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Hereditary Defects Advice - Introduction

Introduction

In most dog breeds, hereditary defects do occur. We in the Border Collie Club of Great Britain are quite willing to admit to the presence of hereditary defects in our breed, but would point out that in our estimation, The Border Collie is still one of the soundest of breeds.

The committee of the B.C.C. of G.B. was, as most enthusiasts will know, the first to encourage breed lovers to reduce the incidence of hereditary defects in our breed. In recent months it has increasingly come to our attention that a further statement on the Club's policy towards the eradication of hereditary problems is required.

To this end an extra-ordinary committee meeting was called on May 19th, 1989 to discuss these matters. There followed several more discussions in committee which culminated in the drawing up of a Breed Improvements sub-committee. This committee first met and approved the following advice sheets on February 25th 1990. It is later approved at a full committee meeting.

The committee strongly commends those who have made a determined effort to reduce the incidence of hereditary defects in the breed. We applaud those who have had the courage to state publicly that they have found a hereditary problem in their own stock and we would without hesitation recommend their stock to those seeking puppies or breeding stock. Such breeders have proved beyond doubt their honesty and integrity and have withdrawn from breeding all animals that are considered to produce defective offspring.

There is no shame in producing an animal with a hereditary defect. They are unfortunately there in the breed and will only be eliminated when all breeders are willing to face the problems and deal with them. The only shame that occurs is when less enlightened breeders refuse to face up to the facts and seek to hide the truth from their fellows. If breeders ignore hereditary problems and continue to breed from stock they know to be defectve, there will only be one possible future for the breed, a slippery downward slope.

The following information is intended to guide those who seek to improve the breed and eradicate or at least reduce, the incidence of hereditary problems.