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Pien
Ji Shih Tzu-
Where Type Meets Temperament |
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Renal Dysplasia (a kidney disease in which kidneys fail to mature properly) is a big problem in Shih Tzu, as well as some other breeds. Estimates are that as many as 10% of the breed is effected! Not all effected dogs die, many lead fairly normal lives. In severe cases, though, these dogs die at a very young age. So what do you do to protect yourself? You deal with a reputable breeder that is breeding dogs for a reason other than to make some money off of the litter or just because little Missy should have a litter! A reputable breeder breeds with the intent of improving the breed or producing the ideal specimen of the breed. They are VERY concerned with health. Most show breeders fall into this category, and very few back-yard breeders do, NO puppy mills do. The best tool in health management is a good knowledge of the dogs in the pedigree and any health problems they may have had. And the best place to get this history is from the show breeder- they know generations of the dog’s history, it’s a VERY small world, and show people talk! We know more than any other community where the problem lines are in lines we breed to! My belief, and this is echoed by other show breeders, is that in the show community, the incidence is less than 2%, due mainly to familiarity with history. And even in the show community, conscious efforts are always made to reduce the incidence. As a buyer, how do you recognize this breeder? First off- they know generations of the dogs involved personally or by reputation. Often the back-yard breeder doesn’t even know the parents of their own dog, and certainly have no knowledge of the health problems in the lines! One question that helps is to ask why the dog was chosen as the sire. It should be because of traits he carries that you want to add to the bitch (or reinforce in her). Be suspicious of someone who breeds a lot and has nothing showing- the quality they produce is likely going downhill, even if they had nice dogs in the past!
There is a good article on marker testing, which is a risk management tool for breeders. There is another article on selecting a reputable breeder that I wrote for the Puget Sound Shih Tzu Fanciers on their website. There is a Yahoo Group for support and info with dogs with kidney and bladder problems, if you are looking at this page because you have a dog with problems, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KidneyDiet/ and sign up!
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Copyright © Pien Ji Shih Tzu, 2001-2008 Pien Ji Puppies are only sold on Spay/Neuter contracts.
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