERAMENT IS ALWAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY.  Before health?  Before anything.  A dog with no health problems that is a nightmare to live with because of a poor disposition is hardly worth the trade off on money saved at the vet.  Don't get us wrong - both are extremely important.  And both health and temperament problems can have an environmental component.  No dog can stay healthy or be a well behaved canine citizen without appropriate basic care and training - but temperament is what you live with.  Happily, WELL BRED Samoyeds are generally THE best kind of dogs in that department, yet certain unpleasant traits can and do creep into the breed while breeders are sometimes distracted by the "must-haves" of hip and eye clearances.  Good breeders have the ability to stand back and see the "whole" dog to assess its potential to contribute the most to future generations.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="8a8c8b20.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> Not every dog that passes hip/eye tests and garners a Championship should be bred, certainly.  Who will judge temperament?  There is a "Temperament Test", but it is highly subjective in nature, and not breed specific.  Some say it takes a degree of aggressiveness in a dog to pass it.  Are obedience titled Sams smarter?  Maybe, but some of the WORST Samoyed temperaments we have encountered have been on dogs that carried a long string of obedience titles after their names - perhaps titles achieved in an attempt to control a wild or headstrong dog??  Of course other obedience titlests were just fine.  It depends on many things, but an obedience career alone should not be taken as a signal of good temperament.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="ab0facc0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> And what of the dog's "quality"?  You want a purebred to be a good example of its breed in addition to being healthy and of sound temperament, right?  You can read our treatise on breeding for correct breed type <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U>here</U></A>.  On the surface, breeding dogs may appear to be an easy and profitable enterprise.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Link <A HREF="http://home.no.net/iukn/helselinker.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://home.no.net/iukn/helselinker.htm"><U>here</U></A> to connect with articles outlining the many genetic challenges breeders face.</div> <bR> <div> Case in point.  One of our first Samoyeds came from a breeder who was "fanatical" about hip and eye clearances.  The pedigree read like a who's who of OFA and CERF.  Our dog did indeed have no hip or eye trouble, but was moderately crippled at 5 years of age from a hereditary arthritis that affected her forequarters and hindquarters that her parents both also had.  She was an insulin-dependent diabetic at age 7.  But ALL of this pales to the poor temperament we lived with for 12+ years.  She was so hyperactive that we practically had to make a second career out of trying to train her to be an acceptable pet.  The experience left scars on us.  Scars that we use to make decisions in our breeding program today to try to produce dogs that people enjoy living with!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="a952cc30.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="195" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nursery"><U>Back to the Nursery</U></A></div> <bR> <div>  </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>