Selección del manifold para el bloque de válvulas modulares 12

Jan Bruce, Los Gatos, CA; Bettie Campbell, Mt. Laurel, NJ; Roger Gifford, Xenia, OH; Douglas Holloway, Newark, DE; Fred Hyer, Rockford, MI; Leah James, Havana, FL; Scott Kellog, Knoxville, MD; Libby Naimo, Jackson, NJ; Hannu Palonen, Finland; Tiffany Tucker, Lockhart, TX

Sussex Spaniel

Meghen Bassel, Bremen, GA; Larry Berg, Leavittown, NY; Jerry Berkowitz, Gulph Mills, PA; Carol Brown, Myerstown, PA; Laurie Doumaux, Clifton, VA; Kathy Egeland-Brock Gig, Harbor, WA; Jim Fehring, Bixby, OK; Priscilla Gabosch, Collingswood, NJ; Nancy Gallant, Battle Creek, MI; Roger Gifford, Xenia, OH; Fred Hyer, Rockford, MI; Leah James, Havana, FL; Scott Kellog, Knoxville, MD; Douglas Holloway, Newark, DE; Libby Naimo, Jackson, NJ; Alan Santos, New York, NY; Julie Virosteck, Wellsville, KS; Lisa Warren, Fogelsville, PA

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Laurie Doumaux, Clifton, VA; Kathy Egeland-Brock, Gig Harbor, WA; Marcia Evans, Deerfield, MA; Jim Fehring, Bixby, OK; Roger Gifford, Xenia, Oh; Jim Gilroy, York, Me; Karen Gilroy, York, ME; Jeane Haverick, Antioch, IL; Karen Helmers, Greencastle, IN; Douglas Holloway, Newark, DE; Fred Hyer, Rockford, MI; Leah James, Havana, FL; Catherine Carr Lee, S Hadley, MA; Scott Kellog, Knoxville, MD; Sandra Moyer, Palmerton, PA; Libby Naimo, Jackson, NJ; Jean Nazigian, Folsom, PA; Claudia Penella, Tuckerton, NJ; Quinn Ruvacava, Westminster, Ca; Linda St. Hilaire, Canada; Alan Santos, New York, NY; Daniel Sena, Dallas, TX; Julie Virosteck, Wellsville, KS

COCKER SPANIEL SEMINAR IN PUyALLUP, WA

The Rainier Sporting Dog Association in conjunction with the Puyallup Valley Dog Fanciers, Tacoma K.C. and the Sammamish K.C. held an American Spaniel Club approved seminar on the Cocker Spaniel. The seminar was held in Puyallup, WA on Saturday, January 15, 2011. Listed below are the seminar attendees and the city and state where they reside.

Rick Gschwender, Oxford, MI; Carol Hathaway, Bloomington, MN; Ruby Hertz, Oakland, CA; Dianne Kroll, Aloha, OR; Chris Levy, Salem, OR; Lynne Myall, Anacortes, WA; Laura Myles, Snohomish, WA; Sheila Polk, Martinez, CA; Kelly Priestley, Auburn, WA; Wanda Spediacci, Hayward, CA

Dear Members,

In my January 2010 report I discussed the need to investigate the merle gene mutation that has infiltrated our breed and determine an appropriate way to deal with it. Because merle is not currently a choice on the AKC registration, merle Cocker Spaniels are being registered as other colors/patterns, and there is no way to track them. In 2009 the Board approved that we petition the AKC to allow for the addition of the merle pattern to the AKC register with a Z appended to their registration numbers. Dogs so registered could then be tracked for future study. This approach was previously used by Dobermans to track albino Dobermans. The AKC approved our request in the fall of 2010.

If we signal to the AKC that we wish to proceed, the Z registration will be implemented during the summer of 2011. The Z registration would then be appended to the AKC number of any dog registered as merle thereby making it simple to track. The impact of the Z registration would be:

•  Any offspring of any Z registered Cocker (sire or dam) would automatically be registered with a Z designation— no matter the color. This would greatly increase the ability to track these Cockers in pedigrees. Tracking these Cockers is extremely important because the merle mutation is not just a color/pattern; it carries with it dangerous health risks for our breed.

• The Z registration would be in effect for any registrations moving forward and will not apply to any previously registered dogs. The Z registration neither prohibits nor encourages further breeding practices. Breeders who produce merles today are registering these dogs as Cockers in one of the three varieties. With this change, at least they can be correctly identified.

• The Z registration will allow us as the Parent Club and as concerned breeders to track registered merles—which cannot be done today—in support of informed breeding choices. This is not a change to our standard. Merle is not an accepted Cocker Spaniel color and remains a disqualification in the conformation ring.

In addition to petitioning AKC, in early 2010 I asked the ASC Foundation to conduct a three-part study that included:

1.       Researching the evidence showing whether merle is or is not a Cocker Spaniel color.

2.       Researching the scientific evidence that the merle color can produce significant health issues.

3.       Developing an approach for educating breeders, owners and the general puppy buying population on the results of their investigations

The Scientific Research Committee, assisted by the Grants Committee, was tasked with conducting this study by ASCF President Dee Rismyhr. This combined task force was led by Doug McFarlane, a long-time Cocker and English Cocker fancier and judge, former member of ACS Board and many other Spaniel Boards. Doug was joined by Karen Yager, a PhD geneticist and Clumber breeder. You can read about their approach and methodology in the full study report. My layman’s summary of their report is as follows:

• Is merle a Cocker Spaniel color?

A peer-reviewed and validated scientific study of six different breeds with a merle mutation found the gene to be exactly the same in all six breeds. The study concluded that the merle mutation predates all dogs and is behind all breeds—quite possibly going back to their wolf ancestors. Therefore, it is impossible to prove scientifically that the merle mutation could not or would not appear in a Cocker Spaniel.

• Is the merle mutation a health risk?

Yes. While not every single merle Cocker has health issues, the preponderance of health issues directly associated with the merle genetic mutation has been identified in the peer-reviewed scientific studies highlighted by the task force. Also certain other health issues appear at a higher incidence in merles than in other colors/patterns. Additionally the AKC Canine Health Foundation website has identified merle not as a color or pattern but as a disease for which testing is available. • Lastly, education.

We are starting this education with our members by providing the results of the study conducted by the task force and providing an open forum for questions and dialogue. I wanted a study that was absent of opinion or bias and strong on scientific fact; my deepest gratitude goes to Karen, Doug and the ASCF for delivering on this. They will be available for online Q&A through your Zone Directors and in a live online session that will be held within the next couple of months. For now it is very important that you read the results of their report. Once you have reviewed the study, the Board would like to get your thoughts on the decision to move forward on the Z registration. There are several key points to consider.