Reply To: mutts vs pure breeds

[ashley hammock]

This thread is very interesting. I breed Hamiltonstovare and there are less than 50 of the breed in America. Hamiltonstovare as a whole are an incredibly healthy breed with lifespans of 14+ being average which is remarkable for a large breed dog. What will be interesting is that Hamiltonstovare are one of the pioneer breeds for the Swedish Kennel Club’s mandatory hip x-ray scores before allowing the registration of litters. Also, the SKK (Swedish Kennel Club) has rules that limit popular sire syndrome. The Swedish Hamiltonstovare club has been tracking genetic diseases since the 1960’s and now the instance of dogs affected with hip dysplasia, cryptorchidism and epilepsy have dramatically lowered. In Sweden, their program for health testing and responsible dog ownership means that mixed breeds and rescues are incredibly rare. As the Hamiltonstovare is very rare in America, the national parent club is trying to follow the Swedish lead and allow more research regarding DNA. I’ve also contacted companies like Wisdom Panel about getting a DNA profile going for Hamiltonstovare but it is next to impossible to do with a rare breed because of the sample size needed. I am very interested to just see what the DNA says about my 4 Hamiltonstovare because DNA testing has never been done for the breed.