Kennel Club Breed Health Symposium 2019

My advertising this year’s Breed Health Symposium, held at the KC Building at Stoneleigh Park on September 18^th with all 3 Eurasier clubs, as well as on Facebook and some private communications, yielded some very positive responses.  As 2 years ago this event was opened up to anyone interested in breed health, I was delighted that one of our ‘oldest’ (in experience) breeders, Tracy Cottrell from Willowfalls joined me for a very interesting as well as enjoyable day. I was very tired from a trip to Holland and Germany showing our youngest Eurasier, but I really did not want to miss it, as it is a motivating experience and provides wonderful networking opportunities. As all of us are volunteers, we really appreciate this opportunity very much indeed.

Bill Lambert, the KC’s Senior Health & Welfare Manager welcomed all approximately 100 visitors and introduced the day with an update on changes in the Kennel Club Health Team. Bill also talked about some proposed changes to the KC Eye Scheme. In the future, results will be available online as well as recorded in the Breed Record Supplements.
The next speaker, Dr Sally Ricketts updated us on the Give a Dog a Genome (GDG) project and research underway at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) on Complex Diseases. 77 breeds signed up for GDG and the AHT has now sequenced a good number of genomes. Some data has been shared with research groups in Europe and the USA. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological problems and is presently being investigated in Border Collies and Italian Spinone.

Dr Jacqueline Boyd gave a highly interesting talk on canine nutrition and the term ‘canine wellbeing’ which has been adopted by many in recent years. She highlighted the totality of genetics and environmental factors all playing essential roles. The most interesting aspect for me was her stressing that dogs are mostly scavengers and can therefore deal with different components of nutrition such as protein, but also carbohydrates. A really important aspect for anybody who advises on nutrition is also to bear in mind is the needs and capabilities of the dog caretaker/owner. She said that diet was an essential environmental factor, but that no diet can be a cure-all. Everybody agreed that, depending on age and lifestyle, dogs all have different needs. A more recent area of research is an offspring of epigenetics, namely nutrigenomics, which is defined as the relationship between diet and genetics. There is research showing how, in humans, the diet of parents and grandparents is linked to conditions in their offspring such as e.g. diabetes or heart disease, but also mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Therefore, good nutrition supports good breeding over many future generations and both sire and dam play their roles.

Dr Tom Lewis, the KC’s quantitative geneticist, reported on the regulation regarding ‘hereditary clear’ status in litters, which will be introduced from January 2022. This is particularly important for single-mutation, recessive diseases, like DWLM (Dandy Walker) in Eurasiers.  The main problem with subsequent generations of tested dogs is that not all dogs in a pedigree are in fact really the ancestors. Hence, it seems a good idea to limit it to 2 generations, or to ask for continuous DNA proof of parentage. Otherwise, as a recently published study shows, it is likely that the mutation will be passed onto puppies unknowingly and produce affected dogs. DNA parentage profiling is a separate procedure to screening DNA for disease-causing mutations, but it can often be carried out simultaneously.

These presentations were followed by a short Q&A session, where the team of BHC Mentors answered some submitted questions.

Over lunch there was ample opportunity to speak to any of the speakers, and also to other BHCs. For us it was important to have a planning session with those of Chows and Keeshonds, as we have been planning a project on Elbow Dysplasia for some time. There is as yet not that much data and we are all numerically relatively small breeds, but the close relationship between our breeds might well provide an interesting and unusual aspect for a researcher. When I go to the meeting at the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (IFEZ) in November, I will also be discussing possible options there.

Last but not least, many thanks to the team of KC staff who organised the event and who did a truly great job.

Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm

UK Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers

The Eurasier Tor of the West Country

In one of the hottest weeks the UK has experienced in years, we had our holiday in Devon and Somerset. We had planned for daily six- or seven-mile walks over Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Quantocks. Finding bed and breakfast willing to take three dogs was a little tricky, but the three we did manage to persuade were all really good. The first location was the East Dart Hotel at Postbridge. Long walks can be done from the doorstep, as you are in the middle of Dartmoor. So, with rucksacks bulging with six litres of water we ventured off to do the Tors. Sheep and cattle roam the landscape, so the three girls spent quite a long time on lead. If we had been in the Peak or Lake Districts, we would have been following a line of people trampling the path before us. The routes we had decided on were empty. Just the two of us, the furry daughters and bird song. Glorious!

Even after encouraging the girls to drink from streams, we were still stopping every 40 minutes or so to give them water. When brushing out the vegetation from their coats the number of ticks they had all picked up was very noticable. Some further advice would be, pack military grade insect repellent as the horseflies are particularly vicious. All three Dartmoor walks where challenging due to the inclines and temperature, but so worth it, as the scenery is stunning. Exmoor was equally scenic and just as challenging. This time we encountered more people round places they could drive to, like Watersmeet, but on our walks between those locations hardly a soul was seen. The tick situation on Exmoor was of plague proportions, daily 60 - 70 ticks had to be removed off each dog.

No plan survives contact with the enemy. The final B&B booked four months in advance cancelled a day before we were supposed to arrive. We lucked in and found a French style manor house with a very grand boudoir and changed the final long distance walk to around the perimeter of Stourhead Gardens.

Yes, it is possible to take a pack of dogs on holiday. As much as we dislike putting chemicals on or in our girls, we would definitely research and apply some form of tick repellent/killer to save them from anaemia and tick-borne diseases. In extreme hot weather, you must keep the dogs as hydrated as possible. The great news is, your rucksack becomes lighter the more they drink. All three girls, including Kyra, who is nearly 11, seemed to thoroughly enjoy their time away. Me? Well if we are going away next year it will be to some place flat, like Norfolk.  😊

by Ian Cottrell, Willowfalls Eurasiers

Shaping – What the heck is that?

Well the definition is – 'The differential reinforcement of successive approximations towards a target behaviour.'

Put simply, it is a form of self-learning for your dog, where they are rewarded for making the right choices, which is gradually increased until you achieve the goal you set. Just as with humans, self-learning leads to deeper understanding.

There are three elements to this process and knowing what these are will help you plan your own shaping.

• Target Behaviour – Define exactly what you want your dog to do
  This includes what command words to use for starting and stopping, where the dog is going to be and for how long.
• Successive Approximations
  These are the enabling objectives, the main task is broken down into a series of smaller, manageable, bite-sized chunks that achieves quick wins.
• Differential Reinforcement
  When the dog chooses to do the correct action, they are rewarded. This is where humans need most training 😊 Using the clicker for an audible cue and treat straight away. When the dog is consistently achieving one of the chunks, the reward for that step is stopped and you then only reward the subsequent step.

The secret to shaping is dividing the behaviour into enough chunks so that there can’t be any confusion. The dog must be able to work out what is going on and naturally figure out what to do.

There will be a demonstration at the AGM, so if you are planning to attend, bring some high value training treats.

The best thing about working with Eurasiers is that they are so quick to pick things up and are desperate to please!

by Tracy Cottrell, Willowfalls Eurasiers  

A letter from our Breed Health Coordinator

Dear SEA member,

Please find below a letter from the Kennel Club's Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers (our own Vice-Chair, Brigitte). In it Brigitte outlines her role in the post in terms of what she can offer you, and what she would hope to obtain from you in return.

On the 28th August the letter was also sent to the Secretaries of the other two British Eurasier clubs,  the UK Eurasier Club and the Eurasier Society UK,  with the request that they circulate it to their membership. She also requested the names and contact details of their health representatives, in order to invite them to join her at the KC Breed Health Symposium later this month.

Please get back to Brigitte directly with any questions or suggestions you might have at alphaeurasier@gmail.com

Many thanks,

Peter Mordan
Secretary, SEA

-------------------------------

Dear Eurasier owner,

Firstly let me express my heartfelt thanks to your club Secretary for forwarding to you this letter, which I hope you will find informative and will further help our mutual collaboration.

Today I am addressing you solely in my role as the UK Breed Health Coordinator for Eurasiers, as appointed by the Kennel Club, a role which I have mentored from its inception and held for a good number of years, and which I find both very interesting and rewarding.

What I can offer:

•          A confidential environment in which to discuss any health concerns.

•          If I am able, and it lies within my expertise as a Eurasier person of 30 years’ experience, biologist and health professional, I can also offer some health advice, although this can never replace that of a veterinary surgeon.  This applies whether you are a breeder, stud-dog owner or ‘simply’ a pet owner.

•          The design and conducting of a breed-health survey

•          If you express an interest (by emailing me at the address below), you will hear about trends in the breed in the UK, as well as those observed internationally through my close involvement with the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding (IFEZ).

Needless to say, all these services are absolutely free.

What I would hope to receive from you:

•          Any health results you obtain when you either get your dog checked as required for breeding, or as requested by your breeder, as these provide some excellent basic information on, for example, hips, elbows, patella, thyroid, eyes and Dandy Walker Syndrome. You can, of course, decide on the confidentiality of these results.

•          Records of any other health issues. Again, you decide on the confidentiality of these.

•          The commitment to fill in a breed health questionnaire for a survey I am planning on conducting.

If you would like to discuss anything, I always have an open ear!

With many thanks and hoping for a good and productive collaboration in the best interest of our Eurasiers,

Dr Brigitte Mordan-Grimm