Eurasier Information - Head of the Breeding Board (1991-2011), Zuchtgemeinschaft f. Eurasier e.V. - in English

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News from the three VDH Eurasier Clubs:

On January 23, 2010, the meanwhile traditional Eifel meeting of the chairmen and Heads of the Breeding Boards of the three German Eurasier Clubs EKW, KZG and ZG took place in the volcanic Eifel.

After the sudden death of Dr. Barbara Post, who had been the Head of the Breeding Board in the KZG, Mrs. Sauer-Loew, another member of the KZG Breeding Board, stepped in and represented this field for the KZG.

As usual, the trusting and open atmosphere of the meeting allowed the participants to discuss manifold and very up-to-date subjects and to exchange the experiences they made in their clubs.

The following subjects were discussed:

• the unsatisfactory situation of puppies in all three clubs in 2009 (a too low number of puppies was born)
• the formation of a small working group to develop a common display of Eurasier history, which means this group will check the source material the clubs have which stem from the very beginnings of Eurasiers, and will meet in the area around Karlsruhe
• Possibilities for a uniform breeding assessment/permit, as, to date, the prerequisites in all three clubs are already very similar
• the Eurasier databanks
• the changed landscape of Eurasier clubs within Germany
• various other subjects were discussed, and the further discussion of some of these subjects was postponed, also because more information is to be gathered, e.g. in view of Eurasier health.

The discussions will continue in January 2011, and will surely include new subjects.

Ruediger Prenzel, EKW
Walter Vorbeck, KZG
Friedbert Kraemer, ZG

 News from the three VDH Eurasier Clubs:

On January 24, 2009, the second meeting of the chairmen and head of the breeding boards of the three German Eurasier clubs EKW, KZG and ZG took place in the beautiful volcanic Eifel.

A continuation of the intensive cooperation which the three VDH-Eurasier clubs had agreed last year. Aiming for results, the following topics were discussed:

• planning and finding dates for the celebrations in 2010 - the 50 year anniversary of Eurasiers
  (Eurasier shows in Offenburg - EKW, Dresden - KZG, Cuxhaven - ZG, and in autumn 2010 a symposium carried out by all three VDH Eurasier clubs)
• heading towards a more uniform training of Eurasier specialty judges
• joint sessions for judges
• joint assistance of Eurasier friends abroad, for example in North America
  many more topics were discussed

These talks give further impulses for the work in the clubs, and will be continued.

Ruediger Prenzel, EKW
Walter Vorbeck, KZG
Friedbert Kraemer, ZG

Board and Breeding Board of the ZG agreed to recommend higher price for ZG Eurasier puppies

During the Board and Breeding Board meeting on 23. February, 2008, it was agreed to recommend a higher price for ZG puppies, the maximum limit up to which the puppies will be referred, being 1000 € (valid for females becoming pregnant from 1. March 2008).

This sum is made up by

* 200 € x-ray deposit (managed by the treasurer and which will be paid back (without interest) to the buyer soon after the centralised evaluation took place, for which the buyer needs to send in the x-ray and health sheets), 
* club fees, which have remained the same, and a 
* slight “addition“ for the breeders, as they can now get 30 € more.

Reasons:

1. The cost for veterinary health checks have risen considerably during the past years. The ZG used to ask for 90 € as a deposit, but often enough this did not even cover half of the costs (I know of price differences between 100 € in Franken up to 430.- € in Hamburg - for the same treatment).

2. This difference had two consequences: Dog owners who had their Eurasiers checked for health, were frustrated because the deposit never really covered the cost. On the other hand, many Eurasier owners stated 90 € were not worth that much to them so that they would not take their Eurasier to a vet for a health check.

3. As a result, there were too few young dogs that had undergone the veterinary health checks (puppies born 2005 - 53%, 2006 - up to now only 23%), in other words, our knowledge about the results from our breeding is decreasing. The breeding board wants sufficient control over the health of ZG Eurasiers, but if this trend continues, we could not maintain our obvious aim to breed "healthy and typical Eurasiers". This is why we needed to become active and find a measure that would motivate the owners to have their Eurasiers undergo the health checks.

With the new price recommendation, we are now on a comparable level with all other Eurasier clubs in the VDH. We trust that serious puppy buyers will show understanding for this measure, which should exclusively serve to maintain the health of the breed. 

As a further measure, it was agreed that ZG puppies shall only be referred to ZG members, so that important information can reach the new owners. This way, the ZG wants to try and improve their offer to help and assist with smaller or larger problems, e.g. problems in raising and training, as it is much easier to stay in touch with members.

Also, a correlation can be seen between membership status and the willingness to have the young Eurasier health checked and x-rayed at the age of around 14 months.

For their members, the ZG comes up for the additional costs of the centralised evaluation of the x-ray results (so that results are comparable)!

They agreed to intensify cooperating with all three clubs in future. It is planned to continue these talks, also because of the 50 year anniversary of Eurasiers in the year 2010. 

Traditionally, IFEZ members meet during the last weekend in October, and so, in 2007, the representatives of 12 Eurasier clubs from Europe and overseas met again. In a very pleasant, matter-of-fact and friendly atmosphere, a lively exchange of thoughts all around and about Eurasier breeding took place in Stuttgart. Basis for cooperation in the International Federation for Eurasier Breeding, the Eurasier World Union, is the exchange of breeding information of the various clubs, and the exchange of data of the dogs, thus enabling scientifically sound and conscientiuos breeding planning, in accordance with Standard 291.

The Eurasier Club Belgium (ECB) applied for membership as an associate within IFEZ. After their detailed presentation of their club statutes, and after careful consideration of the application among the IFEZ members, the ECB was welcomed by all voting members as a new associate member.
The newly founded Eurasier Club Italiano (ECI) applied for a cooperating membership. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, no board member of the ECI directing board could come and give a detailed presentation of the club. And so the efforts for serious breeding were appreciated, but a decision about a cooperation was postponed. 

Dear Eurasier owners, in the interest of the Eurasier, we can only fulfill the duties of this function responsibly with your assistance. Please continue to supply us with information about your Eurasier, then we will be able to breed this lovely dog breed the way it should be, with good health and typical character. 

Being in the position as the Head of the Breeding Board is often a difficult task, the responsibility for each animal, health and good Eurasier temperament, is a heavy burden. Nature cannot always be influenced as wished, and not everything one would like to know, has been scientifically researched yet. And still, or maybe even despite of this (?), it is a wonderful and interesting duty, one that, alongside with a lot of work, also gives a lot of joy, e.g. when many good Eurasiers are presented by their owners during the meetings, and one can see they all found their "best dog".

Thank you all for your trust and for your assistance concerning all areas around breeding!

Yours, g.aach

Excerpt from the Statutes of the ZG §16 concerning the extended duties of the breeding inspectors:

Their (breeding inspectors) duties are:
1. Establishing and maintaining contacts with members within their specific region.
2. Monitoring breeding in this specific region.
3. Collecting information and passing it on to the Breeding Board.
4. Litter inspections.

The regional breed inspectors should assist the Breeding Board by drawing up own suggestions for matings.

06.01.2007

"We are going to give part of the stud fee to the animal shelter of our town."

This is what a happy stud owner told me today, after he had visited the first litter his stud had sired. The owner was so overwhelmed with joy that the puppies were all raised with much tender loving care and had all found loving new homes with the assistance of our ZG-centrally operated puppy referral.

I think this is a very nice gesture that helps less fortunate animals!

29.12.2006

Real Polyodontia is actually very rare. Often only a milk tooth did not fall out when the new tooth grew in. In this case, the milk tooth should be pulled. 

It could also be a split of a tooth or a twin set of the dental germ, which again is very rare in Eurasiers. Your vet should be able to clarify this via an X-ray. As a rule, any surplus teeth must be pulled to prevent malformations in the jaw or bite and/or because food rests could cling and cause infections. If the dog has no  problems with the surplus tooth and all the teeth are placed normally, if there is enough room for "all" the teeth, then let this dog have its own "special set of teeth".

It is certainly not a reason for exclusion from breeding if there is no other fault, but the breeding partner should not also have a surplus tooth!

20.10.2006

First of all, try to clarify as many formalities and procedures beforehand, so that when you visit the breeder on day X you can fully concentrate on your puppy and on any tips the breeder gives you. 

Examples:

a)  During your first visit at the breeders take the selling contract with you, that way you have time to read it at home before you sign and you can talk with your breeder or the Club (ZG) about anything that might not be clear to you. 

b)  Ask your breeder what he/she will give you along with the puppy (food sample, feeding plan, toys, something to cuddle .....).

c)  Clarify that you would like to receive a copy of the final inspection of the litter which is done by a breed inspector (at least you would like to read the original and have a copy sent to you later), because in these final inspection papers all important things concerning the puppy are entered, e.g. any faults, and also the weight, which should be at least 4.000g before a Eurasier puppy moves into a new home.

d)  Ask about payment for the puppy - usually it is in cash.

When you visit the breeder to pick up your puppy, try to take "your puppy" in your arms as early as possible; that way, the puppy can get used to you a little which will help the puppy from feeling too blue when it is separated from its family. Plan for enough time so that you can have a few nice talks with the breeder, but do not stay too long as the breeder will be sad to part from "his puppies", so saying farewell should not be drawn into length. 

On leaving, do not forget the most important things - puppy, vaccination certificate, feeding plan, toys, collar/harness + lead, cloth to cuddle .... By now, after having picked up all in all 5 Eurasiers, I made my own experiences what kind of things one can forget due to sheer joy over getting a puppy (the most important thing I ever forgot was my wallet which I had left behind on the table after paying - and which was quickly sent to me via registered mail).

You can find more tips here.

02.09.2006

Such "pre X-rays" are known among dog breeds that have a higher incidence of hip dysplasia. Dogs with a longer back and/or a sloping back usually have a health problem already with a minor HD degree. In these cases X-raying at an earlier age makes sense so that any major changes in the joints can be counteracted therapeutically as early as possible to spare such a dog from having difficulties. 

Seen on the whole, the Eurasier breed only has a minor burden with HD, and due to the body structure will not have less quality of life even in those exceptional cases where a high HD degree occurs.

I think that "pre X-raying" a young Eurasier under 12 months showing no problems is absolutely not neccessary. 

Should such an early X-ray detect a disposition of any kind for HD and should this then be influenced through some kind of "medication", I see problems for the assessment of such a Eurasier later on. Not all owners of purebred dogs tell their clubs or the specialist veterinary surgeon who assesses the HD results about such treatments. That way it can come to "better" results of the official HD degree than it would have without treatment. 

A possible damage concerning breeding becomes apparent: 

The official X-ray result was "manipulated" and shows the hips better than they would have been the natural way and under natural conditions growing up. An animal might get a permit for breeding although it would not have fulfilled that point otherwise. I find that very dishonest. 

Pre X-raying is acceptable where a dog shows problems with the joints, in which case an X-ray is necessary for the diagnosis and to help avoid and prevent later problems. In such cases it is important to inform the breeder and the breeding club, in our case the breeding board of the ZG (=me). Such information would be a reason for me to get into contact with the vet (of course only after talking with the Eurasier owner) and, if necessary, to have a careful and thorough look at the whole litter. 

If your vet suggests "pre X-rays", please discuss this with your breed inspector or me first, to find out more about whether it would be necessary or not. Many vets do not know about the strongly controlled breeding of Eurasiers in the German Kennel Club VDH, especially not about it in our ZG. Veterinary surgeries do not ask if a purebred dog is really purebred or not and if it is, in which club it was bred. They accept the information a dog owner gives them without further questioning. 

24.08.2006

Question:    Should I breed my female now - she has a breeding permit - although the puppy referral can not guarantee finding a good home for all puppies?

In the past, people always had to wait a few months, sometimes even years, for a little puppy. And people actually waited that long. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Hardly anybody will wait six months or longer for a puppy. 

Getting people to sign up on a waiting list, regular information through the puppy referral or even membership e.g. in the ZG do not really help any further, either. When people want a puppy, it seems they want it almost immediatly. When Mrs St. can say: "A female is pregnant and you could have one of her puppies", then most interested people will stay on the waiting list.

In other cases, people buy from other clubs in the German kennel Club VDH, if they can "deliver quicker" (which is okay), or, people buy from non-VDH-breeders (which is often unfortunately not okay), or people decide for another breed altogether or even for another kind of pet - our Mrs St. could tell you a lot of strange stories in that context. 

What I mean to say, is, that today no breeder can be sure anymore that the club can find a good home for all of his puppies (which is a special service of the Eurasier clubs, anyway). We inform all our breeders about this when they apply for a breeding permit.  

If this should happen (that the puppies have not found a future, good home by the age of six weeks), we, the ZG, offer to help the breeder, e.g. by writing a suitable text for an advertisement and by standing behind it with our good name. Up to now, we, the ZG, have not yet had to do this. 

To reject breeding a litter from a good, healthy female, because it might be more difficult to find good homes for the puppies, would do harm to the breed: At some point there would be no puppies any more or only puppies from certain kennels (puppies from large kennels or from "well known" humans sell almost "on their own"). But this would do the breed great damage in the medium future.

Here I would like to ask for a bit more courage and to trust in the understanding of well informed breeders, of which ours have so far showed full understanding for the overall more difficult situation. Often, our "hobby breeders" have very serious and sensible possibilities for Eurasier promotion and such advertising can help find interested people for a puppy. 

Having to make a few more efforts for finding good homes is something I would consider in view of achieving a broad basis for our breed Eurasier.