Ethical Choices

This booklet discusses genetics in a way that's important to both breeders and pet owners. While the breeder will use the information to make good decisions on behalf of his/her breed, the pet owner should and must understand these things as well. It's the only way to have a respectful conversation and understand what lies behind your dog's genetic problems. Unfortunately, too many people believe their dog was just 'unlucky' when s/he come down with an illness, and while that can be true, there's more to the story. Unless and until all dog lovers (breeders and pet owners) become involved in the conversations that matter to health (it's not about the titles the dog wins), dogs lose. This isn't about asking questions regarding the genetic diseases in a breed because although those are good questions to ask, answers are easily found on the internet these days. More important is understanding why and how breeding decisions are made and how they can reflect on the health of our dogs.