Valued personality traits in livestock herding Kelpies-Development and application of a livestock herding dog assessment form.

Livestock herding dogs contribute greatly to the rural economy of Australia. However, their selection currently lacks a cohesive or methodical approach. For example, there is no accessible tool for assessing Australian livestock herding dogs' suitability for work. The purpose of the current study was to devise a herding dog assessment form, the Herding Dog Assessment Form-Personality (HDAF-P), to facilitate collection of data on relevant behavioural phenotypes of large numbers of working Kelpies and to apply the HDAF-P to identify personality traits needed for herding dog performance. The focus was on creating a succinct form that was salient and accessible to livestock herding dog owners. Wherever practical, terms and methods from published personality questionnaires were integrated. Seventeen terms were included as behavioural descriptors in the HDAF-P which was then used by 95 owners to assess a sample of 228 of their working Kelpies. Owners were also asked to rate the overall ability of their dog(s). Of these dogs, 210 (all twelve months or older) were fully described and their data were used in the analysis. Thus, the study was designed to reveal which personality traits are most critical to the overall ability of the herding dogs and to undertake an exploratory analysis of the patterns of dog behaviour revealed by the HDAF-P in non-juvenile dogs. The traits that showed the strongest correlations (using Kendall's Tau correlation analysis) with overall ability were initiative (T = 0.41, p < 0.001), persistence (T = 0.36, p < 0.001), intelligence (T = 0.32, p < 0.001), confidence (T = 0.36, p < 0.001) and nervousness (T = -0.30, p < 0.001). An exploratory principal component analysis of trait scores revealed that 64.5% of the variance could be explained by four components that share several similarities with those reported by previous dog personality studies. These findings confirm that the HDAF-P has potential for the practical assessment of livestock herding dog personality and can elucidate traits that should be considered for prioritisation in training and breeding to optimise herding dog ability.

The race that segments a nation: Findings from a convenience poll of attitudes toward the Melbourne Cup Thoroughbred horse race, gambling and animal cruelty.

The annual Melbourne Cup Thoroughbred horse race has iconic status among many Australians but sits in the context of increasing criticism of the welfare of Thoroughbred racing horses and the ethics of gambling. Despite heated debates and protests playing out in the public domain, there is scant empirical research to document Australian attitudes to the Melbourne Cup, or horse racing more generally. Specifically, little is known about how support for or against the Melbourne Cup correlate with age, gender, income and level of education. To provide a more nuanced understanding of attitudes towards the cup beyond the rudimentary binaries of those who are 'for' or 'against' gambling and horse racing, the purpose of the study was to identify clusters of people with particular views. An opportunistic survey collected data on respondents' gender, age, place of residence, weekly income, employment status and highest level of education, and sought their level of agreement with six statements about the Melbourne Cup, gambling and animal cruelty. Ordinal logistic regression and Chi-square analysis were used to evaluate the age and gender of respondents in clusters respectively. Agreement with the statements revealed some significant associations. Male respondents were at greater odds for agreement with the statement: I regularly bet on horse races (OR = 2.39; 95% CI = 1.78-3.22) as were respondents aged 18-19 years (OR = 2.88; 95% CI = 1.13-7.35) and 20-24 years (OR = 1.90; 95% CI 1.00-3.62) compared with the median 35-40 years age bracket. Agreement with the statement: I will watch the Melbourne Cup but will not place a bet was more likely among the full-time employed (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.10-2.32), for those aged 20-24 years (OR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.16-2.95). The odds of increasing agreement with the statement: I have never been interested in the Melbourne Cup were multiplied by 0.87 (95% CI = 0.82-0.92) with each successive five-year age bracket. The most useful of the predictor variables for agreement was level of education. The odds of increasing with the statement: I have become less interested in the Melbourne Cup over recent years because of my concerns with gambling were multiplied by 1.09 (95% CI = 1.02-1.15) for each increased level of education. Agreement with the statement: I have become less interested in the Melbourne Cup because of my concerns about animal cruelty was weaker amongst male respondents (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.48-0.80), and those in increasing age brackets (OR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.83-0.93). A series of six clusters were identified that show how certain attributes of respondents characterise their responses. The authors labelled these clusters "Devotees" (n = 313; 30.4% of respondents), "Flaneurs" (n = 244; 21.8% of respondents), "Disapprovers" (n = 163; 15.9% of respondents), "Casuals" (n = 148; 14.4% of respondents), "Gamblers" (n = 126; 12.3% of respondents) and "Paradoxical-voters" (n = 54; 5.3% of respondents). The implications for support of the Melbourne Cup are explored.

Inbreeding levels in an open-registry pedigreed dog breed: The Australian working kelpie.

The depletion in genetic diversity of closed-pedigree dog breeds can be a contentious topic and can lead to calls for open-registry. However, strong evidence in support of proposed open-registry solutions is lacking, with the reproductive isolation of these breeds unlikely to be the sole cause of elevated inbreeding levels. Human-induced limitations, such as popular sire effects, are unlikely to be confined to closed-registry breeds and conceivably play an important role in maintaining genetic diversity within all breeds. Consequently, the aim of the current study was to explore inbreeding levels in an open-registry breed and determine the impact open-registry has on genetic diversity. Complete pedigree records on all Australian working kelpies (AWKs) were provided by the Working Kelpie Council with the cleaned pedigree consisting of 86,671 individuals with a median pedigree depth of 6.6 generations. The average inbreeding coefficient in the AWK population was 0.049 with an increase in inbreeding coefficient of 0.0016/year. This demonstrates that opening a breed registry can have a beneficial impact on the level of inbreeding within a population over the longer-term. However, allowing for a generation length of 5.1 years yielded an effective population size of 61 for AWKs and demonstrated a pattern consistent with closed-registry dog populations of comparable size.

Reported Motivations and Aims of Australian Dog Breeders-A Pilot Study.

It is estimated that around 40% of Australian households currently own dogs that have been acquired from a variety of sources, including purpose-bred litters. However, little is known about how litters are being planned, whelped, and raised and less still on what motivates breeders to adopt their current practices. The current study used on online survey to explore the motivations and aims of Australian dog breeders; the breeding and selling practices Australian dog breeders favor and the extent to which breeders classify their breeding in terms of business, or hobby. Responses from breeders (n = 275) revealed that whilst most did not commence breeding to make financial gain, 86% of participants who answered the question confirmed that the making of money when they breed was a very important aim. Most breeders did not view their breeding as a commercial activity, despite nearly 20% of them confirming that they had declared income from the breeding and selling of puppies to the Australian Taxation Office.

Is Whip Use Important to Thoroughbred Racing Integrity? What Stewards' Reports Reveal about Fairness to Punters, Jockeys and Horses.

The idea that whip use is critical to thoroughbred racing integrity is culturally entrenched but lacks empirical support. To test the longstanding beliefs that whip use aids steering, reduces interference, increases safety and improves finishing times, we conducted a mixed-method analysis of 126 race reports produced by official stewards of the British Horseracing Authority, representing 1178 jockeys and their horses. We compared reports from 67 "Hands and Heels" races, where whips are held but not used (whipping-free, WF), with 59 reports from case-matched races where whipping was permitted (whipping permitted, WP). Qualitative coding was used to identify and categorise units of analysis for statistical testing via logistic regression and linear mixed model regression. For both types of race, we explored stewards having anything to report at all, movement on course, interference on course, incidents related to jockey behaviour and finishing times. There were no statistically significant differences between WF and WP races for anything to report (OR: 3.06; CI: 0.74-14.73), movement on course (OR: 0.90; CI: 0.37-2.17), interference (OR: 0.90; CI: 0.37-2.17), jockey-related incidents (OR: 1.24; CI: 0.32-5.07), and race times (0.512 s, t = 1.459, p = 0.150). That is, we found no evidence that whip use improves steering, reduces interference, increases safety or improves finishing times. These findings suggest that the WF races do not compromise racing integrity. They also highlight the need for more effective ways to improve the steering of horses.

Epidemiological study of dogs with diabetes mellitus attending primary care veterinary clinics in Australia.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to establish the prevalence, risk factors and comorbidities/sequelae for diabetes mellitus (DM) in Australian dogs presented to first-opinion veterinary practices. METHODS: Electronic patient records of dogs (n=134,329) attending 152 veterinary clinics during 2017 were sourced through VetCompass Australia. They included 418 dogs with DM; a prevalence of 0.36 per cent (95 per cent CI 0.33 per cent to 0.39 per cent) in Australian dogs attending these veterinary clinics. By comparing with the reference group of rarer breeds and unidentified crossbreeds, multivariable modelling was used to reveal breeds (and their crosses) with significantly higher odds of having DM. RESULTS: The results revealed that breeds (and their crosses) with significantly higher odds of having DM were Australian terriers (ORs=7.93 (95 per cent CI 2.83 to 22.27)), Siberian huskies (OR=6.24 (95 per cent CI 2.51 to 15.54)), English springer spaniels (OR=5.37 (95 per cent CI 1.48 to 19.53)), West Highland white terriers (OR=4.85 (95 per cent CI 2.55 to 9.25)), miniature schnauzers (OR=3.47 (95 per cent CI 1.16 to 10.35)), all types of poodles (OR=3.41 (95 per cent CI 2.07 to 5.61)), bichon frises (OR=3.41 (95 per cent CI 1.65 to 7.01)), schnauzers (OR=3.18 (95 per cent CI 1.42 to 7.11)) and cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS; OR=1.84 (95 per cent CI 1.08 to 3.13)). Breeds with lower risk were German shepherd dogs (OR=0.11 (95 per cent CI 0.01 to 0.84)), golden retrievers (OR=0.09 (95 per cent CI 0.01 to 0.68)) and boxers (no cases identified). Fisher's exact tests showed that labradoodles were diagnosed significantly more often than purebred Labradors (P=0.04) and did not differ significantly from poodles (P=0.81). Cavoodles did not differ significantly from either CKCS (p~1.00) or poodles (P=0.12). Spoodles were significantly less diagnosed than poodles (P=0.003) but did not differ from cocker spaniels (P=0.66). Desexed male dogs had a higher odds of DM than entire male (OR=0.62 (95 per cent CI 0.39 to 0.98)) and desexed female dogs (OR=0.76 (95 per cent CI 0.61 to 0.96)). Comorbidities/sequelae associated with canine DM included suspected pancreatitis (OR 10.58 (95 per cent CI 5.17 to 22.78)), cataracts (OR 9.80 (95 per cent CI 5.65 to 17.35)), hyperadrenocorticism (OR 6.21 (95 per cent CI 3.29 to 11.88)), urinary tract infection (OR 5.09 (95 per cent CI 1.97 to 13.41)) and hypothyroidism (OR 4.10 (95 per cent CI 1.08 to 15.58)). CONCLUSIONS: Breeds at most risk included Australian terriers and Siberian huskies as previously reported, as well as, for the first time, English springer spaniels. In contrast to other populations where there is female predisposition for DM, desexed male dogs in Australia were at increased risk for DM compared with both entire males and desexed females. This predisposition for desexed males to develop DM warrants further investigation.

Picture Perfect Pups: How Do Attributes of Photographs of Dogs in Online Rescue Profiles Affect Adoption Speed?

To increase the public's awareness of and exposure to animals needing homes, PetRescue, Australia's largest online directory of animals in need of adoption, lists all currently available animals from rescue and welfare shelters nationwide. The current study examined the photographs in the PetRescue online profiles of the three most common breeds within these data, namely, Staffordshire bull terriers (n = 3988), Labrador retrievers (n = 2246), and Jack Russell terriers (n = 2088), to identify the inferred preferences of potential adopters. By investigating the attributes of these photographs, we were able to identify visual risk factors associated with protracted lengths of stay (LOS). The longest stays were associated with dogs with erect ears and those photographed in a natural environment, i.e., 18.32 days and 19.57 days, respectively. Dogs photographed in a kennel and with mouths closed had the shortest LOS, i.e., 11.54 d and 14.44 d, respectively. Heightened awareness of the roles of photographic attributes in generating interest among potential adopters may increase the speed of adoption by guiding the creation of online profiles and selection of photos to optimise the promotion of dogs at risk of long stays.

Reported Acquisition Practices of Australian Dog Owners.

In Australia, the UK and the US dog ownership is prevalent with an estimated 40% of Australian households, 25% of UK households, and 50% of US households owning a dog. Once acquired, a dog usually becomes a family companion so, unlike a faulty product, it can rarely be returned or resold without some emotional impact on both the acquirer and the dog. Regarding the reality of dog relinquishment, there is a growing need for cross-disciplinary research that considers how dog owners are making their acquisition choices and, if prioritising different attributes, leads to more optimal acquisition choices. This research collected data from 2840 dog owners via an online survey and examines how owners prioritised various attributes when acquiring their latest dog. The Pearson-Blotchky analysis of survey results show owners are split into two groups, with each group prioritising different attributes or characteristics in their search for a new dog. The first group are those dog owners who prioritised: the ability to rescue a dog, how compatible the dog was on the first meeting, and how compatible they believed the dog would be with their household. The second group are those owners who prioritised: a dog's morphology, temperament predictability, and breeding practices. While each group prioritised different attributes, neither group made substantially more optimal acquisition choices in terms of overall satisfaction with the dog that they ultimately selected.

Battle of the Sexes in Best of Breed: Sex Influences Dogs' Success in the Show Ring.

Much of the research on pedigree dog breeding has been directed towards understanding the implications of reduced genetic diversity and the prevalence of inherited disorders. An example is the potential role of the popular sire effect in perpetuating genetic defects. If male dogs are more likely than bitches to be identified as examples of members of a breed that align with breed standard, they may be selected for breeding earlier. This may contribute to the influence of individual males and contribute to popular sire effect. Conversely, if breed standards are written in a sex-neutral fashion, and if dogs are entered, exhibited, and judged in a sex-neutral fashion, then we would expect the success of female dogs in the show ring to be equal to that of their male counterparts. With a focus on toy and giant breeds, the current pilot study collated samples of dog show results to explore relationships between sex and the likelihood of success in the show ring. It focused on toy and giant breeds to explore any differences in equity, if it existed, at either end of the size and concomitant age-at-maturation spectrum. For the purpose of this study, toy breeds were those that weigh < 10 kg at maturity while giant breed dogs were those that exceed 45 kg. Within these two clusters, the least (n = 3) and most popular (n = 3) breeds were then selected to explore any potential role of sex on success in the show ring. The popularity of breeds was determined using the numbers of dogs registered with the Australian National Kennel Council. Using results from dog shows (n = 18) from 2015 to 2016, data on 1,080 dogs were obtained. Within these 12 breeds for the 18 shows, there were 137 Best of Breed (BOB) titles awarded: Pug (n = 18), Toy Poodle (n = 18), Bullmastiff (n = 14), Rottweiler (n = 17), Fox Terrier (Smooth) (n = 18), Bloodhound (n = 3), Schnauzer (miniature) (n = 15), Great Dane (n = 17), Norfolk Terrier (n = 10), Norwich Terrier (n = 5), Central Asian Shepherd Dog (n = 2). Despite the near parity of male and female dogs being exhibited, of these 137 titles, 86 (62.8%) were awarded to male dogs (at least 41 individuals) and 51 (37.2%) to female dogs (at least 32 individuals) showing that male dogs are more likely to win BOB titles (χ² = 9.4455, df = 1, p-value = 0.002117). Among the toy subset of breeds, this effect was higher (χ² = 6.798, df = 1, p-value = 0.009126) than among the giant breed subset, for whom the advantage to male dogs did not reach statistical significance versus χ² = 3.0967, df = 1, p-value = 0.07845). This suggests that judges find the male dogs more appealing, presumably because they are more aligned with breed standards.

Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders.

BACKGROUND: Labrador retrievers are reportedly predisposed to many disorders but accurate prevalence information relating to the general population are lacking. This study aimed to describe demography, mortality and commonly recorded diseases in Labrador retrievers under UK veterinary care. METHODS: The VetCompass™ programme collects electronic patient record data on dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practices. Demographic analysis covered all33,320 Labrador retrievers in the VetCompass™ database under veterinary care during 2013 while disorder and mortality data were extracted from a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) of these dogs. RESULTS: Of the Labrador retrievers with information available, 15,427 (46.4%) were female and 15,252 (53.6%) were male. Females were more likely to be neutered than males (59.7% versus 54.8%, P <  0.001). The overall mean adult bodyweight was 33.0 kg (SD 6.1). Adult males were heavier (35.2 kg, SD 5.9 kg) than adult females (30.4 kg, SD 5.2 kg) (P <  0.001). The median longevity of Labrador retrievers overall was 12.0 years (IQR 9.9-13.8, range 0.0-16.0). The most common recorded colours were black (44.6%), yellow (27.8%) and liver/chocolate (reported from hereon as chocolate) (23.8%). The median longevity of non-chocolate coloured dogs (n = 139, 12.1 years, IQR 10.2-13.9, range 0.0-16.0) was longer than for chocolate coloured animals (n = 34, 10.7 years, IQR 9.0-12.4, range 3.8-15.5) (P = 0.028).Of a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) Labrador retrievers under care in 2013 that had full disorder data extracted, 1277 (61.6%) had at least one disorder recorded. The total number of dogs who died at any date during the study was 176. The most prevalent disorders recorded were otitis externa (n = 215, prevalence 10.4%, 95% CI: 9.1-11.8), overweight/obesity (183, 8.8%, 95% CI: 7.6-10.1) and degenerative joint disease (115, 5.5%, 95% CI: 4.6-6.6). Overweight/obesity was not statistically significantly associated with neutering in females (8.3% of entire versus 12.5% of neutered, P = 0.065) but was associated with neutering in males (4.1% of entire versus 11.4% of neutered, P < 0.001). The prevalence of otitis externa in black dogs was 12.8%, in yellow dogs it was 17.0% but, in chocolate dogs, it rose to 23.4% (P < 0.001). Similarly, the prevalence of pyo-traumatic dermatitis in black dogs was 1.1%, in yellow dogs it was 1.6% but in chocolate dogs it rose to 4.0% (P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: The current study assists prioritisation of health issues within Labrador retrievers. The most common disorders were overweight/obesity, otitis externa and degenerative joint disease. Males were significantly heavier females. These results can alert prospective owners to potential health issues and inform breed-specific wellness checks.

Differentiation between dogs with thrombosis and normal dogs using the overall hemostasis potential assay.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the overall hemostasis potential (OHP) and calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) were significantly different between dogs with thrombosis and normal dogs. ANIMALS: Ten dogs with clinical evidence of thromboembolic disease had both OHP and CAT performed. Forty healthy control dogs had OHP performed, and 23 of these also had CAT performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Dogs with thrombosis had significantly higher OHP (P = 0.003), overall coagulation potential (P = 0.0001), and maximum optical density (Max OD, P < 0.0001) than normal dogs, and a significantly longer delay in the start of clot formation (P = 0.01). Max OD was higher than established reference intervals in 80% of the dogs with thrombosis. Using the CAT assay, dogs with thrombosis had a significantly longer lag time than normal dogs (P < 0.001). Plasma fibrinogen concentration correlated positively with overall coagulation potential, OHP, Max OD, and the slope of the OHP curve (P < 0.05), and was increased in 90% of dogs with thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: The OHP assay findings were significantly different between normal dogs and those with thrombosis. CAT did not detect any significant differences between these populations of dogs, other than the lag time of the assay.

Evaluation and modification of the overall hemostasis potential assay for use with canine plasma.

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the overall hemostasis potential (OHP) assay for use with canine platelet-poor plasma and determine reference intervals in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 40 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES: Blood was collected from the dogs into citrated tubes, and platlet-poor plasma was obtained. The OHP assay and standard coagulation assays (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen concentration) were performed for each sample. The OHP assay outputs were tested for correlations with results of the standard coagulation assays, age, and sex. RESULTS: Modifications to the published methodology for the OHP assay were required for use with canine plasma, with less coagulation activator (thrombin) and more fibrinolysis activator (tissue plasminogen activator) than used with human plasma. Male dogs had a higher OHP than did females. High fibrinogen concentrations were associated with increases in maximum optical density, OHP, and overall coagulation potential, and reduced prothrombin time was associated with increases in maximum optical density, overall coagulation potential, OHP, and maximum slope. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results supported the use of the OHP assay as an accessible, cost-effective global coagulation assay. Further research is required to determine its clinical application as an alternative to thromboelastography or thrombin generation assays.

Genetic correlations among canine hip dysplasia radiographic traits in a cohort of Australian German Shepherd Dogs, and implications for the design of a more effective genetic control program.

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a common musculoskeletal disease in pedigree dog populations. It can cause severe pain and dysfunction which may require extensive medication and/or surgical treatment and often ultimately requires humane euthanasia. CHD has been found to be moderately heritable and, given its impact on welfare, should be considered an imperative breeding priority. The British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club scoring method is one of several measures used to assess the genetic propensity of potential breeding stock for dysplastic changes to the hips based on radiographic examination. It is a complex measure composed of nine ordinal traits, intended to evaluate both early and late dysplastic changes. It would be highly desirable if estimated breeding values (EBVs) for these nine traits were consolidated into a simpler, EBV-based, selection index more easily usable by breeders. A multivariate analysis on the phenotype scores from an Australian cohort of 13,124 German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) returned genetic correlations between 0.48-0.97 for the nine traits which fell into two trait groups, Group 1 reflecting early changes ("laxity") and Group 2 reflecting late changes ("osteoarthritis"). Principal components analysis of the ordinal EBVs suggested the same pattern, with strong differentiation between "laxity" and "osteoarthritis" traits in the second component. Taking account of all results, we recommend interim use of two selection indexes: the first being the average of ordinal EBVs for "laxity" traits and the second being the average of ordinal EBVs for "osteoarthritis" traits. The correlation between these two selection indexes (0.771-0.774) is sufficiently less than unity enabling the selection of dogs with different genetic propensity for laxity and for osteoarthritic CHD changes in GSDs; this may also be applicable in other breeds. Dogs with low propensity for severe osteoarthritic change in the presence of laxity may be of interest both in molecular research and breeding programs.

Estimated breeding values for canine hip dysplasia radiographic traits in a cohort of Australian German Shepherd dogs.

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a serious and common musculoskeletal disease of pedigree dogs and therefore represents both an important welfare concern and an imperative breeding priority. The typical heritability estimates for radiographic CHD traits suggest that the accuracy of breeding dog selection could be substantially improved by the use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) in place of selection based on phenotypes of individuals. The British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club scoring method is a complex measure composed of nine bilateral ordinal traits, intended to evaluate both early and late dysplastic changes. However, the ordinal nature of the traits may represent a technical challenge for calculation of EBVs using linear methods. The purpose of the current study was to calculate EBVs of British Veterinary Association/Kennel Club traits in the Australian population of German Shepherd Dogs, using linear (both as individual traits and a summed phenotype), binary and ordinal methods to determine the optimal method for EBV calculation. Ordinal EBVs correlated well with linear EBVs (r = 0.90-0.99) and somewhat well with EBVs for the sum of the individual traits (r = 0.58-0.92). Correlation of ordinal and binary EBVs varied widely (r = 0.24-0.99) depending on the trait and cut-point considered. The ordinal EBVs have increased accuracy (0.48-0.69) of selection compared with accuracies from individual phenotype-based selection (0.40-0.52). Despite the high correlations between linear and ordinal EBVs, the underlying relationship between EBVs calculated by the two methods was not always linear, leading us to suggest that ordinal models should be used wherever possible. As the population of German Shepherd Dogs which was studied was purportedly under selection for the traits studied, we examined the EBVs for evidence of a genetic trend in these traits and found substantial genetic improvement over time. This study suggests the use of ordinal EBVs could increase the rate of genetic improvement in this population.

Heritability and phenotypic variation of canine hip dysplasia radiographic traits in a cohort of Australian German shepherd dogs.

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a common, painful and debilitating orthopaedic disorder of dogs with a partly genetic, multifactorial aetiology. Worldwide, potential breeding dogs are evaluated for CHD using radiographically based screening schemes such as the nine ordinally-scored British Veterinary Association Hip Traits (BVAHTs). The effectiveness of selective breeding based on screening results requires that a significant proportion of the phenotypic variation is caused by the presence of favourable alleles segregating in the population. This proportion, heritability, was measured in a cohort of 13,124 Australian German Shepherd Dogs born between 1976 and 2005, displaying phenotypic variation for BVAHTs, using ordinal, linear and binary mixed models fitted by a Restricted Maximum Likelihood method. Heritability estimates for the nine BVAHTs ranged from 0.14-0.24 (ordinal models), 0.14-0.25 (linear models) and 0.12-0.40 (binary models). Heritability for the summed BVAHT phenotype was 0.30 ± 0.02. The presence of heritable variation demonstrates that selection based on BVAHTs has the potential to improve BVAHT scores in the population. Assuming a genetic correlation between BVAHT scores and CHD-related pain and dysfunction, the welfare of Australian German Shepherds can be improved by continuing to consider BVAHT scores in the selection of breeding dogs, but that as heritability values are only moderate in magnitude the accuracy, and effectiveness, of selection could be improved by the use of Estimated Breeding Values in preference to solely phenotype based selection of breeding animals.

Empowering international canine inherited disorder management.

The mapping of the canine genome and the study of canine breed genomic architecture has revolutionized the discovery of genetic tests for inherited disorders in dogs. As the genetics underlying complex disorders are revealed, canine breeders and their registering organisations will be required to understand genetics in a much more sophisticated way. To facilitate the management of genetic disorders in the era of new complex information, we consider how best to apply the results of new research and analytical techniques to benefit the wider canine breeding community with the aims of improving canine health and maintaining benevolent genetic diversity. If this is not done, there is a serious risk that expensive and valuable genetic research will remain unused or be misused to the detriment of breeds. In this review, we make a case for the formation of an international organisation that will exist as a central repository for breed-based genetic analysis and information sharing. This organisation ("Inter-Dog") could be modelled on a similar organisation that is monitoring genetic improvement of dairy cattle. The formation of such an organisation will require the collaboration of international kennel management organisations, researchers, and agencies offering genetic testing services.