Download Trailrunners Labradors P.O. Box 940 Big River, SK Canada S0J 0E0

Trailrunners Labradors
P.O. Box 940
Big River, SK
Canada S0J 0E0
The Canadian Kennel Club
200 Ronson Drive, Suite 400
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9W 5Z9
ATTENTION: Mr. Elio Furlan, Ms. Wendy Maisey,
Ph:
306-469-8009
Fax: 306-469-5767
[email protected]
www.trailrunners.ca
February 15 2014
Re: Retriever (Labrador)
Please forgive for the form letter nature of this letter. At Trailrunners we feel strongly about the following matter
and the wording below exactly states our feelings.
The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) is a world respected registry of purebred dogs.
The Labrador Retriever Club of Canada, Inc. (LRC, Inc.) wishes to work with the CKC to maintain the
strength of the Labrador Breed and supports the Rules of Eligibility Pilot Project (September 2013) required
under the Animal Pedigree Act that will allow the CKC to have breeders of litters certify that the sire and
dam of a litter are of the breed standard.
In that respect, it seems that the registry of the Labrador Retriever is about to go wrong, or has already
gone wrong. This concerns not only the LRCC, Inc., but also the Labrador Clubs and breeders throughout
the world.
The cause of these concerns lies in the fact that more and more dogs are being bred in Canada, with
pedigree certificates which state that the dogs are Labrador Retrievers with the colours black, yellow or
chocolate, while in reality these are dogs that are carriers of the so-called “dilute” (dd) gene. The ‘dd’ gene
is characterized by a “diluted” coat colour and light eyes, which are called “charcoal” or “blue” if the base
colour is black, “champagne” if the base colour is yellow, and “silver” if the base colour is chocolate. In
particular, the “silvers” are becoming more and more popular with the general public and substantial
amounts of money are paid for puppies and adult dogs.
On first sight it seems that there is nothing to worry about with these practices, because these dogs have
the recognized colours on their pedigree certificates, and as such they can formally be entered in the
Canadian Kennel Club studbook. However, the duties of the Kennel Club as keeper of the studbook
surpass that of formal administrator. One cannot pretend that nothing is wrong, only because of the fact
that the paperwork looks okay.
The fact is that the “dilute” (dd) gene or locus is alien to the Labrador Retriever breed. This gene is simply
not present in the breed. In order to keep the studbook closed, and maintain the purity of the Labrador
Retriever breed, the public expects the CKC should ensure that no genes alien to the breed are entered.
The reputation of the Canadian Kennel Club is at stake.
The “dilute” (dd) gene surfaced in the United States in the late forties and early fifties of the last century. In
those years there were no DNA tests available, and unfortunately these dogs were registered as Labrador
Retrievers. Information has arisen that the breeder who produced these dogs, a Mr. Mayo Kellogg from
Kellogg Kennels, was an important customer of the American Kennel Club (AKC). Mr. Kellogg bred several
breeds, including the Weimaraner, a breed which carries the “dilute” (dd), and the dogs often ran free.
Initially these dogs were registered as “silver”, until the Labrador Retriever Club
Inc. (LRC), the parent club of the American Labrador Retriever clubs, objected to these practices. From
that moment the “dilute” (dd) dogs were registered with the recognized three coat colours of the Labrador
Retriever.
More than half a century later we sadly have to observe that the American studbook of the Labrador
Retriever, as maintained by the American Kennel Club (AKC), contains more than 35,000 dogs that carry
the “dilute” (dd) gene. Not all carriers are also phenotypically affected. However, these dogs that only carry
the gene are passing it on to their offspring.
This means that we simply cannot be satisfied with a phenotypical (” by eye”) check, let alone by simply
looking at a pedigree certificate. Genetic research of these dogs by means of DNA tests will need to take
place to ensure that the stud book stays closed. Any presence of the “dilute” (dd) genes in the Labrador
Retriever is unacceptable.
Genetic laboratories have confirmed that it is perfectly possible to show the presence of the “dilute” (dd)
gene. These studies have already been developed and can be used today. The costs are about $55.00 to
test for the “dilute” (dd) allele.
Now science has progressed, it can be shown that the DNA of a dog contains genes which are alien to the
Labrador Retriever breed, which means that such a dog CANNOT be a purebred Labrador Retriever.
Kennel Clubs, including the AKC, are increasingly under fire because of these extremely unacceptable and
dangerous developments, which need to stop immediately. It’s only a matter of time before the first lawsuit
in the United States against the American Kennel Club appears, as the AKC in their pedigree certificates
quite wrongfully gives the impression that these “dilutes” are purebred Labrador Retrievers. If the National
Kennel Clubs are not willing or able to effectively guarantee or monitor the purity of a dog, then who is?
And what is the value of a pedigree certificate?
National Kennel Clubs have the means to prevent non-purebred dogs from entering the studbooks. If in
doubt about the presence of the “dilute” (dd) gene in Labrador Retrievers, one should require the applicant
of a pedigree certificate to prove that this particular dog or litter is free from the “dilute” (dd) gene, by means
of DNA testing by accredited laboratories.
Trailrunners is asking the Board of the Canadian Kennel Club
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to require that any Labrador Retriever has to show the results of a DNA test proving that the dog is
free from the “dilute” (dd) gene prior to registration.
to require that any Labrador Retriever litter being registered in future ask for proof that the sire and
dam are DNA tested to prove that they are purebred and do not contain the “dilute” (dd) gene allele.
To require that these tests samples are collected by a veterinarian who has verified and certified
that the dog is the dog represented in the CKC Registration or other registry.
The task of the Kennel Club is to guard the purity of the breed. This is a very serious task. Trailrunners.
will co-operate fully with the CKC to ensure that our breed stays true.
Should the suggestion of DNA testing be implemented, the ‘dilute’ species calling itself Labrador Retriever
will probably still exist but will not be associated with any quality registry service such as the Canadian
Kennel Club. The CKC’s stud book will again be pure within a Labrador’s lifetime or +/- 15 years.
Yours sincerely, Fran Oudshoorn, Owner, Trailrunners Labradors