:Spamalot…Spamanot
Posted: May 9, 2008 Filed under: Apso Aficionados 2 CommentsMy own Word Play on this very silly theatrical production.
Spam. Spamanot. Shirley’s post was not spam. Yet, there it sat since April 24. The spam filter for the blog does an amazing job…usually. Browsing through my own version of Spamalot (which isn’t very silly at all), I discovered Shirley’s comment on ‘:A first…’ having to do with Chandra and her (keep your fingers crossed!!) dual sired litter. My heart did a flip flop. Shirley had been to the blog! Cool! Drat! Her comment didn’t show up! So here it is, along with my apologies for not visiting my own Spamalot more often. Sorry Shirley! Please come back now and again!
Hmmm a dual sired litter. There was a time (and probably still with many) when that would not be news you would share. Some would register the litter from the male they thought ‘most likely’, or not registered at all. But it is a tantalizing concept–double breeding. If sperm from both males take, you get an idea of variations in the offspring due to the different sires. And if there should be a large litter with good representation from each sire, what knowledge to be gained with just the one pregnancy. I must say it does intrigue me. I do wonder, though, even with DNA testing to sort out the kids, what our governing canine orgs might say/do with a breeder that clearly repeated this dilemma. After all, accidents happen, and the DNA is a great tool for ascertaining the “guilty” party, but to purposely double breed a bitch with the hope of getting offspring from both might be a concept the CKC and/or AKC have trouble accepting.
Kunza at FleetFire Timbers 
I can’t speak for the Canadian Kennel Club, but AKC has allowed dual-sired litters since 2000. UKC – United Kennel Club – has allowed them even longer. UKC was a pioneer in both DNA profiling and dual-sired litters. UKC was established in 1898. AKC has, on occasion, recognized UKC registration for ‘new’ breeds, however UKC is not an AKC recognized domestic registry.
The Gompa dogs are registered with both GLAPP and UKC and are DNA profiled. Proper registration is important for the Gompa dogs for a number of reasons, including continuing documentation of their unique heritage. GLAPP’s Registry was set up with the help of the head registrar of the Society for the Perpetuation of the Desert-Bred Saluki, which is now an AKC recognized domestic registry. I would like to see the same thing for GLAPP’s Registry and would never intentionally do anything to jeopardize credibility.
Debby
Certainly credibility is an issue with the registering bodies no matter what we as breeders assert. And you have a huge responsibility so you aren’t going to put it at risk. With the availability and perhaps affordability in the future, DNA testing may be more widely used as a regular tool by breeders for intentionally dual sired litters. Perhaps moving into a more scientific realm in breeding, we could even see the day when surrogate dams are used to produce a litter from a bitch whose carrying capacity is nil. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? The inability to carry a litter to term may NOT be inherited. Hmmmmm