Continuing education

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Good Morning Everyone,

On a list I belong to I found this post and wanted to share with all of you 
my reply.  Yes this is a continuation of my nagging on clearances...

Message: 12 From the list:
Subject: Re: Re:Contracts

  >> Here's one for you -- my brother got a golden retriever pup for his 12 
year old son.  Turned out, the pup had dysplasia.  The breeder said to 
return the pup -- and that she/he would have it put down and refund the 
money or give another pup.

By this point, the pup was a family pet (that takes about 3 minutes).

So my brother kept the dog to protect it from the responsible breeder 
willing to take it back.<<

My reply:

I caught this single post and wanted to comment.  This is what I think is 
wrong with a lot of contracts. None of us can guarantee a dog will be 
totally healthy (any breed) and  warrantees should not reflect absolutes in 
my opinion.  Sure I have a contract but I do not spell out a warrantee 
rather I state and stand behind this:  If you have a problem with a Brier 
dog contact me and together let's see what is right for the dog and 
everyone concerned.  This statement however gray anyone feels it is, works 
in every ones best interests in it'a application here with my dogs and my 
people.  No walls are put up about how the dog is managed, no walls are put 
up about what I will consider as a justifiable reason to refund or 
replace.  Instead this keeps the relationship open from both 
ends.  Everyone has their own idea of what is reasonable and with that as a 
breeder I feel educating and supporting  homes on management is more 
important that any warrantee.  Sure this is more time consuming and some 
might even say it's a control issue but that in it's self is how it's 
presented and or perceived.

Everyone who has a dog from me is treated as family, I respect them and in 
turn they respect me as their mentor.  I have had to deal with some issues 
with dogs not being sound not many but a few.  In each case I believe that 
everyone has walked away satisfied, educated, content, and what do I base 
this comment on?  The fact that we still maintain a relationship.

Secondly,

With regard to HD, while I agree obviously that the breeder noted above 
should not force opinion on the owner of the dog I hope that the owner is 
doing something for the dog.  Meaning, depending on the severity of the 
dysplasia, looking into appropriate medical treatments whether that be 
surgery or medical management?  Diet and exercise programs to aide the 
dog?   It's my opinion that if HD is so severe that it affects the quality 
of the dogs life hard choices to need to be made.  I am not suggesting any 
dog be put down due to HD or passing any judgements here on what is 
affordable option wise, but just suggesting further education might be in 
every ones best interest with any dog diagnosed with HD or any affliction 
that management of some kind can help provide comfort for the 
dog.  Personally to aide this concept here is what I have done:

I have a list serve open to anyone who has a dog from me and we openly 
discuss issues.  For instance I ask that any one who buys a dog from me pet 
or other wise, does clearances, and here is why:  First anyone living with 
a Golden Retriever needs to know what makes the dog tick [sound or 
unsound]  Why?  Because I maintain an ounce of prevention is wise.  So just 
a pet?  Are you ever going to run this pet hard?  I hope you are because 
this pet is a sporting dog and he needs to be run hard to keep him happy. 
[I guess you need to know, I breed Golden Retrievers.]   What if the pet 
has a problem?  Don't you want to know at the earliest possible moment so 
you can apply the ounce of prevention?  Have yet heard any attempt at an 
argument against this...  Have had people not respond and probably go buy a 
dog else where but no arguments.

Secondly, when you choose to bring a dog into your home, regardless of the 
breed, you become an ambassador to that breed a working steward to the 
breed and with that comes responsibility beyond food water shelter and 
hugs, in my opinion.  Third, I benefit from this or rather the breed does, 
knowledge is empowering, and if we all of us pull together and empower 
those doing the breedings we all win. An example of this is:

Recently I ran a CERF eye clinic at my home and some of my pet homes 
submitted their dogs for screening at this clinic.  We found our very first 
posterior cataracts in one dog that has 19 siblings.  I did this breeding 
twice hence 20 puppies...  Now I have contacted Vet Gem and the pedigree is 
being looked at to be entered into a study of cataracts.  What the breed 
can gain from these 20 puppies and their pedigree is important to all 
canines.  If just one DNA marker is identified from this family of dogs 
that is one marker known that would other wise not be known.  Sure coming 
up with DNA tests is a long process and some times like with the PRA DNA 
test for the Labrador there have been issues that have necessitated looking 
back at the tests and assessing if applications were set properly and of if 
the test it self was is faulty but its still a move forward, a scientific 
move forward.

So anyway all of this is intended to be general and offered as a proactive,

Gina
Brier Goldens
www.briergoldens.com
mailto:gina@briergoldens.com