We recommend six basic steps for all litters and breeding programs.

1. The most important is to research, research, research the genetics behind the two dogs you are planning to breed together. Talk to the breeder and others who may have information on genetic disorders behind these dogs. Understand that if either parent has produced as little as ONE affected pup for some disorder it means that parent is a carrier for the defective gene. Check the pedigree database at www.fspedigrees.net for at least 8 generations for research purposes. If requested through an email to Diane Helland we will provide you with a spreadsheet that contains the Coefficients of Inbreeding on any proposed litters as well as the Coefficient of Relationships for each dog in the pedigrees of the proposed breedings. Knowledge is power!

2. Test your breeding dogs to the extent possible. At a minimum, have their hips x-rayed and their patellas checked by your veterinarian. Luxating patellas are one of the most predominant issues in the breed going back to Finland and diagnosis is a simple palpatation of the joints by a veterinarian.

3. Avoid breeding any dogs that are affected with hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, liver issues, achalasia, cardiac issues or epilepsy. While our gene pool is small, it is NOT so small that affected dogs need to be bred to continue the breed.

4. Have your pups examined by a veterinarian before they leave your premises. While luxating patella and hip issues cannot be definitively diagnosed until the pups are two years old, your vet can tell you if the patellas feel loose and if the pups have a heart murmur indicating a cardiac disorder. That information then can be translated to the parents as known carriers for certain diseases so you can try to breed around that issue in the future.

5. Learn at least the basics of genetics and modes of inheritance for the diseases we see most frequently in Finnish Spitz. Assuming both parents are not affected, this does not mean they are clear for recessive diseases. If they are carriers, there is a very good liklihood that some of the pups from the litters may be affected or at a minimum will be carriers who in turn may pass the defective gene(s) on to their offspring.

6. Consider genetic health in your breeding decisions in addition to phenotype. This does not necessarily mean sacrificing conformation and/or phenotype. Any experienced breeder will tell you that they've had very pleasant surprises when breeding to an outcross. And it does us little good to have beautiful show dogs that are genetically unhealthy.