Obama Is on the Edge of a Canine Mistake

The word in the newspaper today is that Barack Obama is considering getting a Portugese Water Dog.

A Portugese Water Dog? Why??

Answer not said: Because Ted Kennedy has one. Picture at right.

I'm pretty sure that's about as deep as the research went on this one.

You see, the Portugese Water Dog is not a healthy breed. And it's not hard to understand why.

This is a breed which exists for no real purpose. It does nothing that a Labrador Retriever does not do better.

Because it is was once "rare," (because it brought nothing new to the table in terms of work) it was "rescued from extinction" by a vacationing show dog breeder who wanted "something different" to parade around the AKC show ring.

As the AKC web site notes:

The breed's water ability was also employed by Portuguese fishermen. They worked on the boats and were paid wages just as any crew member. They became indispensable to the fishermen. They retrieved nets, dove for lost items, served
as messengers and acted as an alert signal when danger was present or when fishing opportunities arose. However, technology soon brought this bond between dog and fisherman to an end in the 1960s. With the need for the working dog diminishing, the breed's numbers dwindled to as few as 20 dogs in Portugal. However, the interest in the United States helped the numbers recover and bring it back from near extinction.

It was Deyanne Farrell Miller and Herbert H. Miller, Jr., who took interest in the breed after a few trips to Portugal. During their 1968 visit they viewed a day-old litter at the Al-Gharbe Kennels. They fell in love with one puppy, soon-to-be-named Renascence do Al-Gharbe, and imported it eight weeks later. The dog would become part of the foundation stock for the Miller's Farmion Kennels in Connecticut. The following year, the Millers imported another puppy from Portugal. And in 1971 the first Portuguese Water Dog litter was born in America.

By 1975 there were 66 registered PWDs in the United States and 85 worldwide. Although these numbers seemed promising, the fact remained that the breed was still very rare. In fact, in 1981 the Guinness Book of World Records listed the dog as the rarest breed. Despite this fact, the AKC admitted the dog to the Miscellaneous Class. According to a news release dated, 21 May 1981, the then president of the PWDCA, Pamela Schneller, stated "...[the new status is] a significant accomplishment for a breed of dog almost extinct just twenty years ago." In 1983 the breed was accepted for AKC registration. Finally, in 1984 it became a member of the AKC Working Group.

What happened next is as predictable as the tides: rising levels of inbreeding within a closed registry system. Here are annual AKC registration numbers:

. . . . . . . . . . 1984- 182 dogs
. . . . . . . . . . 1990 - 601 dogs
. . . . . . . . . . 1995 - 919 dogs
. . . . . . . . . . 2000- 1,023 dogs
. . . . . . . . . . 2006 - 1,454 dogs

The AKC web site goes on to explain what happened next: Disease and defect. Can anyone be surprised?

During the 1980s, breeders and owners were baffled by a disease that was killing puppies for unknown reasons. Veterinarians and universities were called on to identify the illness. They identified it as a rare hereditary disease called GM -Gangliosidosis, or storage disease. The disease attacks the nerve cells, which then cause a loss of coordination and body functions and eventually kills the puppy. For breeders and owners, it was obviously a devastating disease. Soon, though, health professionals discovered that the disease was caused by a recessive gene, which meant two carriers would result in a sick puppy. Steps were taken to avoid such disasters. A blood assay test was developed to identify carriers of the disease. The blood test was effective. However, with the advancement of genetics in the 1990s, a DNA test was developed and has been used since.

At the same time storage disease was invading the PWD community, there was another disease ravaging the breed. Addison's disease is inherited, but unlike storage disease, there is no test for it. A dog is usually diagnosed by a veterinarian once it starts to exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and weakness. Research on the disease revealed that "...3% of PWD were affected with Addison's - a percentage higher than most other breeds." Once a dog is diagnosed, it can be treated with medication and live a relatively healthy life. Unlike storage disease, there is no way to predict which dog will be afflicted with the disease. However, the club, along with the AKC Canine Health Foundation and the University of Michigan, are trying to develop a test for the disease. These studies and initiatives like the Georgie Project provide hope that such diseases will eventually be eradicated or, at the very least, controllable.

Barack Obama, my advice is to stay away from inbred animals.

That's just basic "vetting," in more ways than one.

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