Ausshole Academy

 

GUEST ARTICLE

DNA TESTING AND OTHER TESTING-  BY  HEATHER AHRENS OF BELLAHARA AUSSIES.

I understand the usefulness of all the testing we have available to use nowadays to make informed decisions within our programs.

What I don't understand is how/why folks don't seem to understand that without DNA verification on all Aussies.  NO AMOUNT OF TESTING done on the parent's MATTERS if parentage is NOT VERIFIED!

I can't tell you the number of folks I've visited with that have no clue what DNA verification is.  The simplest way I know to explain it is by comparing it to paternity and maternity testing.

The Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) is the only registry in the USA, that requires all aussies MUST HAVE THEIR PARENTAGE VERIFIED VIA DNA, prior to any of their offspring being registered!!  ASCA has required this for decades, so there is no reason to doubt that every Australian Shepherd listed on a Certified ASCA pedigree is in fact the exact bloodlines that dog is from.

Yes, I'm aware that the AKC does require verification of parentage via DNA of any male that has sired 3 litters in a calendar year and/or after he has sired 8 litters in his life.  However that is in my opinion pointless especially considering what AKC's policy is IF it is discovered that a males parentage verification is incorrect, but that is a whole nother topic for another post.

Please understand I am ot insinuating anything about folks who opt to utilize any other registry besides ASCA.  I even know some that do and they choose to voluntarily verify parentage via DNA on their dogs, my kudos to them.

Rather I am simply attempting to educate folks.  All living beings on Earth, have two basic instincts: survival and reproduction.  Any of us that have been at this awhile know oh to well when a female is in heat, its amazing the things dogs will do to get the second one done.

I just pray folks will come to understand the importance and please consider adding parentage verification via DNA to the top of the long list of must haves when placing their in search ofs.

For if they really want all those "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed they must start with the basics by verifying that the parents with all their genetic, health, and color testing are in fact the parents.

PS.  As for the "what breed is my dog tests"...Well if you have parentage verification via DNA, going back several generations, I'd consider those tests a total waste of money.

                                Heather Ahrens

                                BellaHara Aussies