History of the German Pinscher-page 2

HISTORY IN CANADA

Canada recognized the German Pinscher in January of 2000 when it was brought forward from the Miscellaneous classes of the Canadian Kennel Club and slotted into the Non Sporting group for regular competition. Prior to this, the breed was seen only in pockets in Canada, at rare breed shows or in obedience or performance events.

The Canadian Kennel Club has for this breed, as well as all breeds recognized by them, a Written Standard Of Perfection that the dogs are judged by during conformation shows, and used by breeders to attempt to improve upon each generation of dogs.

The CKC has set out a set of guidelines in this standard that are similar to many other countries that recognize this breed. Size, colour and temperament being outlined in detail. According to the CKC, only black with tan or red markings and solid red or stag red (red intermingled with black hairs) are recognized for registration. The GPCC recognizes this uniqueness in the logo of the club showing examples of both colours that are permitted. The dilutes of Blue with tan and fawn are ineligible for competition within the Canadian Kennel Club system. It is the goal of the GPCC that these dilutes be considered not eligible for registration in the future, as has been the case with many European registries in an attempt to maintain what we believe is the true Pinscher colour(s)

The GPCC was founded to ensure the preservation of this breed which has already been on the brink of extinction in the recent past. The Club has set out guidelines to its membership to ensure that health and breeding to the written standard be followed, allowing this breed to thrive in Canada and beyond. The strict Code of Ethics was created to show all involved in this breed that the GPCC takes the preservation of this breed seriously and will not permit the misuse either in over breeding, breeding of substandard dogs or misrepresentation of the breed to the public in any form.

The GPCC follows the strict rules of the Canadian Kennel Club regarding the proper registration of all dogs born in Canada to be registered, as required by the Federal Animal Pedigree Act, with the CKC. The GPCC also strives to educate the public about puppy mills, back yard breeders and those that do not have the breeds best interest at heart. Our members are in good standing with the Canadian Kennel Club and foreign members must also be in good standing with the Registry of their country to maintain membership status within this club.

EVOLUTION OF THE PINSCHER-SCHNAUZER FAMILY

BIBARHUND (7^th Century)

TANNER (14^th Century)

BENTCHUR or RATTENFANGER (19^th Century)

PINSCHER

smooth haired pinscher

wirehaired pinscher

small pinscher	smooth pinscher	silk pinscher	wire pinscher	large pinscher
smooth-haired min. pinscher	smooth-haired pinscher	AFFENPINSCHER	wire-haired min. pinscher	wire-haired pinscher	SAUBELLER or SAUFINDER
German shorthair min. pinscher	German shorthair pinscher		German wirehaired min. pinscher	German wirehaired pinscher	OBERLANDER
German shorthair min. pinscher	German shorthair pinscher		German wirehaired min. pinscher	German wirehaired pinscher	MUNCHENER SCHNAUZER
MINIATURE PINSCHER	GERMAN PINSCHER	AFFENPINSCHER	MINIATURE SCHNAUZER	STANDARD SCHNAUZER	GIANT SCHNAUZER

Since time immemorial, a typical kind of dog shared the life of the southern German rural population. The species was about nineteen inches tall, had either a smooth or wiry coat of an inconspicuous colour ranging from brown over gray to black. Known as the Bentchur or rattenfanger, they were mainly used as watchdogs and vermin killers in and around the homesteads. From this primal stock, modern cynology has developed well defined pinschers and schnauzers of different sizes, coats and colours.

HEALTH INFORMATION

Von Willebrand's Disease

*Info from the Vetgen site

vWD-Type I - Bernese Mountain Dog, Drentsche Patrijshond, Doberman Pinscher, German Pinscher, Kerry Blue Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Papillon, Pembroke Welsh Corgi and Poodle.

Type I von Willebrand’s disease in the above breeds occurs as the mild form, as distinguished from the severe form, which occurs in Scottish Terriers and Shetland Sheep Dogs. It is characterized by the abnormally low production of a protein found in the blood called von Willebrand’s factor which plays a key role in the complex process of clotting a damaged blood vessel. Breeds with the severe form produce no von Willebrand’s factor. More details about the disease may be found in the documents below. These documents were written about Doberman Pinchers, but as the other breeds above have the same mutation, the molecular biology and clinical manifestations will be the same in these breeds and therefore these documents apply to the other breeds as well.

There are three possible test results: Clear, Carrier, and Affected. Below is a description of what each result means to you as a breeder.

CLEAR This finding indicates that the gene is not present in your dog. Therefore, when used for breeding, a Clear dog will not pass on the disease gene.

CARRIER This finding indicates that one copy of the disease gene is present in your dog, but that it will not exhibit disease symptoms. Carriers will not have medical problems as a result. Dogs with Carrier status can be enjoyed without the fear of developing medical problems but will pass on the disease gene 50% of the time.

AFFECTED This finding indicates that two copies of the disease gene are present in the dog. These dogs always have a potential to bleed given the right circumstance and will always pass on the disease gene (mutation) to their progeny. Please see the following page, and follow all the links for more detailed information. http://www.vetgen.com/vwdrpt.html Also, inform your veterinarian and consult with him/her regarding this test result.

Breeding Pair Combinations	CLEAR MALE	CARRIER MALE	AFFECTED MALE
CLEAR FEMALE	100% Clear	50/50 Carrier/Clear	100% Carrier
CARRIER FEMALE	50/50 Carrier/Clear	25/50/25 Clr./Carr./Affctd.	50/50 Carrier/Affected
AFFECTED FEMALE	100% Carrier	50/50 Carrier/Affected	100% Affected

Ideal Breeding Pair. Puppies will not have the disease gene (neither as Carrier nor as Affected).

Breeding Is Safe. No Affected puppies will be produced. However, some or all puppies will be Carriers. Accordingly, it is recommended that Carrier dogs which are desirable for breeding be bred with Clear dogs in the future, which will produce 50% carrier and 50% clear animals, to further reduce the disease gene frequency. These offspring should be tested by VetGen's test for this defective gene, and if possible, only the clear animals in this generation should be used.

High Risk Breeding. Some puppies are likely to be Carriers and some puppies are likely to be Affected. Even though it is possible that there will be some clear puppies when breeding "Carrier to Carrier", in general, neither this type of breeding pair nor "Carrier to Affected" are recommended for breeding.

Breeding Not Recommended. All puppies will be genetically Affected.

COLOUR DILUTION ALOPECIA

What is colour dilution alopecia?

This condition develops in some, but not all dogs that have been bred for unusual coat colour, especially "fawn" (a dilution of a normally red or brown coat) or "blue" ( a dilution of the normal black and tan coat colour). Alopecia means hairlessness - affected dogs have a poor, patchy haircoat progressing to widespread permanent hair loss. At the cellular level, there are abnormalities of the hair follicles and uneven clumping of pigment (melanin) granules in the hair shafts in affected areas

How is colour dilution alopecia inherited?

The inheritance is unclear. The condition is thought to be due to the interaction of different factors at the gene position for colour. It is not simply determined by the genes at that locus, because not all dogs with colour dilution develop coat problems.

What breeds are affected by colour dilution alopecia?

This condition is seen most commonly in Doberman pinschers with unusual coat colours (as many as 90% of blue Dobermans and 75% of fawns). The condition also occurs but is less common in other breeds bred for unusual coat colours: Bernese mountain dog, chihuahua (blue), chow chow (blue), dachshund (blue), Great Dane (blue), Irish setter (fawn), miniature pinscher (blue), saluki, schipperke (blue), Shetland sheepdog (blue), standard poodle (blue), whippet (blue), Yorkshire terrier (grey-blue).

For many breeds and many disorders, the studies to determine the mode of inheritance or the frequency in the breed have not been carried out, or are inconclusive. We have listed breeds for which there is a consensus among those investigating in this field and among veterinary practitioners, that the condition is significant in this breed.

What does colour dilution alopecia mean to your dog & you?

Dogs with this condition are born with a normal haircoat. Those with lighter blue or fawn hair coats usually start to show changes by 6 months while in dogs with darker steel blue coats, the changes may not be evident until 2 or 3 years of age. Your dog will experience hair loss and dry skin. Sometimes the earliest sign is a recurring bacterial infection (folliculitis), generally on the back, where you will see small bumps which are infected hair follicles. This clears up temporarily with antibiotics, but the affected area is very slow to regrow hair, or remains hairless.

Hair loss is usually first apparent on the back and by 2 or 3 years has spread over all the light coloured areas of the body. The exposed skin is often scaly and is susceptible to sunburn or extreme cold. Your dog's health is not otherwise affected by this condition.

How is colour dilution alopecia diagnosed?

Your veterinarian may suspect this disorder if your dog has typical haircoat changes and is an unusual colour for the breed. The diagnosis is confirmed through microscopic examination of plucked hairs or a skin biopsy. The latter is a simple procedure, done with local anesthetic, in which your veterinarian removes a small sample of your dog's skin for examination by a veterinary pathologist. The biopsy will show changes characteristic of this condition.

For the veterinarian: Careful microscopic examination of plucked hairs will show large clumps of melanin distributed unevenly along the hair shaft.

In young dogs, demodicosis or other inherited hair defects should be considered while in dogs with a later onset (2 to 3 years of age), endocrine disorders (particularly hypothyroidism) should be ruled out.

How is colour dilution alopecia treated?

Your dog can lead a normal healthy life with periodic symptomatic treatment as needed - moisturizing rinses for dry scaly skin or antibiotics for bacterial infections.

Since early hair loss occurs due to breakage, you may be able to slow the rate of loss by avoiding harsh shampoos and vigorous grooming.

For the veterinarian: There have been some early reports of hair regrowth using etretinate treatment . (See resource below.)

Breeding advice

Affected dogs, their parents and siblings should not be used for breeding. The condition can be entirely avoided by the use of non-colour-diluted dogs in breeding programs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DISORDER, PLEASE SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN.

Resources

Scott, D.W., Miller, W.H., Griffin, C.E. 1995. Muller and Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology. p. 777. W.B. Saunders Co., Toronto.

Power, H.T., Ihrke, P.J. 1995. The use of synthetic retinoids in veterinary medicine. In S.J. Ettinger and E.C. Feldman (eds.) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. p 585-590. W.B. Saunders Co., Toronto.

Copyright © 1998 Canine Inherited Disorders Database. All rights reserved.
Revised: December 29, 2007.

This database is funded jointly by the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

CERF

Eye Conditions

*Info from the CERF website

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Julie Gionfriddo, DVM
Diplomate ACVO
ACVO Genetics Committee/CERF Liaison

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the name given to a group of hereditary retinal diseases in dogs. Although there are several classifications of the disease according to the age of onset of the disease and the types of retinal pathology which occur, almost all forms of PRA eventually lead to complete blindness. In some breeds of dogs, such as the Irish Setter and Norwegian Elkhound the disease begins very early in life (as early as 6 weeks of age.) In this type of PRA, there is a problem with the initial development of the rods and cones (the light receptor cells in the retina). The puppies with this disease often show behavioral signs associated with decreased vision as early as 12 weeks of age and may become completely blind by 1 to 2 years of age.

Miniature and Toy Poodles, American and English Cocker Spaniels, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Labrador Retrievers have a form of PRA called progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd). This is the most widespread hereditary retinal disease leading to blindness in dogs. It usually has a later onset, and affected dogs may have decreased vision or blindness at 4 to 7 years of age. In this type of PRA the rod and cone cells of the retina develop normally but gradually degenerate.

The first sign of most types of PRA is night blindness. This is because the rods (the cells which allow vision in reduced light) degenerate before the cones (the cells which allow vision in the bright light). Often dogs will bump into objects in a dimly lighted room; a room in which a person can see well enough to avoid the object. Gradually dogs with PRA will lose their ability to see in lighted rooms and will go completely blind. They will frequently have dilated pupils. Sometimes owners will notice increased shininess or hyperreflectivity to the back of the eye.

Veterinary ophthalmologists who examine dogs with PRA will see a decrease in the size and number of the retinal blood vessels and a change in the reflectivity of the tapetum (the shinny membrane behind the retina). An important test done by ophthalmologists to diagnose PRA is an electroretinogram (ERG). This test detects the small electrical signals given off by the cells of the retina when they respond to light. The ERG is done by placing a contact lens on the eye and 2 small electrodes on the head. A bright light is then flashed into the eye. If the retina is normal, a distinctive signal is given off by the retina which is amplified and measured on a computer. If the retina is abnormal, the signal will be reduced in amplitude.

In all breeds except Siberian Huskies, PRA is inherited by an autosomal recessive gene. In Huskies it is thought to be a sex linked recessive trait. Since it takes 2 recessive genes (one from the mother and one from the father) in the same puppy to produce a dog with PRA, this inherited disease is difficult to remove from a breed. The PRA gene may be "hidden" in the genome and the disease may not occur in many generations of puppies, only to show up when 2 dogs carrying the PRA gene are bred together. In many breeds, the only way to determine if a dog or bitch carries the PRA gene is to test breed him or her. This involves breeding a known affected dog to a dog that is suspected to be a carrier and having the puppies examined for PRA. This is expensive and time consuming (especially in breeds with late onset PRA).

Fortunately, Drs. Gustavo Aguirre and Gregory Acland at the James A. Baker Institute at Cornell University have localized the gene for prcd in some breeds of dogs to chromosome 9. This has led to the development of a blood test for PRA. The test will be available in the fall of 1998 for Portuguese Water Dogs. Other breeds for which the genetic test will be available in the future include the Labrador Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, and English Cocker Spaniel. The ability to identify carriers of the gene for PRA by a blood test will be a tremendous aid to dog breeders.

Nutritional Cataracts

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PERSISTANT PUPILLARY MEMBRANES

What are persistent pupillary membranes (PPM)?

Persistent pupillary membranes are strands of tissue in the eye. They are remnants of blood vessels which supplied nutrients to the developing lens of the eye before birth. Normally these strands are gone by 4 or 5 weeks of age.

Depending upon the location and extent of these strands, they may interfere with vision. They may bridge from iris to iris across the pupil, iris to cornea (may cause corneal opacities), or iris to lens (may cause cataracts), or they may form sheets of tissue in the anterior chamber of the eye. In many dogs these tissue remnants cause no problems.

How are persistent pupillary membranes inherited?

Inheritance is not defined.

What breeds are affected by persistent pupillary membranes?

PPM are known or strongly suspected to be inherited in the basenji, Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh corgi, mastiff, and chow chow. This problem is particularly significant in the basenji where the strands often bridge to the cornea, causing opacities which may impair sight. In the basenji the condition has been seen with optic nerve coloboma - a cavity in the optic nerve which, if large, causes blindness.

PPM are also seen in many other breeds, including the Akita, Alaskan malamute, American and English cocker spaniel, Australian shepherd, basset Griffin vendeen (petite), beagle, bearded collie, Belgian sheepdog, Belgian tervuren, Bichon frise, Bouviers des Flandres, Chesapeake Bay retriever, collie (rough and smooth), Doberman pinscher, English springer spaniel, golden retriever, Gordon setter, Havenese, Irish setter, Labrador retriever, Lakeland terrier, Lowchen, miniature bull terrier, Norwegian elkhound, Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, Old English sheepdog, papillon, poodle (all sizes), Portuguese water dog, samoyed, Scottish terrier, Shetland sheepdog, soft-coated wheaten terrier, Tibetan terrier, Welsh springer spaniel, West Highland white terrier, Yorkshire terrier.

What do persistent pupillary membranes mean to your dog & you?

Generally persistent pupillary membranes cause no problems. However if attached to the cornea or lens, the strands can cause opacities which may interfere with vision. The cataracts that can occur with PPM usually don't worsen.

How are persistent pupillary membranes diagnosed?

PPM are seen in young dogs. You or your veterinarian may notice small white spots in your dog's eyes, or you may suspect that your dog's vision is impaired if the condition is severe. With an ophthalmoscope, your veterinarian will be able to see the membranous strands, and whether they adhere to the lens or cornea.

How are persistent pupillary membranes treated?

There is no treatment for the membranes themselves and in most cases there are no associated problems. If there is significant edema or "bluing" of the cornea due to adhesions, hyperosmotic eyedrops may help. Surgery may be required if there are extensive cataracts.

Breeding advice

This is a particularly common defect in basenjis. Affected dogs and their close relatives should not be used for breeding. Ideally, all basenjis, even those not obviously affected, should have careful ophthalmic examinations for PPM before their use in a breeding programme.

The defect is also significant in Welsh corgis (Pembroke and Cardigan), chow chows, and mastiffs. Affected dogs and their close relatives should not be used for breeding.

In other breeds, parents and siblings of affected dogs should be examined ophthalmoscopically. If close relatives are affected, breeding is discouraged. Where PPM appears to be an isolated incident, breeders may use their discretion.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DISORDER, PLEASE SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN.

Where to find more information?

Gelatt, K.N. 1991. Veterinary Ophthalmology. Lea and Febiger.

OVC

Hip Displasia

*Ontario Vet College

Hip Displasia is a condition common in many breeds including the German Pinscher. Ontario Vet College offers certification for breeders to ensure that their breeding stock is clear from this structural and life threatening problem.

In effect, the ball of the hip joint and the socket to which it sits, is deformed in some way or to some degree creating pain and discomfort for the animal and allowing for arthritis to add to the problem. There are varying degrees of HD and only by ex-ray's can the breeder know for certain if their dogs are clear of this problem. HD is considered to be hereditary and GPCC requires that all breeding dogs must be certified by OVC to be clear of this problem.

Dogs are ex-rayed by certified veterinarians and these films are sent to OVC for grading. The Ontario Vet College grades them as either clear of Hip Displasia or showing signs of Hip Displasia. The latter constitutes a failing grade and breeding is not recommended from these animals. Dogs may not be certified by OVC until they are a minimum of 18 months of age. OVC considers that hips clear of Hip Displasia are the equivalent of a "good" or "excellent" grading using the OFA system in the USA. The GPCC requires that no dogs rating less than a "good" in OFA or having failed OVC certification be used for breeding.

Although it is possible for cleared sire and dam to produce HD in their offspring, it is generally considered that deliberately breeding affected animals is not in the best interest of the breed and is not permitted within the GPCC.