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How’s it going with the longhaired Dutch Shepherd?

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HH Dashboard: 2023 Year In Review

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Hollanninpaimenkoirat suomalaisessa luonnetestissä

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Kasvattieni MH-profiili

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Kaikki tiedot kasvateistani

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Azuricoyotes Hollandse Herders 2011-2021

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Kasvatusuutisia ja ajatuksia

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How anyone can help genetic diversity without fancy tools

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Azuricoyotes Hollandse Herders FI

4 days ago

Since the last post nearly 2 weeks ago, we had to say goodbye to the oldest of our own pack: AC THE FIVE FAR STARS "Brimi" (2012 Glen x Malta) * 18-08-2012 — 13-04-2026While as an owner I need the time to grieve a dog that I shared many years with, as a breeder every new death is a data point. Brimi was the last one in her litter to pass away, and because this is an important litter (Glen x Malta was a planned variety cross to improve the genetic diversity in the breed), having the complete death data of it is something that is interesting to reflect on.---The coefficient of inbreeding for Glen x Malta combination was >10 %, and as we established in a previous post, the average lifespan of the longhaired Dutch Shepherd was 9 years. For the 8 puppies in Glen x Malta litter, the "raw" average lifespan was 10.2 years. One dog however had an accidental death at young age, making the "illnesses or old age" average for this litter 11.1 years.It is almost funny how well this number matches the "sub 10 % inbreeding gives your dog 2 more years of life" presented in the last post! Even if every dog died at a different age, some too early, some later but still too early, some suddenly, some declining over a longer period of time... Looking at just lifespan, the benefit generally expected from an outcross like this was indeed visibly there.I do want to touch on some things that were missing in the previous post. I think it got so much attention because of how little nuance it carried — I didn't mean to write a think-piece, but just quickly pulled up some data about old dogs to go with a lovely photo of one of my senior puppies. 😅 Real life is full of nuance, though! Here are some quick points on how to put some of these lifespan averages into perspective:- An average of the population does not doom your dog, nor does it grant it additional years- At the other end, your dog, who either lived long or died young does not represent the average of the population- Every dog with higher COI does not systematically die at 9 years old- Every dog with lower COI does not systematically die 2 years after that- Even litter-wide averages are shaky, due to the low number of data points (more is more)- Inbreeding does not kill dogs, illnesses doAnd finally: even if you can't control what happens on a population-wide level, you can do a lot to give your dog the best chance to reach and exceed the average lifespan (about 50 % of all longhairs make it to 10 years) and live a good life. Population averages include dogs that did not have caring homes, or access to veterinary help when needed. They include dogs that were kept poorly, as "equipment", or euthanized for something that could have been treated. Even if losing your dog is possible at any age, these are all things YOU can influence. Inbreeding is just one aspect of lifespan.---Brimi was a puppy that was returned to breeder several times. The last time she needed a new home, we decided she had actually already arrived. She was a great, easy dog with no big faults, so we always joked she was just "impossible to love". Yet I would give anything to be able to pet her silky soft crumply ear one more time! My memories are full of Brimi at different ages, often visiting, always a part of our pack — even if "officially" we only got her back 9 years ago. She was always a shadow of her sister Pants, who had stayed at home as a puppy. I consider the time I got to be the guardian of these two fantastic girls to be one of the proudest of my life. Pants already passed away two years ago, and now my two treasures are together again. "Wait for you? Not likely. I've always had to run ahead of you and show you the way." — Nighteyes🌟 ... See MoreSee Less

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Azuricoyotes Hollandse Herders FI

2 weeks ago

Did you know? ⏳The average lifespan of a longhaired Dutch Shepherd is 9 years.However, when you look at the lifespans of longhairs that died of illnesses or "old age", a very important distinction can be seen between specific types of pedigrees: Dogs with less than 10 % inbreeding lived on average 2 years longer than dogs with above 40 % inbreeding. The dog in the photo is AC NIVA KALECGOS "Karlos" (2014 Geb x Jadi). He is from a litter with < 10 % COI, and with 6/8 of the litter still kicking at 12 years old (all made it to past 11!), the lifespan of this litter as a whole far exceeds the current average of the breed. This is anecdotal, but my first litter (born 2011) with COI around 25 %, still far under the mean of the time, only reached an average lifespan of 9.4 years. These kinds of differences in vitality and lifespan, supported by both studies and the work of my own hands, is why I will always speak of this matter. Think about all the things you would do with your dog, if you were suddenly gifted 2 additional years...Of course, lower inbreeding coefficient isn't everything. Even though heterozygosity protects from many health problems, many others — joint health, for example, in addition to non health-related deaths like behavioural problems — are not so clearly tied to poor genetic diversity. The health evaluation of a dog should not end at the official x-rays, but continue far into adulthood and old age. The character evaluation should be relentless, and every behavioural euthanasia should be an important reference point on what needs to be improved in the breed as a whole.Long lifespan in a breed only follows good genetics, serious breeders, and selection of studs and dams that are fully adults. Every new healthy year raises a stud/dam's value infinitely, and gives regular owners more happy years with their dog. And even if deciphering every single effect on an individual level is impossible, the undeniable truth is that the number of these healthy years is not random and CAN be improved by breeders.// TLDR suomalaisille seuraajille: ka elinikä rodussa on tällä hetkellä 9 vuotta, ja vähemmän sisäsiitetyt pitkäkarvat elävät kaksi vuotta pidempään kuin enemmän sisäsiitetyt. Katsokaa myös upeaa Karlos-papparaista. 😍 ... See MoreSee Less

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Azuricoyotes Hollandse Herders FI

4 weeks ago

AC ANVIL SUN AND SHADOWS "Maagi" (2023 Ruuti x Mina)Sharing this photo quickly, before all of Finland is out of snow. 😁 With no further details for now, we have litter plans for Maagi in the first half of 2027! I will share more about my future plans, male choices etc. once I get over the hump of finishing HH Dashboard rework (stand by). I also need to update Léon x Mina puppies on the website, to "officially" introduce them as their own dogs. Right now though, the good weather is drawing us outside! See you out there! ... See MoreSee Less

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