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Frequently Asked Questions "FAQs"
Keep in mind that these
answers are based on what we have researched and found personally to be
true. We are not Vets or experts. We are small
breeders who have had some small experiences, learned a bit, and are
willing to share our beliefs.
Hopefully there is something here that will help others.
www.DisplacedPetsRescue.com is now offering some really great
books in their on-line store.
The proceeds from these sales go to helping cover Vet expenses for
these dogs.
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1. |
Q. |
Do males &
females have different personalities?
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A. |
No they do
not.
Gender does not directly determine
intelligence, affection, sociability, submission, dominance, aggression, activity level, ability to be housetrained, willingness to
learn or much else in a dog.
Just like with people each dog has a
different and distinctive personality. That is why we take the
care we do in placing a puppy or dog in a new home. It is
important for the personalities of the dog and their new people be a
compliment.
Let me also de-bunk a
popular misconception. Boys are not the only ones who mark,
girls do as well, they are just a bit more subtle about it. I
often have have people indicate that the don't want a male because
they mark. Marking is a dominate behavior most common in
un-altered adults. A non-breeding pet Pom needs to be taught
that marking is not acceptable behavior. In the mean time a
belly band or britches (for the girls) can save a lot of stress and
cleaner. |
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2. |
Q. |
Do females
shed more than males?
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A.
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In
unaltered, females shed more often then males due to
hormonal changes during her cycles. Spayed females do not shed more
than males. ALL DOGS SHED, at least twice per year. Curly coated
breeds such as the Poodle have a "tangle effect" which holds onto the
hair until it is combed out. Short-coated breeds (such as Dalmatians) shed also and
the hair is often more difficult to pick up even with a vacuum cleaner due
to it's texture.
Pomeranians primarily
shed their undercoat, which requires brushing all the way to their
skin during that shed or matting will occur. A Pomeranian does
not require as much grooming as some of the other long haired breeds
(or even some short coated breeds). Be prepared to brush your dog two or three times
weekly. Grooming should be a time enjoyed both by your
Pomeranian and yourself. |
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3. |
Q. |
Are females
or males easier to housetrain and train in general?
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A.
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NEITHER
Each dog is an individual and has different learning curves and
responds to different methods of training differently. High
intelligence doesn't always make a dog more trainable, sometimes it just
makes them
more wily in ways to thwart you! HUMAN BONDING is the single most
important factor in your dog's trainability. You must be bonded to
your dog for it to even want to please you. Can you blame it? I don't
have much desire to please a stranger, or someone I don't like
myself, so I can't blame the dogs too much.
Age also plays a role in
in how well they house train. Puppies will have to go to the
bathroom more often than an adult. There are many aids and
methods in potty training; piddle pads, litter boxes, belly bands
and britches. All can be great stress relievers during the
training process.
Potty training
takes consistency and attention. The puppy must go out after
eating, sleeping, playing, etc. At first you will find
yourself going out every hour or two. Soon those times will
lengthen and the outings will be longer apart. Even with my
older rescue dogs if I revert to "puppy" training most times they
are very trainable. They don't learn it on their own, they
have to be taught.
The most common puppy
training mistake that I see made is punishing the dog after the deed
is done. This only teaches them to be fearful, of the rug, of
your hand, you or whatever they relate to the punishment, it is
completely ineffective for the potty training as they cannot relate
the punishment to the completed behavior. I find that it is
common that the person who complains their pet won't come to them is
generally the one who has used their hands to spank or punish the
puppy. I wouldn't come either if I expected to be hit.
In order to punish you have to catch them in the process of
performing the act. Even then the correction is "No" "Outside"
and out the door you go. Rubbing their noses in it does no
good and spanking is just crewel and ineffective. Consider
that, to a dog, poo is really cool stuff and rubbing their noses in
the poo is not the most horrible thing that can happen to them. They
don't relate that they are responsible to the poo that they are
getting rubbed in their face.
Another common issue
with potty training is the dog who gets "reversed". If your
dog is going outside and doing nothing... then as soon as you come
in the door they piddle on the floor. That dog is reversed.
Two things are important here. The first is that you don't
give up on them when you are outside. Stay out there until the
dog has done their business, then come in. The other is a bit
of a "fooled ya" trick. When they are done, then come in, turn
a circle, and go right back outside. This will allow the body
to say "hmmm... I am inside now time to potty..." then when they get
outside the body is started and they go. Tons of praise when
they go and you are good to go back inside. Generally two or
three times of this and they have gotten "un-reversed". |
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4. |
Q. |
Should I
alter (spay/neuter) my pet and at what age?
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A.
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Absolutely you should alter your
pet.
One of the leading causes of death in pet animals is mammary gland and
testicular cancers. Early altering will prevent the sexual maturation
and greatly reduce (almost eliminate) the incidence of these cancers.
One of the most common reasons animals are abandoned have to do with
housebreaking. The scent of estrus is noticeable to dogs for five
miles! Instinct causes your dog to respond to this scent with
urinating in their surroundings to mark their
territory. Females piddle in tiny amounts and therefore it is less
noticeable, and males lift their leg and urinate on objects to mark
territory-which is more noticeable, but both genders mark their
territory when left unaltered. Since the scent of urine is present-it
then causes problems with defecation in the house as well. Since
sexual maturity occurs in toy breed dogs well before the age of one
year old this makes it advisable to alter your pet between the age of
five and seven months of age (In boys, before they learn to lift their
legs). Most vets recommend this age as well.
Two very good reasons to alter your pet. |
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5. |
Q. |
Will
spaying/neutering make my dog fat?
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A.
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No
The activity level and
diet of your pet determine it's weight. If unusual weight gain
happens then thyroid testing may be in order, or outside sources of
food not under your control, well meaning neighbors for instance,
should be considered. Maybe they just need to start going for a
long evening walk. |
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6. |
Q. |
Should I breed my dog to "settle it down"?
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A.
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Absolutely
not.
There are good reasons to breed an animal that is not
major faulted, but this certainly isn't one of them! You are
jeopardizing the future health of your pet by doing so. (See the
section on "Should I
spay/neuter?") Breeding will not "settle down" an animal with a
behavior problem. As soon as the dog's energy returns, after the ordeal of
the whelping (in a female) and within 1 hour of the mating (in a male),
their youthful exuberance will return to their normal "un-settled"
state. Then you will also have a young dog who
is not a pet anymore, but a breeding animal with all the accompanying
instincts and a whole new set of problems.
For behavior
problems you should seek professional assistance from someone who is
experience in training.
Many litters each
year are bred for the wrong reasons. They end up in all kinds of
situations. If they aren't surrendered or euthanized they end up
in over crowded situations with owners that really just wanted to
"settle down" the parent and were not prepared for the stress and
expense of a whole litter of puppies that are not settled... You'll sacrifice
way more than you'll ever gain from that litter.
If you do breed for
the right reason, to carry on a wonderful lineage from a wonderful
example of the breed, be prepared to deal with the many problems that
surface after the arrival of the litter. Ask yourself some questions.
- Can you take off work for at
least the
first four weeks to ensure the survival of the litter when the mother
does not survive whelping? These puppies will have to be
bottle fed every two hours for those four weeks.
- Do you have firm
buyers-and deposits for all the possible puppies, and will they make
good homes for the dogs? (Hint-make sure they have references.)
- Are you now
prepared to deal with the probable behavior changes your dog will
develop due to mating instincts in the future?
- Since behavior is
a genetic trait that will be inherited by the puppies. Are you
now prepared to deal with that behavior problem you have passed to
those puppies, in your attempt to "settle it down"?
- Are you willing
to risk the life of your much loved momma in order to have puppies.
This is a very true risk with these petite breeds.
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7. |
Q. |
We are going
to have a baby. Do I need to give away my pets?
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A.
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Absolutely NOT. There is no
reason to give away your pet if you are expecting a new baby, unless
the pet has aggression issues before the child came along. Pets with
children can be very rewarding for you, your pet and your child.
If you are having
aggression issues that you are concerned about a good obedience
class would be of benefit for both you and your pet. That
obedience instructor may suggest further behavioral modification
sessions if a pet is still having issues. |
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8. |
Q. |
Should I
breed for just one litter to give my children the experience of the
"miracle of birth"?
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A.
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Birthing
is a miracle, but NOT one I would ever want my children to witness!
It
is bloody, agonizing, and potentially very dangerous to the dog and
the puppies. MANY
small breed females have Caesarean sections and MANY of them die. That
is not something I would wish to subject my young children to.
Children are usually very emotionally involved with their pet
and it is a potentially traumatic experience for them, far from the
"miracle" you hoped it would be. Additionally you are
putting the life of their much loved pet at risk with any pregnancy.
What kind of "miracle" would that child see to watch their pet and her
puppies die during that "miracle"? |
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9. |
Q. |
I just love
the personality of my Pom. Should I breed her to keep that
personality in a puppy?
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A.
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The personality of the
Pomeranian is an amazing thing. They are outgoing, loving,
adorable creatures. This personality is a breed trait, not just
a trait of your pet. You can find that personality in other
Poms. Before you consider risking your pet's life in breeding
her, consider taking in a rescue. |
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10. |
Q. |
How often do
I bathe & brush my Pom, and with what?
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A.
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The Pom
has dry skin and coat; and requires bathing approximately every other
month or every third month-according to their lifestyle. Use a
gentle dog shampoo (I use a Protein Lanolin dog shampoo). Don't
use people shampoo as it is not formulated for a dog's skin and hair
type and can be drying.
Between baths you
can use
a bit of baby powder for a dry cleaning that keeps them sweet
smelling. Make sure not to get the powder in the Pom's nose. You
can also use a "steam bath" method of taking a VERY hot wet towel and
wrapping it around the dog for a few minutes, then rub vigorously. The
steam bath will remove a great deal of soil from their coat.
Brush
with a metal pin brush (the longer pins the better) and metal detangling comb thoroughly at
least once per week. I keep my brush on my coffee table and
brush someone every evening while watching television.
Watch for mats behind the ears, under the front arms and along the
backs of the legs as these are the areas where the coat is finer and
will tend to mat. Be sure to brush before a bath and after the
coat has dried after a bath, that is when you will get most of the
loose coat out. |
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11. |
Q. |
The puppy
that I purchased has lost all of its coat. Is there something
wrong? Is this really a Pomeranian?
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A.
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If you purchased an AKC
Pom from us, I can say for certain, "Yes this is indeed a
Pomeranian." Your Pomeranian's coat will have many changes as
it goes through its life. Many new owners are not prepared for the
changes their furbabies fluff will go through as they mature.
We have had buyers contact us after their fluffy baby has
turned as naked as a jay bird and are
worried that it will never come back. We have had them even ask if we had really sold
them a pure bred Pom. This is called "the puppy uglies"
and "monkey face" these are different terms with the same meanings.
Most Pomeranian
puppies will shed their puppy coat and by 10 months of age their
adult coat is well on its way to coming in.
Expect a blow
again at the one year shed. Males will achieve their full and
glorious coat at about 2 years of age. The Female, on the
other hand, is another story. Expect her coat to blow with
each season and each litter and take about 6 months to re-coat.
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12. |
Q. |
Why should I
buy from a show breeder instead of a local puppy mill or backyard
breeder?
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A.
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For this one I would first
like to define what Puppy Mills, Backyard, Commercial, and Show
Breeders are.
Puppy Mill
- A breeder who produces puppies hand over fist with no breeding
program, little attention to puppy placement , and poor health and
socialization practices. A puppy mill may or may not be dirty,
but is usually overcrowded. Dogs may be neglected because the
breeder can't properly handle as many dogs as they have. Puppy
mills are not conscious of breeding genetic issues or breeding with
the AKC or UKC standard in mind.
Backyard
Breeder - A dog owner whose pet
either gets bred by accident or who breeds on purpose for a variety of
reasons. This breeder is usually ignorant of the breed standard,
genetics, behavior, and good health practices. This is often the
breeder who is breeding a couple of dogs just to make a bit of extra
cash.
Commercial
Breeder - One who usually has
several breeds of dogs with profit as the primary motive for
existence. the dogs may be healthy or not and the kennel may be
clean or not. The dogs are probably not screened for genetic
diseases and the breeding stock is probably not selected for closeness
to the breed standard or for good temperament. Most commercial
breeders sell their puppies to pet store or to brokers who sell to pet
stores.
Show
Breeders - A breed fancier who
usually only has one breed, but may have more. They follow a
breeding plan in the efforts to preserve and protect the breed.
A show breeder will keep their numbers small so that all have the
personal attention they disserve. They produce a small number of
litter per year, breeds only when a litter will enhance the breed and
the breeding program. They raise the puppies with plenty of
environmental and human contact. They have a contract and health
guarantee that protects the breeder, dog and the buyer. They run
a small clean kennel; screen breeding stock to eliminate hereditary
defects from the breed; works with a breed club or kennel club
to promote and protect the breed; and cares that each and every puppy
is placed in the best home possible. A show breeder will usually
be active in some type of rescue program.
Ok, so now to answer
the question...
The first most
obvious reason is the overall quality of the animals they produce.
Because of ignorance (or disregard) in how to breed quality, puppy
mill & backyard breeder puppies are often genetically defective and
will cost you much money, time & heartache to prolong their life. If
you're lucky you won't invest hundreds or thousands of dollars at your
vet's for that $200 puppy.
In buying from a show
breeder you are getting a puppy where the best qualities have been
considered in the breeding program. You will gain a person who
is willing to support you with their expertise and advice in your
ownership of your Pom. A show breeder will offer resources, such as
booklets and websites, with helpful answers to your most asked
questions. They will be available by telephone or e-mail for
helpful advice regarding your puppy. In using a respected show breeder
you can expect a positive experience regarding your dog's ownership
from them.
"Bargain " dogs don't
usually end up being much of a bargain. |
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13. |
Q. |
If I buy a
female from you can I breed it to one of your males?
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A.
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Only if
you purchased a breeding quality female.
ALL pet puppies of either
gender have limited registration and no puppies from them can ever
be registered with AKC. If you purchased a pet puppy from me you also
signed a contract that you would have that pet altered.
If you purchased a
show quality
female, then the answer may be yes, but please read the cautionary
statements above first and decide if you really want to be a breeder.
For instance: Do you know how to tubefeed a weak puppy?
Are you financially prepared to give your breeding females the care
they may need when they have problems with a pregnancy? Are you
committed to becoming a breeder and have the betterment of the breed
in mind with your program?
If you are committed
to becoming a show breeder and are prepared for the risks involved, I will help you succeed to the best of my
ability. Even dog breeders like company in this often heartbreaking
profession and often we need a spare shoulder to cry on, or someone to
share a triumph with. If you like roller coasters you might like
breeding. |
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14. |
Q. |
Does the line
or in breeding I see in my dog's pedigree make my dog susceptible to
problems?
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A.
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If
the breeder who is doing the line/in breeding understands what they
are doing, and has done the proper genetic investigation, line and in breeding
can be a great benefit to a breeding program. It can allow a
breeder to strengthen a desired trait within a line. It has to
be done carefully and may include genetic testing and extensive line
research. Not only can line/in breeding strengthen a desired
trait and be used to eliminate faults. It can also bring out
other hidden undesirable faults. Doubling up on a line that carries heart
disease or collapsing trachea is going to strengthen those traits as
well as the good trait you were originally looking for.
As you can see if
the breeder is a backyard breeder who doesn't really understand what
they are doing, are guessing, and are not doing the proper genetic
investigation it can produce disastrous results. This is just
one more reason to find a reputable show breeder for your puppy. |
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15. |
Q. |
I
have heard that Pomeranians are prone to knee and trachea issues.
Is that true? Do all Poms have problems with them?
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A.
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Toy
breeds, in general and not exclusively, are
prone to those problems. The speed that the Pomeranian breed has come
down in size has contributed to the issues that are seen with most
breeds of dogs. A reputable show breeder is doing careful genetic
selection and is not breeding animals that have or produce those
issues, so no, not all Poms have the problems. Visit with your
breeder,
talk to them about the kind of breeding problem they have, watch the
parents of the dog you are purchasing. If the parent has a problem,
then it is likely the puppy will also have it.
OK, first the disclaimer... I am not a Vet what I say here is my own
personal opinion... Now for the
opinions...
Trachea
Where trachea issues is a genetic
tendency that a good breeder is working to avoid in their breeding
program, most of the trachea issues that I have seen seem to be
related to the improper use of collars. Poms should be in an H
type harness where there is a strap between the front legs that
holds the upper strap off of the throat. Poms should never be
in a choke type of collar and standard collars used with a leash are
just asking for trouble. Poor health and overweight are also
contributing causes for trachea issues. Here are a couple of
great links on trachea issues.
Knee/Patella
Over the past couple
of years we have seen an
alarming trend for un-necessary expensive surgeries (especially in the
area of knee issues). If your Vet is telling you that your dog
needs knee surgery we recommend a couple of things to try before
jumping into that traumatic event.
- See an Animal
Chiropractor. They should be board certified. We are
finding that often times something out in the back can give the
appearance of being a knee issue where it is truly just a symptom of
the real problem. If it is a problem with spine alignment you
should see results very quickly.
- Put your dog on
Gluclosamine. If you see results from this (and you should
within the first couple of weeks of starting), it could be that this
isn't an issue requiring surgery, but an injury that needs time and
physical therapy to resolve.
- Create your own
physical therapy program. Kennel rest is the most important
piece of this. If your dog is jumping and running around, they
are going to continue to re-injure the joint. Think of the things that a therapist
will do to exercise the joint of a human. Visit with your Vet
about the types of movement that a dog's muscles require.
- Lastly get a
second and third opinion, not just from specialists, but from the
small rural vet as well. Their recommendation should be basing
this in fact, look at the ex-rays, take them with you to the other
Vet's and have them look at them. Make sure that they are
looking at more than just the knees, but the back and hips as well.
Then make your
decision based on the knowledge that surgery isn't a quick fix. You
will be starting on a long path to recovery as not only will your dog
be recovering from the surgery, you will be doing the physical therapy
as well. Where surgery is preformed your dog is more likely to
have issues with arthritis in that joint as they age. One additional piece of advice... knee surgery
shouldn't cost $1000's of dollars. Depending on your area it
should be less than $800 per knee. Shop around, find someone
you like and trust. The college in Salem, Oregon State
University and Washington State University have great Vet teaching
programs. They are always my recommendation for a second
opinion and they will be very reasonable on the costs involved is
surgery is necessary.
Below is an extract of
an article that I have found to be very accurate. I have not
been able to identify the author, but the insights into knee
structure have been very helpful.
Patellar Luxation
In normally developed legs, the bones of the upper leg
bone, better known as the femur, and lower leg bone, better known as the
tibia, are straight. The thigh muscles are aligned with the bones and run
from the hip joints in a straight line over the knee joint, attached to the
patella or knee cap, then attached to the tibia crest. The only way that a
dog with straight legs and good muscle can have a slipped stifle is from a
trauma or injury in which the muscles and tissues holding the knee caps in
place are accidentally torn or weakened. Many bad stifles are caused by
allowing young dogs too much freedom to jump or play on slippery floors.
Such stifles are not inherited. To be inherited the thigh bones must bow
outward. There is no way that the taut muscles of the leg can follow the
curve of a bone. Instead it pulls to the inside of the legs and the
patella's are luxated or slipped to the inside of the legs from their
correct position. It is the bowed legs that are inherited and cause
subluxation of the patella's rather than the subluxed patella that is
inherited. When a dog with straight legs runs, the action of the muscles is
free and they pull in a straight line over the center of the knee caps, but
when the legs are bowed and the dog runs, the knee caps are pulled to the
inside of the legs. In so doing, most of the supporting tissues around the
Patella's are weakened and become torn so that the patella's are free to
slip in and out anytime there is the least amount of pull.
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16. |
Q. |
What is BSD and
how is it spread?
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A
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BSD is
the acronym for Black Skin Disease it is also known as Alopecia X, Severe Hair Loss (SHL) syndrome
and more (there seems to be confusion on what to call it, lately we
are hearing more Alopecia X than anything else). This condition
is similar tp what is found in many of the Nordic breeds. This
is generally a genetic or health issue and is not a disease.
Your dog cannot catch Alopecia from another dog.
Visually (keep this
word in mind as genetically it is different) it most generally
occurs in males between the age of 18 months and 3 years. In Poms, many dogs begin to show signs as early as one year, with late
onset at five years. There are
many other conditions that can cause similar manifestations. These
might be hypothyroidism, Cushing’s and Addison’s disease, hormone
imbalance, even parasites, which can all be tested for. The key to
a BSD diagnosis at this point in the game is to eliminate the other
“like” conditions. This means taking that dog to a dermatologist
for some extensive tissue testing.
The term “black
skin” is confusing as this is really only a symptom of the genetic
condition, rather than the condition itself. BSD is NOT a
disease, it is a birth defect, a mutation of the genes. The coat
loss allows exposure
to the sun, which in turn will cause the skin to darken (hence the
name BSD). There are other symptoms that seem to go along with
BSD, itching, joint problems, bone thinning, roach back and others.
The Pom shown
to the right is Scooby, a rescue that came into Displaced Pets
Rescue. Scooby has coat loss where testing did not find any
identifiable reason for the condition. Scooby has been
neutered (08/2012) and we are waiting to see if the coat comes back.
Often times it does, possibly indicating that the problem in that
particular case was hormone related.
Timer, shown on the left is also from Displaced Pets Rescue.
His coat loss was a result of a severe mite infestation to the point
of infections on the skin. It was over a year before Timers
coat came back in, but it is very downy in texture, nothing near to
what it must have been before. The areas that did not loose
coat are proper Pom texture so damage was done from the loss.
Clippering into
those cute little teddy bear cuts can be very detrimental to coats.
The Pom coat naturally controls the dogs body temperature
acting as insulation against heat and cool. Clippering short
can change how the body temperature regulates. Very often a
Pom coat does not grow back properly after being clippered,
especially if "clipper burn" has occurred. Mulder, on the
right (another Displaced Pets Rescue dog) is a good example of
damage from clippers. His coat never got to be more than this
short velcro looking texture after being clipped twice into that
cute teddy bear cut.
There is are some
trends over the past few years leading to the possibility that BSD may be an X-linked genetic issue. There is no genetic proof, this is merely
a trend that has been seen from the available data.
What X-linked means
is that the condition is passed through the mothers who will (most
likely) never show a sign of being a carrier. A sire who is
affected (visual signs of it) can only pass this mutation to his
daughters (who will never show the visual affects, they are just
carriers). A mother will pass this to both her sons and her
daughters (the sons will show the visual affects and the daughters
will again be carriers). At the bottom of this answer you will find
a table that shows the genetic transference chart. This mode of
inheritance is simply a theory at this point. A tool to
help minimize the occurrence. Certainly these are just
theories at this point in time. Of course there are
occurrences that appear to be contrary to this theory. Until there is
a genetic test for this condition we only have experience and
caution as our tools.
A good breeder needs to understand their lines and to
breed accordingly, not breeding the Affected Male, the less common
Affected Female or the difficult to identify Carrier Female.
Understanding that the Carrier Female is the most dangerous as they
never
manifest the “visual” signs, they are the silent carrier. If a
Female has produced an affected dog they should be removed
from the breeding program (evidenced in the chart below). If
the x linked theory is accurate, the
problem here is that the Female has to produce it in a male
offspring in order to identify if she is a carrier. A good
breeder will fully disclose all known information about any genetic
issue in their breeding program, including cases and histories of
BSD.
In the
majority cases young neutered boys have shown no manifestation of the
condition. The thought is that it might be the release of
testosterone that occurs after that time and triggers the conditions
visual affects. If this actually stops them from developing the
condition or if they did not carry the condition remains to be
proven. Females from the affected or carrier parents should be
spay and definitely not be used in a breeding program. Since
they are the "silent" carriers they can completely undermine a
breeding program.
At the time of
spay or neuter all samples should be sent in for testing. Research is trying to find the gene and the mode of
inheritance. Once they do they, hopefully, will provide us
with a means to test for Alopecia X.
Here are a couple of more links with more information on this
condition:
DAM |
X |
SIRE |
= |
FEMALE OFFSPRING ARE |
MALES OFFSPRING ARE |
OK Female |
bred to |
OK Male |
produce |
All OK Females |
All OK Males |
Affected Female |
bred to |
OK Male |
produce |
All Carrier Females |
All Affected Males |
Carrier Female |
bred to |
OK Male |
produce |
50% risk of Carrier Females |
50% risk of Affected or OK Males |
OK Female |
bred to |
Affected Male |
produce |
All Carrier Females |
All OK Males |
Affected Female |
bred to |
Affected Male |
produce |
All Affected Females |
All Affected Males |
Carrier Female |
bred to |
Affected Male |
produce |
50% risk of Affected or Carrier Females |
50% risk of Affected or OK Males |
Table from Ro-jan Poms and X linked inheritance pattern
verified with passages found in
Control of Canine Genetic Diseases (author, George A
Padgett, DVM) |
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17. |
Q. |
I am looking
for a "TeaCup" Pom. What are the size differentiations in Poms.
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A.
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There is no such thing
as a "TeaCup", "Pocket", "Miniature" or "Standard" Pomeranian.
These are all marketing terms created by the puppy millers and pet
stores.
The Pomeranian breed is in the AKC Toy Group, or UKC Companion
Group. The standard for these clubs requires a proper
Pomeranian to be from 3 to 7 pounds.
Since the
origination of our breed comes from the Spitz breeds we do, on
occasion, see throw backs to those larger sizes. With a good
breeder that will not be a common occurrence. The sizes over
7lbs are more commonly found with puppy millers and back yard
breeders. The back yard breeders generally don't really know
what they are doing and are just breeding to produce a few puppies
for money. Puppy Millers and Commercial breeders are also in
this for the money and since a Pomeranian of the proper 3 to 7lb
size will produce from 1 to 3 puppies it is more profitable for them
to use larger sized girl that will produce larger litters.
More puppies in a litter becomes more profit for them.
When a Pomeranian
is referred to as "TeaCup", "Pocket" or "Minature", they are
generally referring to the 3 to 7lb size that is (or should be) the standard for
the breed. When they are referred to as "Standard" they are
generally referring to the larger size of 10lbs and larger that are
the throwbacks to our past generations or the product of improper
breeding.
A good breeder may
also on occasion produce smaller than the 3lb standard. Very
often these tiny ones are prone to health issues, at least through
their puppyhood, with hypoglycemia being the most common one.
They can have open fontanel's that don't close as they mature and
are generally more delicate that the dogs of the 3 to 7 lb range.
Definitely their smaller bones are more at risk to breaking when
jumping off the couch, etc. Again, these tiny kids are not a common occurrence with a breeder who is truly
trying to do the best for the breed. And, a conscientious
breeder will not be using these tiny ones for breeding or breeding
with the intention to produce under the AKC/UKC standard size.
More on Teacup Pomeranians
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As
stated throughout this page.
I am no expert, these are just things I have found to be helpful to
me and/or represent my own opinion.
Hopefully they will be helpful to you. |
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