What breeds have the least health problems???

changes

Hi

I am looking to get a dog soon, i really like the black labradors or some lab crosses. I'm more concerned with getting a healthy dog than a particular breed tho.

I have heard alot recently about the health issues of some purebreeds.

Can anyone offer any advice on breeds that have the least inbreeding or health problems.

A friend told me that Rotweilers have quite a good health record??
I haven't had a dog for quite a few years so the rottie may be a bit of a handful.

What should I look out for to maximise my chances of getting a dog that will live a long healthy life.

Thanks

Dee_animallover

Any dog can develop health problems but crossbreds definatly seem to suffer less. Why not have a look in your local pound/shelter?

I have a golden lab/red setter cross myself and if I could only have the same type dog for the rest of my life Id have them - soooo clever and gentle!

mrgardener

I always thought that purebreeds dont last as long as their mongrel brothers and sisters, as they need special diets etc and are more prone to certain ailments /diseases etc.

lrushe

Your always going to be taking a gamble when getting a dog. Generally speaking if your looking for a long lived dog a mixed breed ( the more mix the better ) would be best.
Again there is always the exception to the rule as I've always had long lived pedigree dogs. Smaller dogs generally will out live bigger dogs. Dogs like Tibetan Spaniel, Chihuahua or Lhasa Apso are dogs that spring to my mind when thinking of long lived dogs.
As a Rottie owner I can tell you that they can be a v.sickly breed. Cancer is a big concideration with them especially bone cancer, they can also suffer with their eyes, heart, hips and elbows. No matter which breed you go for always choose from a reputable breeder who has done the relevent health checks on the parents for that particular breed, its no guarantee of completely healthy offspring but it certainly puts the odds in your favour. Also a reputable breeder will usually give you the option of returning a pup or getting a part refund if their pup does end up with an illness.

supermum1

I agree, crossbred dogs are usually less likely to develop health problems but unfortunately any dog can become ill. Caring for your dog has a massive role to play in their health and length of life. A good diet plenty of excersise and regular check ups/vaccines will all help keep your dog heatlthy and happy!!

changes

Thanks for the replies.

Mixed breed or try to find a reputable breeder seems to be the way to go.

I have read recently horror stories of some purebreed dogs being bred to adhere to a particular standard for showing them even though they had health problems.

Sigma Force

We have three dogs the collie and the Phalene are the healthiest our cross breed although healthy is the one with the over sensative stomach and has the most visits to the vet.

Any dog can have health issues of course some breeds are more prone than others and dogs like boxers, king charles some bichons have skin issues.

If you go for pure breed a responsibly bred collie or even a rescue collie could be the way to go, our collie is 11 years old now picked up from the streets when she was around 3 years old and she's never had any major problems.

Have you considered the rescue route a good rescue will have their dogs health checked fully before hand and if there's any major problems you can go back to them for advice. Tons of labs and lab crosses in rescue.

Magenta

Greyhounds are very healthy as they are bred to be fit and fast rather than for what they look like.

EGAR

I'll second that about GH's - also none of my lurchers has ever been seriously ill and my oldest lurcher is now 14.


However, from experience and over a thousand dogs taken in and rehomed: mixed breed dogs can suffer just as badly from genetic problems as purebred ones. I've seen it all in mongrels: epi, HD, ED, congenital heart probs etc pp.

changes

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Have you considered the rescue route a good rescue will have their dogs health checked fully before hand and if there's any major problems you can go back to them for advice. Tons of labs and lab crosses in rescue.

Yeah a rescue is a great idea especially with the health check. I wouldn't have enough experience to look at a pup and spot a really healthy one from a not so healthy one if i was calling to breeders.

changes

EGAR wrote: »

However, from experience and over a thousand dogs taken in and rehomed: mixed breed dogs can suffer just as badly from genetic problems as purebred ones. I've seen it all in mongrels: epi, HD, ED, congenital heart probs etc pp.

Thats very interesting. I don't know alot about genetics. If you had a pure bred rottie and a pure bred labrador each with a particular health issue and they had pups.

What would the likelihood of the pups getting each or both their parents health problems or would the likelihood decrease.

EGAR

For example, I've had a Rottweiler x GSD, she inherited the worst of the genetic diseases from both breeds, in particular HD and ED. One doesn't have to be well versed in genetics to realise that if you cross two breeds/dogs heavily ladden with genetic problems, the pups wont be the healthiest.

Alot of the problems in purebred dogs stem from line breeding, i.e. inbreeding which is rampant in alot of breeds. With a purebred dog you have a fair idea what it could likely develop in regards of genetic problems. With a crossbred dog (F1 generation, i.e. product of two different breeds) you can have magnified problems as you COULD get the worst of the two breeds combined as it happened with my RWxGSD. With a mongrel those chances could lessen, however, there are genetic mutations that can jump generations.

Alot of studies re purebred vs mongrel health have been falsified unintentionally by the simple fact that alot more mongrels than purebreds are neutered which automatically cuts out several types of cancer.

At the end of the day there will never be a garantee that the dog you fall in love will and take home is absolutely healthy. As dogs are being all bred from the same gene pool, regardless of purebred, crossbred or mongrels.

I suggest a bit of reading: http://www.siriusdog.com/dog-genetic-mutations-genome-2.htm

It's the same with TB Horses.
All Thoroughbreds today can trace their ancestry back to just three stallions who lived in the 1700-1800's. Between 60%-70% of all Thoroughbreds alive today trace back to just one horse born in 1961, Northern Dancer.

lorebringer

Taking on any dog is a risk - regardless of breed and/or mix. For example, larger breeds tend to suffer with joint problems even if they are a mixed breed. If the dog is a mixed breed you may not know what the parents were and the dog could end up with the bad traits of both of the parents breeds, it's all a gamble. Also, many dogs develop health problems not "typical" of breed/parents breed (if mixed) as they get older simply from the wear and tear of life.

The only advise I can give is if you can see the parents and even grandparents (obviously, this really only applies with pure breeds) and have written health certs (eg. hip scores, ECG results etc.) for both - if you cannot see the grandparents you should be able to get health certs. for them. The third generation, ie. the pup you are hoping to take home, should follow in the footsteps of the previous generations and develop (or not develop) generally the same problems. For example, if the grandparents developed heart murmurs at around 6 years of age and died of heart attacks at 11 years and the one of the parents developed a heart problem at 5 years but the other is heart clear at 5 years, and both are still alive, your new puppy should have generally the same health pattern (probably a heart murmur at about 5/6 years and death at about 11ish years). Finding a good breeder that is not in it for the cash at the end is so important with regards to your dogs health.

I am a huge advocate of rescue dogs, often getting an adult is for more advantageous than getting a young puppy and there are so many unwanted dogs out there that are perfectly good but have been let down by people in their lives (for example, I cannot count the number of dogs in rescues that "got too big" or "are too hyper" because people didn't to the research on the breed or didn't exercises and train the dog properly). There are loads of pure breeds and mixed breeds in pound and rescues around the country and I would definitely recommend checking them out.

golden8

Hi There we have a lab shes from working stock both parents are hunting dogs . These dogs are bred for their agility not for looks like the greyhound. What is termed as "designer dogs" still can have problems ie labradoodle or goldendoodle. both lineage dogs can suffer hip displesia so could carry onto the "designer dogs".

but having said that the normal crossbreds do appear to be healthier. I had a dog which was a cross bred (lab x springer) which is still a bit raw as she had to be pts due to brain tumour she was having seizures too regularly and the quality of life was not their for her (she died at the age of 16 on Fri 12.02.10.

changes

golden8 wrote: »

I had a dog which was a cross bred (lab x springer) which is still a bit raw as she had to be pts due to brain tumour she was having seizures too regularly and the quality of life was not their for her (she died at the age of 16 on Fri 12.02.10.

Sorry to hear about that golden8, thats only friday past there it must be difficult after 16 yrs.

EGAR

These dogs are bred for their agility not for looks like the greyhound.

Greyhounds are bred for function, i.e. racing/coursing, not for looks. There are very very few show strains in that breed.

changes

EGAR wrote: »

I suggest a bit of reading: http://www.siriusdog.com/dog-genetic-mutations-genome-2.htm

I read part 1 and 2 of the link, sounds like a bit of a mess. Hopefully it can be brought back on track with health top of the criteria.

EGAR

Yes, I consider it a well researched and founded work which shows the importance of responsible breeding. But I can see little change ahead as people still rather go for looks than health.

My heart breaks every time I see an English Bulldog. They used to be such an agile and fit breed and look at them now, carricatures of their former selfs. Same goes for the Rough Collie, GSD and so many other breeds.

golden8

changes wrote: »

Sorry to hear about that golden8, thats only friday past there it must be difficult after 16 yrs.

Thanks the house is empty without her even my lab is pining for her and will not settle.

1071823928

there was a show on tv3 or rte a while back about breeding dogs and a lot of purebred dogs are actually inbred which has led to a lot of deformities and ill health for the dogs.
it also said that the healthiest dogs are the complete mix dogs.

personally id recommend going to an animal shelter because how great would it be to give a home to a little unloved dog who will then become your best friend?!

tylerJ

I guess when it comes to health issues, a lot depends on the breed. There are some breeds that have a really long life span as they stay healthy for a long time. Of course even if you get that kind of dog, you can't be sure that he won't develop some illness unexpectedly (as in case of humans, you never know...). Anyway, the breeds with long life expectancy are for example: toy poodles, Chihuahua, spaniels. They can be with you 11-14 years. Others, like Bulldog or Rottweiler[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] can live 7-9 years... Personally, I woudl love to have Swiss mountaind dog (like here http://greatswissmountaindogblog.com/blog/2010/02/01/a-short-history-of-great-swiss-mountain-dogs/) but they also have a short life span.
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oreilloj

I had a wheaten terrier/golden retriever cross for 18 years, eventually though all dogs sucumb to some sort of health problem. For example he eventually got a pendular tumour on his back leg. I have 2 dogs now, one a purebred wicklow collie and a lab/collie cross. While the wicklow collie is very picky with food(will only eat human food) I (touch wood) have never had any health problems with him. I think that inherited problems have to do with the size of the gene pool. Some such as collies are as common a muck in Ireland so there's more variation in the breeding and lineage, others like king charles spaniels have a much smaller breeding pool and therefore a n increased liklihood of picking up negative genetic traits. And there was that programme on BBC recently which tracked down breeders of known faulty dogs and most of them admitted to inbreeding. Some of them are oure scum, like one of them openly admitted to killing a perfectly healthy puppy just because its ears were slightly mishapen. She said it was so that dog would'nt go on to breed a puppy with that same flaw!!
Humans have ruined many breeds, like someone mentioned earlier, the bulldog, also the basset hound, the pug...a lot of these dogs are becoming immobile and unable to breath properly just for what a human deems as attractive! Makes me so angry!!

Gone With The W

If it was me i would look into Irish Terriers and Jack Russel terrriers or a mixed breed.