DEAR DR. FOX: I am a law student, and I'm writing a paper for my animal law class on the pitfalls of the American Kennel Club (AKC) -- specifically, how the lack of regulation leads to detrimental health issues for dogs. In my research, I found an article that mentioned your friend, journalist Herm David, as an "ombudsman" of the AKC. I understand that you also joined the good fight against puppy mills and the "purebred problem."
I would love to receive any input from you for my paper: your perspective on the AKC, your perception of the problems over the years, etc. Have things gotten better? Worse? Stayed the same? And can we do anything about it? -- C.F., address withheld
DEAR C.F.: I have written about my concerns with purebred dogs on my website and in this column many times, urging people NEVER to buy a puppy online without seeing the parent dogs and learning how they are kept and treated. Often regarded as some kind of guarantee of quality, the official "papers" of puppies registered with the American Kennel Club, just like other national club registries in other countries, are of dubious value. For more information, check out these articles on my website (drfoxhealth.com): "Recovering Canine Health and the Natural Dog," "Concerning Puppy and Kitten Breeding Mills," "Dog Mutilations," "Dogs Need Their Whiskers" and "Animal Eugenics: For Better or For Worse."
Aside from the questionable ethics of breeding dogs for profit when there are dogs and puppies in shelters needing homes, there is the reality of the link between commercial dog breeders and the livestock and poultry industries. Commercial dog breeders are inspected and licensed by the USDA under standards of animal care equivalent to those applied to farmed animals. The livestock and poultry industries support commercial puppy mills in fighting against legislative initiatives that would, for instance, limit the number of dogs kept and improve standards of care -- in the fear that such regulations could be imposed next on them. Their overcrowded factory farms are inhumane, environmentally harmful and a serious threat to public health and wildlife.
Many illnesses and behavioral problems in dogs, cats and other companion animals can be prevented, and others cured, if their caretakers/guardians would adhere to six basic principles, which contribute to a simple formula for animal health and well-being. I call them the Six R's: right understanding, right relationship, right breeding/genetics, right nutrition, right environment and right holistic veterinary care. These basic principles are essential, ethical standards that all breeders, clubs, kennel registries and dog shows, in all countries, need to adopt.
The so-called "Breeder of Merit" certification of the AKC falls lamentably short on these six counts. Rather, a designation of "6R Certification," to be determined and confirmed by veterinarians, is feasible. It would be applied to both male and female dogs used for breeding purposes to ensure they are kept under conditions satisfying their behavioral, social and emotional needs. It would also include genetic screening to avoid or eliminate diseases of hereditary origin and prevent breeding for extreme traits (e.g. flat faces/brachycephaly). Good nutrition, healthy gut microbiomes and robust immune systems would be ensured as part of dogs' holistic veterinary care, with judicious use of vaccines and antiparasitic medications.
Under this model, only dogs with 6R Certification would be allowed to become "Best in Show" winners. And no dogs would be allowed to enter the ring if their ears had been cropped or their tails or whiskers trimmed!
These are my hopes based on sound veterinary science and bioethics -- and compassion, which is in short supply in this consumer-driven society where the empathy deficit appears to be reaching epic dimensions!
Do send me your final paper on this issue. I commend you for your choice of topic. I will send you my telephone number to answer any questions you may have, as I do for many students researching various animal and environmental issues.
DACHSHUNDS: ANOTHER EXTREMELY CHALLENGED BREED
All clubs for dog breeds with physical traits that can affect the animals' health and quality of life should emulate the Dachshund Breed Council of the U.K. The club's health committee continues to put the word out about the health implications of exaggerated physical characteristics, urging breeders to avoid extremes.
From dachshundbreedcouncil.wordpress.com: "Our Health Committee is concerned that, despite the many messages about desired proportions and ground clearance that have been communicated at seminars for over a decade, some breeders and judges still seem inclined to favour undesirable exaggerations. The Health Committee's concerns are that dogs with excessive length and lack of ground clearance cannot be considered to be 'fit for function' and that such exaggerations are likely to increase their health risks. Intervertebral Disc Disease is one of those risks, as is bloat, which is reported in dachshunds and other breeds with proportionately more depth of chest."
In contrast, the American Kennel Club's Breed Health Testing Requirements (akc.org/breeder-programs/breed-health-testing-requirements) are clearly deficient. In the entry for dachshunds, the recommended health tests are simply "patella evaluation" and "cardiac exam." Breeders completing these tests can gain the AKC Breeder of Merit certification! And for the French and English bulldog breeds, there is no mention of evaluating dogs' ability to breathe and tolerate some physical activity.
The AKC also touts its Bred With H.E.A.R.T. program, which "requires health testing of breeding stock in accordance with recommendations of their breed's parent club. Breeders who meet the requirements of the Bred With H.E.A.R.T. program are eligible for many benefits, including a 10% discount on insurance for their puppies through AKC Pet Insurance."
All of this I see as window-dressing nonsense. I advise all who are seeking some particular purebred to visit the breeding facility; never buy online. Or go to a breed rescue website and adopt from there. All commercial puppy mills should be closed down.
(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.
Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)