18 Breed Notes – B’ham Nat 2023

It was another early start for Keesies as we were again first in the ring at Birmingham National, with judging commencing at 9.00am. Our judge was Millie Lambert (Sturtmoor) who was awarding CC’s in the breed for the first time and is to be thanked for her prompt critique. She had drawn an entry of 26 Keesies with just 1 absentee.

The National is generous in its classification, but there were no entries in either of the Special Beginners, Minor Puppy and Yearling classes, Puppy Dog, Junior Bitch and the one entry in Post Graduate Dog was absent. I suspect the fact that Utility day was the Friday sandwiched between both the May and coronation bank holiday weekends meant that people either couldn’t get the time off work or were away on holiday.

DCC with Best of Breed went to the winner of Veteran, Natasha Hickson’s Ch Kichigai’s Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition) from Veteran; whilst the RDCC went to the other end of the line to the winner of the Junior class, Sue Lindsay’s Mezanda Mystic Starman (Ednaaron Moon Light x Mezanda Melys Sparkles (AI))

It was the same for the girls with the awards going each end of the line up – Jean Sharp Bale’s Neradmik Pandora’s Box (Neradmik Canache at Bisukees x Ch Neradmik Grace Kelly (Imp Can)) winning her first big green card with Best Puppy and the RBCC going to the Veteran winner Vikki & Sean Marshall’s Torrikees Made in Heaven at Devonia (Ch Winklestar Hadar x Ch Torrikees Victoria’s Secret)

The Kennel Club has announced that following consultation with the Keeshond Breed Health Coordinator on behalf of the breed clubs, the regulation that all imported Keeshonds, or overseas dogs being imported into the UK breeding programme, must be DNA tested for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) before registration of progeny, has been placed on-hold. The reasoning behind this is that there is no peer-reviewed scientific literature providing the details of the mutation tested for, or details of the association between the mutation and the phenotype, and so the validity of the DNA test with clinical disease is not fully understood. Lack of this crucial information does not align with The Kennel Club’s updated DNA test auditing system.

As such, the test will also be removed as a requirement from Assured Breeders of Keeshonds in line with the new schedule update (expected Summer 2023), and the import restriction will be lifted with immediate effect. Test results will continue to be added to the dog’s registration details which will trigger the publication of the result in the next available Breed Records Supplement, and also on the Health Test Results Finder on The Kennel Club website.

This condition is rare in the UK breed population, however it is acknowledged that imported dogs may have the potential to rapidly reintroduce disease, which was the basis for the initial introduction of the clause. Given the very small global population size of this breed, making use of breeding animals from a range of countries of origin is essential in an attempt to conserve genetic diversity.

Imported dogs who are negative by descent cannot always be recorded as such due to ‘paper trails’ becoming lost; plus the fact that many Keeshonds are negative by descent from over 9 generations calls the whole system into question. Without a valid DNA test the current system has become unwieldy and with the potential for inaccuracy as it relies on all breeders being 100% honest about their pedigrees. We must hope that the team at the Kennel Club’s Canine Genetic Centre at Cambridge who are doing the research on our behalf for a DNA test for PHPT, come up with a robust, validated test in the near future.

Anji Marfleet