DogWellNet Digest: Issue #23 - 20 March 2019

News & Highlights

New IPFD Partners

We're excited to welcome our newest IPFD Contributing Partner and HGTD Contributing Leadership Sponsor, Raad van Beheer (The Dutch Kennel Club) - the official kennel club of The Netherlands.

You can view their profile on DogWellNet.com and read more on Dutch dog breeds added to our Pedigree Breeds database in Breeds section below.

Breeds

• Breed of the Month

★ This Month's Breed is the Keeshond      ★

The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with a plush, two-layer coat of silver and black fur with a ruff and a curled tail. It originated in Holland, and its closest relatives are the German spitzes such as the Großspitz, Mittelspitz, and Kleinspitz or Pomeranian. Source: Wikipedia

Other Names for the Keeshond: 

• Dutch Barge Dogs
• Wolfspitz
• German Spitz
• Kees
• "The Smiling Dutchman"

Check out our new breed profile for the Keeshond, which includes links to detailed information, including:

• Health/Breeding Strategy Documents and Links: Sweden: RAS  |   OFA: CHIC   |    Finland: JTO 2018-2022 (Koiranet)
• Breed-Specific Articles: Judges-L Online Presentation of the Keeshond by Shirley Uphouse  |  Short Australian Keeshond History  |  1956 AKC Gazette - Breed Column

...plus Breed Standards, Breed-Specific Research, Breed Clubs, and more!

• New information for the following breeds has also been added to our Pedigree Breeds database:

Saarlooswolfhond

The Saarlooswolfhond was developed in the Netherlands by Leendert Saarloos. The breed is based on cross breeding German Shepherd Dogs and wolves.In 1975, the breed was recognized by the Dutch KC, and in 1977 by the FCI. The breed standard dates from November 1981 and was modified in 1993. Considered a rare breed, the Saarlooswolfhond is a strongly built dog whose outer appearance (body build, movement and coat) are reminiscent of a wolf. The breed is devoted and reliable with its master but suspicious of strangers. A natural, wolf-like reserve and desire to flee from unknown situations is typical of this breed.   

Canadian Eskimo Dog

The Canadian Eskimo Dog's temperament reflects its original work and environment. It is loyal, tough, brave, intelligent, and alert. Owing to their original environment, they take pure delight in cold weather, often preferring to sleep outside in winter. Like most spitz breeds they can be very vocal. Canadian Eskimo Dogs need a very large amount of exercise. They cannot just be walked, they need higher intensity work, requiring more exercise than many dog owners can give. This need for work and stimulation makes them well-suited for dog sports, such as carting, mushing, and skijoring. The Canadian Eskimo Dog is best kept in a cold climate, and is prone to heatstroke. Source: Wikipedia

Articles

•  We've updated our IPFD Partner Breed Resources and IPFD Partner and Sponsor YouTube Resources articles to include our recently joined IPFD Partner, the Canadian Kennel Club.

Blogs

• Following up her October 2018 post on the Seminar for the French Bulldog Club of America, IPFD CEO Dr. Brenda Bonnett's latest entry addresses positive developments at the French Bulldog Club of England, which has shared its Breed Health and Conservation Plan (BHCP).
• In her post of 17 February, Brenda reflects on a notable piece by Ian Seath, a great friend and collaborator of IPFD. Ian has clearly and thoughtfully profiled an article from our Partners at The Kennel Club (in the UK) in his post: Nearly 20 Years of DNA Testing – What Can We Learn?

IPFD Partners in Action

• Finland's annual National Dog Day takes place on 24 April 2019.

  This year's theme is "Know Your Dog Friend". The campaign highlights that a happy dog in a happy home requires careful consideration before purchasing a dog - whether the dog is part of his or her owner's daily life and what kind of dog is best suited to their lifestyle. Learn more (in Finnish).

  

Translation Tips: In our Help Desk area, we offer tips for viewing DogWellNet.com (and other websites) in languages other than English.

Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)

• The Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD) and several of our Leadership GTPs were recently featured in a USA Today article on canine genetic testing.
  
  Read the article, which includes excerpts from an interview with IPFD CEO, Dr. Brenda Bonnett, here: DNA testing kits for dogs are super popular. But the testing has some veterinarians pushing standards

• Brenda Bonnett will be presenting a poster at the 10th International Conference on Canine and Feline Genetics and Genomics at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Entitled: How can the researchers support best practices in the discovery, communication and application of genetic testing?, the poster was co-authored by Brenda, IPFD's HGTD Project Director, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, and Angela Hughes from IPFD Partner, Wisdom Health.

Get Involved in HGTD! We welcome additional participant GTPs, more collaborators from any stakeholders concerned with dog health and welfare, the advice of experts, the participation of breed clubs and other consumer groups. We stand ready to provide more information to ongoing discussions.

Please feel free to contact us as we work together for healthy dogs and to support those who breed and own them: IPFD CEO, Dr. Brenda Bonnett, at brenda.bonnett@ipfdogs.com and/or HGTD Project Director, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.

     IPFD Annual Report 2018: Hitting Our Stride

In 2018, our fourth full year of operation, we focused our efforts on key initiatives, including: Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD); planning for the 4th International Dog Health Workshop (IDHW) in May 2019; and lending an independent voice in addressing complex and often controversial challenges, such as the health and welfare issues in brachycephalic breeds.

The 2018 Annual Report summarizes these achievements and previews our plans for 2019 - such as the Health Strategies Database for Dogs (HSDD), an important complement to the HGTD, which will consider the whole spectrum of health concerns within dog breeds.

Please be sure to share this document with your friends and colleagues to show the important work being done by the IPFD and its supporters.

View the 2018 Annual Report

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IPFD is truly a "people driven" service organization. We allocate the bulk of our financial resources to maintain a small but dedicated team of consultants to manage our modest resources and facilitate the activities of our stakeholders, with the aim of achieving our collective goals.

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