VICTORIA, British Columbia: Have traditional canine breeding techniques gone to the dogs?
A naturally-occurring mutant gene creating 'musclebound freak' bully whippets in certain strains of racing whippet has highlighted the conflict of interest between traditional dog breeders, owners who race their dogs and biotech companies who tweak the canine genetic code purely for reasons of profit.
Fox and Wendy are two whippets who are normal in almost every way. While Fox (the lighter-colored one) has an light, agile build, Wendy is probably three times bulkier than Fox - and it's all muscle.
According to the New York Times, Wendy is a "bully whippet"- a musclebound, heavyset version of her more-spindly siblings. Bully whippets are usually put to sleep (even though they have a normal whippet temperament in every way) simply because they don’t live up to the American Kennel Club whippet standard.
However, more recently breeders are starting to value the "mutant bully" gene more highly. These whippets are becoming much-sought-after animals - because of their remarkable racing careers at the dog-tracks.
According to Dr. Barry Starr of TheTech.org, the fastest whippets have a mutant copy of the myostatin gene- the gene responsible for making muscle in lots of animals (including dogs, cows and humans). Bully whippets in fact have two copies of this mutant gene. And with a DNA screening test on the way, whippet breeders are on record as saying: “We’re going to keep the speed and lose the bullies.”
The New York Times reports that dog breeders are now using new discoveries in genetic research to take the next step in playing around with the canine gene pool. Already, companies like Vetgen and Healthgene that are now offering dozens of DNA tests to tailor the way dogs and cats look, improve their health and, perhaps soon, enhance their athletic performance.
And as traditional dog breeding takes a more radical, scientific approach, the question is: Has canine breeding gone to the dogs?
Well, in a way, it has always been there. Ever since man domesticated the first canine companions several thousand years ago, selective breeding has always been in the picture - resulting in the development of wild dogs and wolves into their more domestic working dog and family pet cousins we know today.
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“These days, however, it seems that it's all about business. Using DNA tests, you can now choose the gender of your new litter of puppies, or check on the exact genetic make-up of your family pooch should you so wish it.”
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According to AOL, there are more than 200 types of pure breed dogs, although The American Kennel Club recognizes only 165 of them.
Innovative cross-breeding continues to give some of the more interesting designer dogs we know now: Puggles (cross between a Pug and a Beagle), Chowggles (Beagle and a Chow Chow), Labradoodles (Labrador & Poodle), and Chiweiners (Chihuahua/Dachshund), are some of the more popular varieties today.
Of course, it used to be much simpler then. Our forefathers only wanted better dogs - dogs to join them on the hunt, dogs to tend their flocks, or dogs to get along with the kids. When they needed a dog to jump in burrows to chase after prey, they came up with terriers. Or retrievers to go after downed game-fowl.
These days, however, it seems that it's all about business. Using DNA tests, you can now choose the gender of your new litter of puppies, or check on the exact genetic make-up of your family pooch should you so wish it. Labrador breeders try to come up with as many exotic silver-coated retrievers as possible. And you have Mastiff breeders test DNA to avoid the occasional shaggy-haired "fluffy" whelps.
It's not so simple though; scientists and breeders have found that certain genes are often tied to multiple traits. One example - those funky silver-coated Labradors are actually prone to skin problems.
Everything is all about business nowadays. Scientists just don't seem to care about the pooches. Just because they are dogs, it doesn't mean that they should be experimented on, mutated, or whatever genetic testing they want to do. That just bites. I think that you should never mess with genetics. Messing with what's natural can be harmful. Dogs were made to be the way they were and no one has the right to mess with that!
if they're just going to kill off those large whippets, they should send them out for adoption instead! i'm sure those bully whippets are perfectly good pets- i'd adopt one in a flash!
To say that messing with genetics is wrong on all levels is silly. If it werent for humans messing with genetics in a very barbartic sense, then we would not have domesticated dogs at all. Every pooch that you love so much is a direct result of man messing with nature, whether through breeding practices or through modern science. It is sometimes too easy to focus in on a single issue and forget the big picture...
i can't believe the american kennel association would kill those poor whippets just for being so different- that's just racist in a way.
whippets are very loving, very gentle and very affectionate little dogs- i remember one of the people at the dog park had a couple of whippets and they were so friendly with the other dogs. shame on anyone who'd just off them just because they're different. that's just mean.
Actually nobody TRIED to breed the "bully" whippets or expermaented with mutating genes, they just showed up spontaniously- like German Shepards with hip displasia showed up and children with cystic fibrosis show up. The new study was generated by breeders trying to find a source of this - was it a DNA error like downs syndrome, and envirometal toxin like bulldog calves, or a genetic issue.
One thing we think a miconception from the study that has been carried forward is that most bullies were put down, as far as anyone can determine by talk amoung breeders, most are alive & well, but the study found few because few are born. Understand, that extra bulk requres extra care to gain a good quality of life. A few of the early one's a good quality of life could not be acheived because of lack of knowlage of this new thing (the first bully was born barely over a decade ago).
We hope for a test so no more dogs needing special care are born, just as German shepard breeders x-ray hips in hopes no pups with hip problems are born.
its a same that these back yard breeders have created the bully whippet. what has been a dark secret comes out into the light. For years these dogs have been kill at birth. Just a damn shame
I've owned and been active in the whippet community for over ten years and know many breeders, particularly of race whippets, that have been active in this for decades and NO ONE puts down their bully whippets. I don't know where this myth arose, put no one euthanises double-muscled whippets. What they actually do--they adopt the dog out as a pet-quality whippet (rather than for showing) and require it to be spayed or neutered. I repeat, no one is killing these puppies. If you feel the need to verify this, contact anyone in WRAP (Whippet Rescue and Placement) of the US. Or LOTRA. Or local breed, racing, or lure coursing clubs.
If you want to report a story on sighthounds culled and euthanised as puppies, do a story on greyhound racing. But try to get the facts right next time.
it's scary to think that people mix breeds to come up with new breeds. i don't know if this is a good idea. just like the silver coated labradors. their prone to skin problems. i'm sure other mutant breeds will probably display some sort of physical problem.
Hey, we have a bully whippet back home (our 2-year old Grizzie), and she's just the most adorable thing. I have absolutely no idea whether people put them down or not- but Grizzie gets all the love and attention she needs, just as much as every other dawgie back home.
i feel that these scientists are treading on dangerous waters. i don't believe in touching the dogs' dna. if you think about it, these dogs might look good on the outside but what about the inside? it's actually a bit scary if you think about it.
i think this is all wrong just cause a dog looks different doesnt give scientists the right to kill and mutate them theyre living creatures just like humans and they do not deserve to be treated this way they are freakin animals its not like they dont have lives i think this is wrong and how would you feel if you were being mutated by a bunch of scientists its just not a way of life let the dogs live they should have a chance to live now if your gonna test on these dogs you might as well test on yourself they have the same right to live as you and they are wonderful dogs and pets now dont interupt nature with sciense and money LEAVE THESE DOGS ALONE!!!!!!!!!
before we put the blame on the scientists, maybe it's the breeders we should castigate. The scientists merely identified the gene, its the breeders who dispose of the 'undesirables'. Blame the market mentality of some breeders who'll mindlessly get rid of these 'undesirables' just so that their bottom line isn't compromised.