# Going to be Breeding my GSP this fall



## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

anyone interested in GPS's i'll be breeding mine this fall, last litter all had full liver heads, good liver spots on body and light to heavy ticking, most males had nice blocky heads. I'll try to get pics of the last litter on here tomorrow as well as the dame and sire


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

pretty is as pretty does. what have they done? have you had them tested for vonwilbrands? have their eyes been cleared of PRA? have they been cleared of congenital heart defects? how are their thyroids? are they clear of brucellosis?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

How are GSPs with waterfowl? I dont know much about them but I wanna get a dog sometime next year. I am leaning toward a lab because I have always had one, but am open to other options. I just want a good all around hunting dog (upland and waterfowl) that is good with the family too


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## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2489-
here's what their pedigree looks like
the sire is great on the water and retrieves very well
i've not tried the dame on waterfowl, though she's not a quitter when it comes to mountain climbing for chukar and she is very good at listening to commands


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

have you had them tested for vonwilbrands? have their eyes been cleared of PRA? have they been cleared of congenital heart defects? how are their thyroids? are they clear of brucellosis?
all of these issues can be transmitted by the parents w/o them ever showing any symptoms themselves. and many of the issues don't become problems until well after they reach adulthood. so while your dogs may themselves be healthy you may be selling pups that become 4 legged money pits unless you actually have the parents tested for these genetic issues. also the brucellosis is transmissable to people and the dogs may not show symptoms. so have you had the parents screened to make sure they aren't carriers for these issues?


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## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

I know the dame hasen't, as far as price i'm only trying to break even as far as vet bills for shots, docked tails, dew claws removed, and for feed. The sire's owner had his pup get out and hit by a car, and is looking for a replacement pup, i'm not sure as far as the sire goes wether he's been tested or not. but he has been out to north dakota last year for pheasants( they do require a vet slip as far as i understand before you can bring yourdog there to hunt from out of state) and has done chukar as well. My dog has done pheasant as well as chukar here i utah and love the performance she has given thus far. neither of us are into the field trials, though i know that two of the dogs were bought from te last litter to do just that, they will be AKC registered.


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## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

here's the sire


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## blueshooter (Oct 10, 2009)

here's the dame


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> have you had them tested for vonwilbrands? have their eyes been cleared of PRA? have they been cleared of congenital heart defects? how are their thyroids? are they clear of brucellosis?
> all of these issues can be transmitted by the parents w/o them ever showing any symptoms themselves. and many of the issues don't become problems until well after they reach adulthood. so while your dogs may themselves be healthy you may be selling pups that become 4 legged money pits unless you actually have the parents tested for these genetic issues. also the brucellosis is transmissable to people and the dogs may not show symptoms. so have you had the parents screened to make sure they aren't carriers for these issues?


All the genetic testing in the world is very questionable when push comes to shove. ALL CANINES HAVE RECESSIVE ALLELES THAT WILL BE EXPRESSED IN SOME FASHION. Read that sentence carefully to decipher what it means as far as testing is concerned.

Ready? If you breed to avoid one particular allele, something else will pop up that may have been silent for many generations. It could be an extra toe, some form of retardation, whatever. It might be something benign like an off-color coat. EVERY DOG HAS RECESSIVE ALLELES IN THEIR GENETIC MAKEUP. The likelihood of a recessive allele expressing itself increases every time another allele is avoided. Want to avoid congenital heart defects? Be prepared to accept hip displaysia. Want to avoid HD? Be prepared for thyroid problems to crop up. Want to avoid all of the potential problems you mentioned? You just increased the likelihood by threefold that some strange recessive gene is going to be expressed in your pups.

I do agree that brucellosis testing is a good idea before breeding. Brucellosis is not a genetic disease, but rather an infectious disease.

Good luck with your litter, blueshooter. I hope all goes well for you.


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

Bax* said:


> How are GSPs with waterfowl? I dont know much about them but I wanna get a dog sometime next year. I am leaning toward a lab because I have always had one, but am open to other options. I just want a good all around hunting dog (upland and waterfowl) that is good with the family too


My opinion only! But these dogs I think will be super nice for warm season Water fowl. Now I say that because I have some of the same blood in my dogs and they handle the winter just fine, but that is on land and not in icey water. If you are a water fowler first and upland second, I suggest you lean for the Lab. Again my opinion only! Now if your looking upland.... Hot chit right here! Super nice line!


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

a lot of what you test for is dictated by what the dog does. for example no reason to test for HD in racing greys, hunting sighthounds, tree or foxhounds that hunt (not counting dabblers that take the dog once a month but real hard workers that go 3 or 6 times a week for most of the year). those dogs don't need the X-rays for HD because they would go lame before they would reach the age to prove they deserve to be bred. likewise heart defects are going to show under those conditions. now if your staghound or coldblood grey had a hotblood grey or scotch deerhound added in the last 5 generations it is a good idea to check for bone cancer & the thyroid. birddogs are more likely to hide a recessive because they don't usually put in the miles the aforementioned dogs do and so are likely to go lame at a later age when it's chalked up to age. but if you check the genes for recessives and your dog is a carrier (like say vonwillbrands),you can select a checked partner that is completely clear. while you will produce carriers you won't produce symptomatic dogs that result in people losing a dog to a simple cut pad or torn nail.
the breeds i mentioned and certain others have have few health issues BECAUSE the job culls them. but others have reduced or eliminated health issues because people tested & bred away from the problem. PRA (eye problem) is nearly eliminated from show irish setters because they tested & bred away from it (now if only the dogs could hunt).
appropriate health testing is always a good investment.


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Pops2 said:


> have you had them tested for vonwilbrands? have their eyes been cleared of PRA? have they been cleared of congenital heart defects? how are their thyroids? are they clear of brucellosis?
> all of these issues can be transmitted by the parents w/o them ever showing any symptoms themselves. and many of the issues don't become problems until well after they reach adulthood. so while your dogs may themselves be healthy you may be selling pups that become 4 legged money pits unless you actually have the parents tested for these genetic issues. also the brucellosis is transmissable to people and the dogs may not show symptoms. so have you had the parents screened to make sure they aren't carriers for these issues?


18 posts and seems Pops2 has become the "breed nazi"!


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

Anaconda Pintler said:


> Pops2 said:
> 
> 
> > have you had them tested for vonwilbrands? have their eyes been cleared of PRA? have they been cleared of congenital heart defects? how are their thyroids? are they clear of brucellosis?
> ...


haha for real.


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

that would be BREEDING nazi, dillweed


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## firedawg (Dec 20, 2007)

I have a 3 year old GSP, and its the most loyal dog I have ever had....took a couple years to get him trained pretty good but he is an awesome dog and hunting companion now.....he also loves the water and does waterfowl too....I think he is the smartest dog I have ever had aslo.....Anyone who has one I respect cuz I dont see too many of them around


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

Pops2 said:


> that would be BREEDING nazi, dillweed


You just proved APintler's point.


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