IPFD Holiday Schedule: Please note that IPFD will be closed for the holidays from Monday, December 20 to Monday, January 3.
Holiday Greetings from Our Acting CEO
Dear IPFD Partners, Sponsors, and Members:
I started as IPFD Acting CEO at the beginning of November, having worked as IPFD Business and Project Coordinator since August of this year. During these months, I have noted the small IPFD team’s hard work and dedication to the organization. I have also noted – to my surprise – how many wonderful collaborators we have. I was aware of the large international network included in the work of the IPFD, but still the reality came as a pleasant surprise. I’m very glad and proud to be working as part of this efficient team and network.
Regarding all the work done this year, please take a look at the Spotlight feature below on our accomplishments in 2021. The work for the health and welfare of dogs will continue next year, so stay tuned!
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a New Year with our furry friends!
- IPFD Acting CEO Katariina Mäki
News & Highlights
News from IPFD
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Please join us in welcoming Jenni Uski from Finland, who joins our team as a Content Assistant to assist in breed-specific work over the next few months. Jenni's initial priorities are to assist us in the creation of new GRIHPs, development of the Health Strategy Database, and updates to our Breeds database.
Blogs
- In her post, Reducing epilepsy in the Finnish Spitz, IPFD Acting CEO Katariina Mäki introduces a series of three articles offering in-depth information on development and implementation of the Finnish Spitz Breeding Strategy.
- In another post, Inbreeding has proven negative effects for health, says a new study in dogs, Katariina comments on results that serve as a wake-up call for all of us in the world of pedigree dogs.
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Our Veterinary Science Officer Dr. Brenda Bonnett has written several blog posts on challenges with dogs with extreme conformation, e.g., brachycephalics and the complex, emotional realities surrounding these issues. IPFD is keen to promote multi-stakeholder collaboration on these issues:
- In: Veterinary Information Network (VIN) Article: Banning brachycephalic breeds is unrealistic - Brenda responds to a previous article on V.I.N. that focused on veterinarians embracing breed-banning petitions.
- In: FECAVA video: Please don't buy flat-faced animals - Brenda highlights an action by the veterinary associations of Europe that highlights the challenges veterinarians are having dealing with the health and welfare issues in these dogs. All stakeholders need to know that such actions are happening as they may be very impactful.
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Previously, Brenda offered a commentary on two initiatives related to brachycephalic (flat-faced) and other extreme breeds in The Great Divide - Responses to Challenges in Extreme Breeds.
- In another blog post, Brenda shares her thoughts on the recent launch of IPFD Partner Mars Petcare's End Pet Homelessness initiative to address the troubling problem of homeless pets. This reflects a collaboration with our Partner Mars Petcare.
Breeds Resources
Breed of the Month
★ This Month We Feature the Rottweiler ★
These Mastiff-type dogs stem from animals taken to Germany by Roman soldiers as they marched across Europe. Used to guard livestock, they were either discarded as the cattle were eaten or were left to guard outposts, and many finished up in Switzerland while others reached southern Germany. They were especially known around the town of Rottweil, which for 1,800 years was a centre for livestock trading. The evolving dog became a butcher’s dog, drover and draught dog.
The Rottweiler, which first appeared in Britain in 1936 and was shown at Crufts the following year, is an above average-sized, very agile, black-and-tan dog. Extremely strong and imposing, he is easily obedience trained and is, in fact, a dog that enjoys working. He has natural guarding instincts, but is not aggressive by nature. His expression is tranquil and kind, but when aroused, he will hold his own with any opponent. He is not a dog for the inexperienced and has been much maligned in recent years, when the breed became over-popular, and Rottweilers were often purchased to feed a macho image.
Get a GRIHP! on Rottweilers is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare, and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds.
Learn more about the Rottweiler in our Pedigree Breeds database.
Pedigree Breeds Database Updates
We routinely update breed pages in our Pedigree Breeds Database. Recently updated breed pages include:
Native Breeds of Norway
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Did you know there are seven native dog breeds of Norway? Check them out!
DogWellNet Breed pages:
- Norwegian Buhund
- Norwegian Elkhound (black)
- Norwegian Elkhound (grey)
- Norwegian Lundehund
- Halden Hound
- Hygen Hound
- Norwegian Hound (Dunker)
Photo of the seven Norwegian breeds: Vibeke Brath
IPFD Partners in Action
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IPFD Collaborating Partner, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), has recently published the latest edition of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know, a regular feature in their online news section (and in the WSAVA Bulletin) that highlights IPFD resources on a particular breed with a focus on breed-specific diseases.
In the latest edition: 2021 IPFD Breed-Specific Information
14 November edition: Meet the Rottweiler – Update Your Knowledge!
You can also view previous editions of Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know in our archive article here on DogWellNet.com.
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Mars Petcare has partnered with 8 leading animal welfare experts and organizations to develop the first-ever State of Pet Homelessness Index. With data from 200+ global sources, the Index is helping us better understand the scale and drivers of pet homelessness so that we can build a future where every pet is Wanted, Cared for, and Welcome. Learn more
- IPFD collaborator Ian Seath offers ideas on fostering collaboration in his recent blog post: "...first develop an expert understanding of a particular problem and secondly to build collaborative relationships with those who have the power to own and implement solutions."
Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)
In the latest entry in HGTD This Week, we look at an FCI podcast on the genomic chip and how it assesses a dog's DNA to identify genetic variants.
Ask Aimee
Our HGTD Project Manager, 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 Veterinary Science Officer, Dr. Brenda Bonnett and/or HGTD Project Manager, Aimee Llewellyn-Zaidi.
DogWellNet Digest: Keeping You Informed
We published eight issues of DogWellNet Digest in 2021:
- Issue #43 - 16 December 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Milestones 2021 - Report to Partners
- Issue #42 - 14 October 2021 | Spotlight: Announcement: IPFD CEO
- Issue #41 - 26 August 2021 | Spotlight: Happy International Dog Day!
- Issue #40 - 29 July 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Virtual International Dog Health Workshops (Genetic Testing)
- Issue #39 - 3 June 2021 | Spotlight: Advances in the IPFD Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs (HGTD)
- Issue #38 - 26 April 2021 | Spotlight: A Closer Look at the Bernese Mountain Dog
- Issue #37 - 25 March 2021 | Spotlight: Collaboration Creates a "Golden" Opportunity for a Beloved Retriever Breed
- Issue #36 - 17 February 2021 | Spotlight: IPFD Annual Report 2020: A Year Like No Other
DogWellNet Digest is available free to all, but IPFD Members receive an email notification for each new issue. If you haven't already done so, register now to join our community and get the most out of DogWellNet.com.
View all past issues of DogWellNet Digest here
IPFD Milestones 2021 - Report to Partners
We recently prepared a document to update our Partners, Sponsors, and other stakeholders on IPFD’s activities and accomplishments so far this year. It’s also available for download in MS Word and PDF formats (below).
Highlights of our information sharing and collaboration in 2021 include:
- Genetics and Genetic Testing:
- International Dog Health Workshop – Virtual Presentation 2021
- International Issues in Genetics for Kennel Clubs
- Breed Specific Work – A Core IPFD Activity
- Get a GRIHP! on Breeds
- Highlighting Actions by Partners
- Blogs
- Getting the Balanced, Big Picture Message out
- Presentations to clubs and groups
- Veterinary Information Network (VIN) article
- Complex situation for Brachycephalic breeds
- Promoting collaboration; keeping breeders and kennel clubs and other stakeholders aware of international developments
Watch for our 2021 Annual Report in the first quarter of 2022!
Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions, comments, or new ideas on how we can work together.
Downloads:
The International Partnership for Dogs 2021 Milestones Final 9 Nov.pdf
The International Partnership for Dogs 2021 Milestones Final 9 Nov A4 Sheet.pdf
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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