How long should my dogs hair be??

[Ayoka]

Originally Posted by Hawkblack

This DNA test is a great tool even though your dog is a companion and not being shown it is a great source for you to know is it or isn't it. Also doing the DNA is just like having the hips tested at age 2 even on companions that are spayed. It gives people a base of what a sire and dam are producing as far as genetics, health all that stuff.

Just my opinion.

I think you are comparing apples to oranges with the Hip dysplasia/coat length thing.

I'm all about testing for health issues and with many breeds breeding certain coat colors IS linked to health issues (I'm thinking merles to merles or whites to whites) such as blindness & deafness. I do not belive that a long coat is linked in anyway to any debilitating or even minor health issue...unless you consider needing more grooming or having more dog hair on the floor a health issue.

Knowing that your Dog has HD will help you better tailor your dog's nutrition and activity to their condition which, in turn will mean you can extend the life and quality of life your dog will have. that knowledge will also help you to determine if and when surgery might be required.

Now coat length is definitely a breed standard issue (not carrying the gene but showing long coat) therefore I could understand that a breeder would test for this gene in their breeding stock and might require it as a necessary test in their contract.

Personally, unless I was a breeder or it was in the contract, as a person who wants a dog that can work in sport, I wouldn;t care to know for the sake of knowing and I'd save my 60$ plus shipping for a bag of food.

[Hawkblack]

I never said that it is link to health. Just that is it a good thing and should be tested for just like other health testing. You wouldn't want to breed a dog or a bitch that throws alot of health problems so wouldn't you want to know if the dog that was produced and you thought had a weird coat was a carrier or affected? I would. To me it is more then a cosmetic issue it is incorrect and the whole point of breeding to breeders is to improve the breed.

[Shelby427]

Originally Posted by Hawkblack

This DNA test is a great tool even though your dog is a companion and not being shown it is a great source for you to know is it or isn't it. Also doing the DNA is just like having the hips tested at age 2 even on companions that are spayed. It gives people a base of what a sire and dam are producing as far as genetics, health all that stuff.

Just my opinion.

This is what she was referring to. Having a companion x-rayed for hips will help you give your dog the best life - supplements, activity level etc. whereas getting your dog's DNA tested for the long hair gene (if you're not planning on breeding) there's really no point in knowing whether or not they carry the gene. If you are a breeder, then yes, it makes sense.