[Sadie]

Just curious for those of you that breed American Bullies or are involved in the Bully community with breeding in general how many of you actually health test your dogs cardiac and hip being the most important prior to breeding. I have read a lot of times bullies fail the hip testing. Would you breed an American Bully if it failed the health testing and how many of you actually have the health testing done prior to breeding?

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

PennHIP Home

 

[Sadie]

Come on Bully People let's not be shy .. This is a real concern for both APBT breeder's and Bully Breeder's but how many of you are actually doing this I seem to never see any heath testing done of many of the bully sites I visit .. Is this because bullies tend to fail health testing ? Or is it because many bully breeders have not yet jumped on the wagon for health testing? This is a general concern as it should be for all breeder's so I am just trying to put it out there to see how many of the Bully Breeder's do this it would be interesting to know as well how many XXL XL bullies pass these tests? I would really love to get some feedback from Bully Breeder's who do health test and from those who don't and why?

 

[davidfitness83]

I prelimed Bernie on his hips most likely mild dysplasia. I don't breed but I wanted to compete and possibly had used his blood to make a bandog but with those results that will never happen.

 

[Sadie]

That's a great answer .. Does it concern you that many of these bullies are bred without health testing being done? I was on a bully forum and I read many bully bullies don't pass hip testing that is why they don't do it? I don't know how true this it .. But I feel that as a breeder if the testing comes back and something is off the dog shouldn't be bred.

 

[Black Label Romo]

I do know of a few kennels who health test...
As far as to why and why not I cannot answer for other people...

 

[Sampsons Dad]

70 percent of all the bull dogs hips x-rays are a mild to moderate displasia.
Stands to reason that bullies would be the same.
People got it wrong...
a mild displasia doesn't mean the dog is useless for breeding
There is a method to the breeding of hips.
If a pup with mild dis is fro a line of dogs with good to fair hips (siblings grand parents and parents) then that dog could theoretically be bred to a "good" hip dog and produce a good litter.
That is the problem with people not putting in time to learn how to use the tools of modern vet medicine. Plus these Bully breeders don't even care if they have APBT papers or Bully papers so why would they put in the time and money to the breed?

 

[Sampsons Dad]

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

 

[Sadie]

This is not about game dogs .. This is the bully 101 thread. I am just asking a question because it should be important to any breeder. And I know several APBT breeder's who do health test but that is besides the point. I am just trying to get an idea if it's generally done or not. And if it's not done why? I have no problem with breeding big dogs as long as they are healthy. I have talked to a few Bully Breeder's myself so I am just putting it out there.

 

[Black Label Romo]

Okay...well then the answer would be no...I do not see it done as often as it should be...why...you'd have to ask them lol...

 

[Sampsons Dad]

This is not about game dogs .. This is the bully 101 thread. I am just asking a question because it should be important to any breeder. And I know several APBT breeder's who do health test but that is besides the point. I am just trying to get an idea if it's generally done or not. And if it's not done why? I have no problem with breeding big dogs as long as they are healthy. I have talked to a few Bully Breeder's myself so I am just putting it out there.

I am not talking abut APBT ...I am talking breeders in general.
We have the same problem in Mastiff breeders.

 

[Sadie]

70 percent of all the bull dogs hips x-rays are a mild to moderate displasia.
Stands to reason that bullies would be the same.
People got it wrong...
a mild displasia doesn't mean the dog is useless for breeding
There is a method to the breeding of hips.
If a pup with mild dis is fro a line of dogs with good to fair hips (siblings grand parents and parents) then that dog could theoretically be bred to a "good" hip dog and produce a good litter.
That is the problem with people not putting in time to learn how to use the tools of modern vet medicine. Plus these Bully breeders don't even care if they have APBT papers or Bully papers so why would they put in the time and money to the breed?

Thank You Sampson this is what I was looking for :goodpost: Very good post. I have actually visited some bully forums and was told that most bullies don't pass the hip testing... So I was trying to give some other bully folks the chance to respond to that I am always open to learning more. I am pretty firm in believing that dogs should be health tested in these times. And that you should know and be aware of any health problems that surround your dogs in the first few generations prior to breeding that dog. Obviously you would need to outweigh the benefits/risks of breeding that dog depending on the results.

 

[Black Label Romo]

I do believe she was talking to me Sampsons Dad lol...
sorry for the confusion!

 

[Sadie]

I am not talking abut APBT ...I am talking breeders in general.
We have the same problem in Mastiff breeders.

I am sorry I should have quoted I was speaking to Lone Star .. Your answer was much appreciated and very helpful

 

[Sampsons Dad]

I am sorry I should have quoted I was speaking to Lone Star .. Your answer was much appreciated and very helpful

:woof::woof::woof:

 

[Black Label Romo]

I agree awesome post Sampsons Dad...
And thank you for the links! I will definitley be looking into this more!! I'm always ready to learn...
Good topic Sadie thanks!

 

[Indigo Bully Connection]

Well, in MOST cases you cannot judge a dog by it's outward appearance. That is why there are things like health testing. I know I've heard of a couple of breeders who took a dog in knowing it would fail and it passed and vice versa. It's much more common in the GSD world. IMO, if there hasn't been health testing to start with how can the community lump their dogs together and say "oh, it's a lost cause... they're a bully and there's no need in health testing because i know he will fail". That is pure crud I tell ya!

What it all boils down to is that people are far too sensitive to invest their money into a test that could come back as a negative, thus tarnishing the reputation of their kennel. When they have had their hearts set on banking on their dogs reproductive system from the moment the turn on the computer screen to Google American Bully or Bully Pits etc. before purchasing their first dogs. Ignorance is bliss especially when your Christmas presents are secure under your tree because of the money you made pawning off those Christmas puppies.

 

[BullyTheKid]

Health testing is relative new even in the show world of the American pit Bull terrier, by new im saying 10 years, with a boom of requiring health tests in the last 5 years.

The American Bully community is not as versed on the procedures and tests that should be used to determine breeding potential or stock. If the average American Bully owner has dogs that are under the age of 4 they may have not experienced a dog that is dysplastic, therefore the need to health test will not neccesarily be on their mind.

The majority of all breeders do not use health testing, in regards to hips and hearts. The statistics that say most fail, I would challenge based soley on the fact that few dogs have been tested to have an adequate sample size to pass a judgement. Health testing is also not going to elimninate dysplasia or heart issues, often times people breed sub par dogs based on the passing of health tests when the dog is structuarally not a dog that should be bred.

The American Bully does have breeders that health tests, as a member of the community I encourage health testing, although I encourage hearts over hips, if its one or the other.
To state that most would fail is based soley off of appearance and not science as I doubt very many have been tested. However, you show me the ones who have recieved a OFA poor, or who are dysplastic and I will show you some who have passed. I know of one very predominate Bully male who was dysplastic, but I also know of dogs that are 4 times bred on said dog who are OFA good.

The reason for the lack of health tested dog, is purely a lack of education and mentorship in the area of testing.

 

[Sampsons Dad]

"Founded and originally incorporated as a private not for profit foundation in 1966, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has passed its 40th birthday and is moving into the future."

You are right Bully the Kid, a lack of proper mentor ship and research is to blame.

 

[Indigo Bully Connection]

Health testing is relative new even in the show world of the American pit Bull terrier, by new im saying 10 years, with a boom of requiring health tests in the last 5 years.

The American Bully community is not as versed on the procedures and tests that should be used to determine breeding potential or stock. If the average American Bully owner has dogs that are under the age of 4 they may have not experienced a dog that is dysplastic, therefore the need to health test will not neccesarily be on their mind.

The majority of all breeders do not use health testing, in regards to hips and hearts. The statistics that say most fail, I would challenge based soley on the fact that few dogs have been tested to have an adequate sample size to pass a judgement. Health testing is also not going to elimninate dysplasia or heart issues, often times people breed sub par dogs based on the passing of health tests when the dog is structuarally not a dog that should be bred.

The American Bully does have breeders that health tests, as a member of the community I encourage health testing, although I encourage hearts over hips, if its one or the other.
To state that most would fail is based soley off of appearance and not science as I doubt very many have been tested. However, you show me the ones who have recieved a OFA poor, or who are dysplastic and I will show you some who have passed. I know of one very predominate Bully male who was dysplastic, but I also know of dogs that are 4 times bred on said dog who are OFA good.

The reason for the lack of health tested dog, is purely a lack of education and mentorship in the area of testing.

No ! Thank you... not enough of them health test in the first place to be able to even back up the statement that most will fail.

 

[Sadie]

These are both very good posts and I thank you both for answering my questions. I do believe there should be more pushing for health testing on both sides of the fence. But because the American Bully is typically a much larger dog there are certain health concerns such as cardiac and hip testing that should be done prior to breeding. You wouldn't want to produce a whole litter of unhealthy pups for the sake of making money off them. Well you shouldn't anyway I can't speak for every breeder's intentions. I think this should be an issue that is pushed and brought to light within in the Bully community if you don't mind me saying so.