AND THIS IS WHY I NATURALLY REAR MY DOGS & PUPPIES!
Please read (before proceeding further)
Nature vs Nurture by Dr Will Falconer DVM
Many people wonder & ask about WHY I insist on NATURAL REARING... Let me expound a bit on my take on the Carolina Dog's peculiar & exciting position in the somewhat grim outlook of purebreds... See this web post now for more information on the possibility of pure-breed extinction
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3341924/Pedigree-dogs-face-extinction-due-to-inbreeding.html
In My Opinion, our breed (Carolina Dog) is new & "less ruined" than other pure-breeds. But with most everyone rearing their dogs conventionally(meaning regular vaccinations, kibble diets, "pet meds"/toxins monthly, etc) I saw in my 1st CD the early stages of vaccinosis issues and the more I learned about them more I realized there is NO ONE keeping this relatively untouched breed free from the direction that other breeds have gone... well, one part of that direction anyway. The CD was first discovered, specimens brought into captivity, a breeding program started, and kennel club recognition as a "breed" between 20 & 40 years ago, see
http://srel.uga.edu/outreach/factsheet/carolinadogs.html for more information about the discovery of the Carolina Dog.
The CD community IS working hard to keep the Carolina Dog free from too much inbreeding, and keeping a low Inbreeding Quotient, going as far as keeping the breed from thus far joining the AKC because that kennel club requires the stud book be closed and Dr Brisbin is still identifying some wild caught individuals and adding them to his stud book and eventually into the UKC & ARBA registries so the gene pool can be as diverse as we can get it.
And so far Carolina Dogs are known for their genetic diversity, health and vitality, and NO known inherited health issues, which is unheard of in other breeds. So far we attribute that to purely the fact that the CDs were previously the product solely of
Nature, natural selection, where only the strong & healthy survive.
Nurture didn't really have much to do with it.
BUT, unfortunately I do know of several CDs that have seizure disorders, skin problems, as well as a few other immune dysfunction, and even a few that have died an early death from these issues. I used to run a survey about the health of Carolina Dogs and how they have been cared for, just to satisfy my own curiosity and possibly bring the outcomes to light in the future, but as I got more and more data, more people decided they didn't want to hear what I was (officially unscientifically, I suppose) finding from this little questionnaire. I lost several friends due to that venture and my speaking out about my preliminary findings. I have put the survey on the back burner to further pursue my education into Natural Rearing and NR Breeding. But that does not change my mind, in remembering what I found, that a pretty high percentage(up to 75% in some categories) of CDs that were being routinely vaccinated, fed kibble and exposed to monthly preventative pet meds were more prone to having skin problems, and a myriad of immune dis-function disorders, including seizures, even death.
I am not passing judgement on anyone for how they are caring for their dog(s) or running their breeding program, I am merely trying to tell what I saw, how I interpreted that data based upon my studies and why I am doing things the way I am doing them. I want to learn how I (and others) can do
better for our dog's futures. I do not do this blithely, I have sent the past 6+ years reading & studying daily, to the aggravation and hunger of my husband and son, when I got lost in a paper and forgot to make dinner ... many nights, (sorry boys!) .
So what is the point of what I am trying to say? This quote sums it up, " The expression and action of genes in our genetic code depends on variables like diet, vaccines, exposure to toxins, and even upbringing" -Dr Will Falconer from his article linked above.
It is Nature AND Nurture, BOTH matter in the health and the future of our dogs. So if we can carefully breed and raise our Carolina Dogs, who have little to no Miasm thus far, in the
best way possible, to thrive, to not ever have Miasm, not just to survive, then we may avoid the terrible, painful place that many breeds have come to, facing possible extinction. And someday have one of the few healthy purebred dogs left.
I hope not, I hope that all these breeds with so high "IBQ" and also high percentages of malformed or genetically ill dogs can be saved from extinction. But I think to do that, it is going to take very careful breeding, out-crossing with truly healthy dogs, and Natural Rearing practices to save many of them, they are so far gone. And my greatest hope is that the Carolina Dog does not eventually wind up like so many of the other breeds. I think that too will take the same practices.
And THAT is why I do what I do! If you would like more information or would like to walk this natural path with me, especially with a NR Carolina Dog by your side, contact me @
susanlewelling@yahoo.com, for more information about available, NR dogs, puppies and future litters as well as Naturopathic Carnivore Nutrition Coaching/Consulting for any breed.