Annotated Dog Research Paper

Dogs have been a part of mankind's life for thousands of years. They have been our companions as well as tools for as long as we have had them by our side. The focus of this essay will highlight both topics, and how we have genetically mutated dogs for our entertainment. While today's society favors machines over animals for their efficiency and practicality, dogs used to play a prominent part in how we traded, hunted, farmed, and protected ourselves. Dogs were purpose-bred for things like sheep herding, rodent extermination, protection against threats of all kind, hunting large game, and many, many more tasks. People would breed dogs for specific traits that would be beneficial to their goals. The dogs were sometimes quickly …show more content…
The King Charles Spaniel suffers from a painful condition called syringomyelia, where the skull is too small for the dog's brain. Researchers have estimated that up to 1/3 of King Charles Spaniels have this condition. Show standard German Shepherds have a characteristic sloped hip, which leaves them extremely susceptible to hip dysplasia. Dachshunds can easily break their back and become paralyzed, because of the exaggerated spine. Great Danes, along with most giant breeds are prone to bloat, which is a potentially fatal twisting of the intestines. They also have hearts that aren't big enough to support their massive bodies. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are extremely susceptible to many types of cancer. I lost my own beloved Labrador to cancer last year. He died at eight years old, four years younger than the average lifespan of a Lab. A prime example of careless breeding comes in the form of the Dalmatian. When the smash hit “101 Dalmatians” arrived in theaters, everyone saw the dog as sweet, intelligent and a gentle family companion. Everyone wanted one of these beautiful and striking dogs. As the demand for them increased, people were breeding every Dalmatian they could, with no regard to the health or temperament of the dogs. As a result, most Dalmatians today have a genetic predisposition for deafness, aggressive dispositions, and …show more content…
However, these genetic problems could be resolved. “In the end, breeders are the ones creating the next generation of dogs,” says Thomas Famula, an animal-breeding specialist at the University of California, Davis. (Claire Maldarelli. (2/2014). Although Purebred Dogs Can Be Best in Show, Are They Worst in Health? Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/although-purebred-dogs-can-be-best-in-show-are-they-worst-in-health/) But he among many others believe the future is in the hands of the people buying the dogs. Buyers are unaware of the issues that come with purebred dogs, seeing only a pedigree-what most people use to determine "a good, healthy dog." Kennel Clubs must also play their part, and stop the glamorizing of these "pure breeds ," which are essentially inbreds. Introducing dogs with healthy genetic diversity is paramount in moving forward. Robert Schaible, a geneticist at the Indiana University School of Medicine, started a promising project called the Dalmatian–English Pointer Backcross Project. Dalmatians have high levels of uric acid in their urine, which causes urinary blockages. The genes responsible for this are the same genes that produce the highly sought-after spots. He paired an AKC champion Dalmatian with an English pointer, a breed with normal uric acid levels and a disposition similar to that of the Dalmatian, and then crossed a dog from that litter to another Dalmatian

Show More

Animal Veutic Interviews: A Case Study

Annotated Bibliography Eicher

Annotated Bibliography Essay

How Can There Still Be Issues Of Colour In An Industry That Needs So Many To Be Successful?

5039 22368 1 PB Essay

wall paper