After completing the survey and finding out the Breed Carrier Risk for the 57 Genetic Defects our dogs carry, I needed a way to work with the numbers that allowed me to see at a glance what risks Kyra carries as opposed to the particular stud I was looking at. I have been driving dog friends and relatives pretty crazy for the last two years as I asked them question after question about Kyra’s line.

I followed Dr. Padgett’s suggestion about making up a Geneticist’s Pedigree. It got so big; I didn’t see how I could even use it. I finally had it reduced at Office Max and got to work. Poor Joanne, Lynda, Diana, Jean, Pam, and Michelle! I have to admit they’ve remained quite patient with me – except when I get the dogs’ names wrong – they don’t like that. So okay, I’m making a big effort to only "say" the name if I know it for sure. I just hate to have to go back to the pedigree and check all these details out, but I will (((smile))).

So, now I can look at the geneticist’s pedigree and see at a glance what genetic defects Kyra has in her lines. What next? I need to make a list of the potential studs and find out what their defects are. Oh no, not again, I thought I was finished. The good news is that these dogs are related and most of their information I already have – but not all of it. So, more e-mail goes out, more requests for information and more willingness on the part of the already-mentioned breeders to help me out. (You know their eyes are probably rolling and they are shaking their heads at this point, but they are humoring me. Diana said at one point, "This is going to be the most researched breeding in history!)

This is when I made up the worksheet you will see on the next page. It allowed me to list Kyra’s Carrier Risk for identified genetic defects in her line. How did I know her Carrier Risk? I went to Dr. Padgett’s book and found the chart that told me the per cent based on her relationship to an affected dog. Okay, now I have Kyra’s risks. Then, I made a column that would allow me to drop in the stud’s name, his known genetic defects, and his carrier risk.

Now, if I was lucky enough to find a dog that carried different genetic defects, the risk each puppy would carry to be affected with any of the combined diseases would be zero. But, I already told you I like her type and if I go to a line that would be more compatible genetically, what would the puppies look like? I’m breeding because I love Kyra’s intelligence and her looks and want more of the same. So, what I will do instead is list in the Breed Carrier Risk Column the pre-determined Breed Carrier Risk (this is the risk there is for anyone randomly breeding two White Shepherds and the number is based on the actual results of our survey). Now if my luck holds, the breed carrier risk will be higher than the risk carried by Kyra and her potential mate. If not, I’ll compute the risk each puppy will carry for any disease both Kyra and her mate are carrying. Then, I have to decide whether this is a safe risk.

If it is not a risk I can live with, back to the drawing board and start looking at other potential studs until I find one that lives up to my dream for Kyra’s offspring.

Dr. Padgett’s book, "The Control of Canine Genetic Disease" provides all the information, charts, tables, and diagrams you will need to become familiar with this process. If you still have questions, you could always call me to see if I could assist you. We need to have a working knowledge of this process and once we do, the result will be healthier, winning White Shepherds – and this is what we all want.

Dam: Beauty

Sire: Beast

Formula for Puppies’ Risk: take Dam’s Carrier Risk, divide by 2; take Sire’s Carrier Risk, divide by 2, then multiply.

Dam’s relationship to Potential Mate: Aunt on Mother’s side

Questions I need to get answered: _________________________________________________________________

Dam:_________________________________________________________________________________________

Sire: _________________________________________________________________________________________

Formula for Puppies’ Risk: take Dam’s Carrier Risk, divide by 2; take Sire’s Carrier Risk, divide by 2, then multiply.

Dam’s relationship to Potential Mate:______________________________________________________________

Questions I need to get answered: _________________________________________________________________