| There is much more to breeding than simply putting two dogs together. It is hard work and a bumpy ride sometimes. Of foremost importance is the health of the dogs being bred. The main genetically transferred conditions we can test for as breeders today are hip displasia (HD) and haemophillia. All our stud dogs are tested for haemophillia and all our breeding stock is hip scored. We also encourage new owners to hip score their dog at 12 months old and let us know the results for our records. Hips are X-rayed by a vet who is experienced in taking X-rays specifically for the B.V.A (British Vetenary Association). The X-rays are then assessed by the B.V.A pannel of experts and a point is allocated for each fault found up to a maximum of 106 (53 points for each hip). The hip score is written like this: Hips 5 : 6 = 11. 5 points for one hip, 6 points for the other hip totalling 11. Currently the breed average is 19 points in total. BMK will not breed a dog whose hips exceed 15. Even with these controls it is not possible to completely guarantee that there will be no hip problems in our progeny because HD is mult-factoral in it's inheritance - i.e. it is influenced by more than one gene.
What do we mean when we say that we 'breed for temperament'? Sadly, many people associate the GSD
with aggression and instability due to bad experience and media
reporting. Such dogs do exist, sometimes as a result of poor breeding
that has turned a blind eye to the temperament of the dogs being
bred in the endless pursuit of the beauty show championship, and
sometimes as a result of ignorant upbringing and training. The German Shepherd dog was originally bred to possess a unique, highly developed character in order to fulfil a variety of working roles. From flock guardian and tender to military duties such as messenger dogs, search and rescue, mine detection and border patrol - the dogs which emerged were versatile, fearless, loyal and dependable. This is what the 1982 British translation of the German (S.V) GSD breed standard has to say about character: "The main characteristics of the GSD are: steadiness of nerves, attentiveness, loyalty, calm self-assurance, alertness and tractability, as well as courage with physical resilience and scenting ability. These characteristics are necessary for a versatile working dog, nervousness, over-aggressiveness and shyness are very serious faults. With an abundance of vitality he must be tractable enough to adapt himself to each situation and to carry out his work willingly and with enthusiasm. He must possess the courage and determination to defend himself, his master or his master's possessions, should the need arise. He must be observant, obedient and a pleasant member of the household, quiet in his own environment, especially with children and other animals, and at ease with adults. Overall he should present an harmonious picture of innate nobility, alertness and self-confidence." At BMK when we select a dog for breeding, consideration of character is second only to health. We use the Volhard Puppy aptitude test when evaluating puppies to bring on for possible inclusion in our breeding program. This involves observing reaction to controlled exercises selected to test nerve strength, courage, persistence, observation and willingness to interact. As puppies mature into young dogs we continuously monitor reactions to social situations, steadyness of nerve and specifically: interactions with children, livestock and other dogs. When evaluating older dogs for use at stud or for possible purchase we look not only at he pedigree but also at the working ability of the dog and if possible the parents. Preferably, we like to see working trials qualifications, dogs who are in service, schutzhund working titles or HGH herding titles but we appreciate that, particularly in schutzhund, weak temperament can be masked by titling the dog on the home field with a known helper - in which case the whole test becomes nothing more than an often practiced obedience routine. It is no test of courage if the dog thinks that the sleeve is his toy and the helper is his good friend come to play with him! Consequently we may use dogs without 'proven' working titles but that impress us as individuals in their character. Environment and upbringing have a significant effect on how character is expressed. At BMK pups stay with their mother until they go to new homes and until around 6 months old if they are staying with us. We strongly believe (from research and our own experience) that pups benefit enormously (particularly between 6-8 weeks) from interaction with their litter mates and their mother. From around 4 weeks, pups are also introduced to their wider canine 'pack'. During this time, they will learn the rules of play and communication along with general good manners and respect that should be given to the pack heirarchy. This early experience contributes enormously to the ability to interact positively with other dogs as the pup matures.
By imprinting we mean the process by which a pup builds up associations and forms it's view of the World, developing responses as it learns. Imprinting can be negative as well as positive so some responses may turn out to be undesirable. At BMK we do our best to eliminate negative imprinting and maximise positive imprinting. From birth, pups are handled by ourselves and the children. As they grow, they are cuddled, groomed and given tiny rewards. They learn to equate human handling with positive experience and to associate children's faces next to their little heads with good feelings. Pups are whelped in the conservatory next to the kitchen where they are imprinted to view the sights and sounds of a busy, noisy family house as being a normal part of life. As they grow, they are introduced to strange objects that make strange noises (hoover, dishwasher, toy robots etc) and we help them to investigate the object and overcome any worries about it. From this, pups learn that strange objects and loud noises are ok and go on to develop the confidence to investigate things for themselves. We extend this positive experience to outdoors as soon as possible, weather permitting and pups spend time playing in a large penned area full of challenging toys and natural obstacles to investigate. Older pups that we are running on for ourselves or for new owners receive extended socialisation in town and at various local events and country shows. They also receive more specific imprinting in such things as bite work and scenting as appropriate which lays the foundations of early training. |
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