Comments

• One of the factors that really shouldn't be underestimated with hip dysplasia and elbow arthrosis is how fast the dogs are allowed to grow. If your feeding the dog on the upper end of the scale and enabling fast growth you can actually cause dysplas…

  in How Common is Hip Dysplasia in the Akita Inu Comment by EdK January 2016
• I can't remember either of our shibas ever trying that... Attempting to tow you along, nabbing birds out of the air (having to pull the bird out by the only part still available a wing-tip), getting a squirrel or rabbit while on a long lead (and the…

  in Does your NK do this... Comment by EdK February 2012
• @Calia As to how institutions handle it, it does depend but some things that have to be kept in mind.. if you breed a heritiable defect out of a population, you are also breeding other genes that are may be for beneficial traits. With that in mind,…

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK February 2012
• Thanks everyone. The parameters depend on a couple of factors, one is the founding population. Ideally you want and diverse a representation of the population as possible and at least 20 and preferably closer to 50 animals. This helps set what is k…

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012
• Diet is always something I've found pretty interesting.. I find the fiber controversy interesting since dietary fiber (both digestiable and non-digestiable sources) help with a number of functions including modifing levels of cholesterol that end up…

  in Dogs & Fiber...what do you think of this? Comment by EdK January 2012
• Picking up where I left off.. This provides a population which is different than the show ring population (where winners or the offspring of winners may contribute more descendents which reduces overall genetic diversity). If there is an assurance …

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012
• @the_november_rain; It is sort of like a ssp (species survivial plan) but in this case what we are discussing is what is known as a PMP (Population Management Plan) or a TMP ( Taxon Management Plan). The difference between these and a SSP is that th…

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012
• I'm not sure how in depth of a discussion people would like to have on how a management plan like those used for institutional management plans works but I'm willing to try... Ed

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012
• It certainly seems there are a lot of passionate responses. Hopefully I'm not pushing any buttons via the disucssion. For those who are using diets due a food issue how have you differentiated between a food intolerance and an actual food allergy?…

  in Dogs & Fiber...what do you think of this? Comment by EdK January 2012
• Thanks... Ed

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012
• I'm not sure why people only think of plants as a source of fiber in the diet of canids. In wild canids, outside of the plant matter found in the digestive tract when consumed, hair acts as a source of fiber for the canid. Fiber is important in cani…

  in Dogs & Fiber...what do you think of this? Comment by EdK January 2012
• While I'm new to the board, I'd like to address the last post by Calia from a different point of view. I apologize if I state something that has been discussed to death elsewhere or step on any toes.. I have a long-term background in animal conser…

  in A thought on the Shikoku's decline in Japan... Comment by EdK January 2012