DogWellNet Digest: Issue #28 - 18 December 2019

News & Highlights

IPFD Board News

Please join us in welcoming five new members to the IPFD Board of Directors:

• Dave Eikelberg (USA)
• Marty Greer (USA)
• Bill Lambert (UK)
• Grégoire Leroy (France)
• Barbara Thiel (Germany)

Photos and brief CVs for all members of the IPFD Board are listed are available here. Thanks also to our continuing Chair, Pekka Olson and Board members Kirsi Sainio and Peter Friedrich.

We also extend a heartfelt thank-you to Caroline Kisko, Jean-Pierre Genevois, and Patricia N. Olson - who have transitioned from the IPFD Board - for all of their efforts toward our collective goal of improving the health, well-being, and welfare of all dogs worldwide.

Breeds

Breed of the Month

★ This Month's Breed is the Finnish Spitz ★

Thanks to Katariina Maki for sharing news from Suomen Kennelliitto ...

Pedigrees of Finnish Spitz traced back to the 19th Century

• See the article that describes the research in English.
• Pedigree data of Finland’s national breed, going all the way back to the 19th Century, can now be reviewed in the Finnish Kennel Club’s Breeding Database.

More information in Finnish:

• Suomenpystykorvan rekisteröintien historia
• Suomenpystykorvan rekisteröintien historia.pdf (Internal link)

Updated Breeds

Greyhound

New IPFD Board member Barbara Thiel shared an English translation of an article that appeared in The Greyhound Show blog. The article includes a discussion of data available from the MyDogDNA on genetic diversity measurements in greyhounds. Greyhound breeders are encouraged to read this document to gain perspective. 

New Breed Listings in 2019

• Curly Coated Retriever
• Great Swiss Mountain Dog
• Tibetan Mastiff
• Black Russian Terrier
• Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
• Markiesje 
• Welsh Terrier 
• German Spitz
• Petit Brabançon
• Canadian Eskimo Dog 
• Saarlooswolfhond
• Keeshond

♥ Many thanks to breed experts and clubs for sharing information on their breed with the DogWellNet.com Community ♥

Don't see your breed in DogWellNet.com's Pedigreed Dogs Database?
We would be delighted to add more breeds. Please contact us if you can contribute resources for new (or existing) breed profiles.

See more information for breed experts and DogWellNet.com content partners HERE.

IPFD Partners in Action

Thanks to Barbara Thiel of VDH (the German Kennel Club) for sharing highlights of educational events that the VDH held in 2019 and has scheduled for 2020. Click to view the file (PDF): VDH Educational Events 2019_2020.pdf

In November, the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) held its 2019 Seminar, Unpacking Canine Genetics, featuring genetics and breeding specialists Dr. Kari Ekenstedt, B.Sc., DVM, PhD, and IPFD CEO Dr. Brenda Bonnett, B.Sc., DVM, PhD. The seminar was designed for breeders of all experience and knowledge levels, from those in the early stages of developing their breeding programs to those that have been breeding for decades. The material addressed included an overview of canine genetics, a presentation on IPFD's Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD) initiative, a discussion on population level health, and a conversation about breeding ethics and the welfare and international legislation challenges facing purebred dogs. 

Follow Brenda's Blog on DogWellNet.com and look for a new blog on genetic diversity, stemming from the CKC event coming soon. And in the New Year we will provide links to the full program, video recorded by the CKC.

Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)

In 2019, the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs project could be summarized in one word: Growing. This year, we have consistently grown our comprehensive list of international genetic test providers, including commercial and academic providers. We have seen the active participation of 42 genetic test providers (GTPs) from 22 countries, and we also include basic information on an additional 34 non-participating GTPs. Participating GTPs provide open and transparent information on their accreditation, expertise, and practices – all of which can help individuals find the GTP that has the quality measures that are important to them.

The generic phenes database has provided a centralized resource for researchers, vets, and owner/breeders, spurring unexpected benefits. We’ve seen more consistency in test naming among international providers, benefiting owners trying to find testing information. The resource has also allowed international researchers to, at a glance, spot and address industry-wide challenges, and have them addressed through a centralized platform. The generic phenes platform and structure continues to expand and accommodate more breed-specific information, and “validation” as it develops – which we see as key to 2020.

All in all, while we always feel we can do more to improve this important resource, 2019 has seen growth in all areas. The collaboration across the dog world, and the participation not only of those in the testing industry, but importantly, also from dog owners and experts around the world, has helped to shape our achievements for 2019 and develop exciting plans for 2020.

And let’s give a shout out to the Leadership GTPs and Sponsors…their financial contributions on top of their collaboration is so important! See the list on the HGTD homepage.

Ask Aimee
Our HGTD Project Director, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi, provides answers to your questions on canine genetic testing in Ask Aimee. If you’d like to submit a question to Aimee, please email her at aimee.llewellyn-zaidi@ipfdogs.com.

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.

Learn more the important work being done by IPFD and our contributors as we lead the dog world from information to action…for the love of dogs:

Visit Brenda's Blog for the full article.

Make a Donation

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.

You can specify how your donation is used (support IPFD and its programs and activities OR support the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs). All donations are handled securely via PayPal.

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