Deaf and-or Blind Dog Concerns, Dilemmas and Challenges
1. How can the benign-normal behavior of deaf or-and blind and blind-deaf socialized and trained dogs be monitored, documented and made common knowledge world-wide? - i.e. countering or confirming deaf-dogs behavior stories and denying the “hoaxes”
[PROGRESS REPORT: Web Sites such as this one were created in protest to the recognized abuses perpetrated by various self-proclaimed anti-science self-serving so-called 'pure-breed' clubs and 'special needs dogs rescue' authorities. // By August 2013 considerable scientific research has been reported that support, and none seem to refute, the key technical information on this Site. ]
2. How can “fashion-based” breeding for “flashy” or fad coats of deaf and blind dogs be monitored, publicized where it is observed, and reduced?
[PROGRESS REPORT: By July 2012, new fads and fashions among the Hollywood 'elite' allegedly transferred their monomani to "tote-dogs" who were hauled about in purses and shoulder-bags until the poor wee creatures barfed or pooped on their owners. Although very sad for the "tinies", the good news is that there will be fewer unwanted deaf and blind dogs born in puppy mills and by irresponsible or ignorant breeders. Likewise the roughly 90 percent decline in the numbers of AKC dogs in the US since 1994 has dramatically reduced the numbers of deaf and blind dogs being born in the US.]
3. Can BAER marketing be stopped that falsely claims that deaf dogs are always instinctively liabilities that are permanently dangerous to people, themselves and other animals?
[PROGRESS REPORT: Increasing awareness of the deficiencies of the BAER Dog-tests, and an increase of reports of dogs passing their BAER tests on their second or third try have discredited unnecessary and excessive testing done for fees on most dog breeds (excepting Dalmatians).]
4. How can abuse of BAER testing of deaf dogs for euthanizing (killing) deaf dogs be monitored, publicized, and discouraged?
[PROGRESS: An increased number of independent WEb sites such as "Deafdogsneedavoice" and others have begun to make the facts more readily available. Over time more and more breed clubs, including the Dalmatians, are ensuring adoption of the deaf or blind and awareness of the risks in breeding for "flashy" coats such as dachshund 'double-dapples' that are often blind-deaf. Perfection is thought to be impossible or unaffordable.]
5. How can public data about the rate or commonness of deafness or blindness among dog breeds be made more clear and accurate to be more understandable and made widely publicly available?
[MIXED PROGRESS: The recent new book Strain, 2011 contained new data which unfortunately were mostly indecypherable and potentially misleading for most people without access to the foundation raw data and a thorough knowledge of scientific research methods.]
6. What are the “adoption-rescue-shelter- homing” burdens on those organizations and people as consequences of there being more deaf or blind dogs to be fostered, rescued, sheltered and homed because of almost entirely halting “put to sleep” (PTS), euthanizing and killing of deaf or blind puppies and adult dogs? What if then the rates of deaf-blind puppy births increases? - Apparently halting PTS, euthanatizing (killing) of deaf and-or blind dogs will increase the numbers of such puppies and adult dogs who need good homes: Can pet shops, rescues, adoptions and so forth handle the increase?
[Questionable PROGRESS: If the apparent shift in the population of new deaf dogs during 2000 through 2012 from conventional breeds to fighting breeds continues, it is potentially disastrous to all deaf dogs and owners of deaf dogs.]
7. Because it is impossible to eliminate genetic and accidental domestic dog deafness and blindness – what is to be done?
[ACCIDENTAL PROGRESS: Making flashy dog coat colors unfashionable, reducing the size of the AKC and DCA registered dog numbers, reduced numbers of puppy mills, and rapid increases in informative Web sites such as Weebly deafdogsforever have all contributed to a reduction in the numbers of genetically deaf and genetically blind dogs being born in the US. The Web information is helpful in a similar way for other countries, who might consider banning importing of AKC dog breeds-lines with exessive rates.]
8. What is to be done to make widely known publicly more about the common factors of genetic sources of blindness? And any possible or suspected common factors linked to diabetes and epilepsy, diabetes, et al? [PROGRESS: Vital advances are taking place in collateral research on cats, birds and humans, that are almost certainly applicable to blind dogs, deaf dogs, blind-deaf and ordinary dogs and well publicized on the Web. Some were indentified on Weebly, here, but Google or other search engines should be used if the recent progress is to be understood.]
9. Can research by credentialed organizations be encouraged of deaf and-or blind dogs’ behavior as compared to ordinary dogs behavior? [i.e. do research with private money? Award cash prizes?]
[NO PROGRESS: To July 2012 all attempts of that sort known to us have failed, for various reasons. Hope remains.]
10. What are the other important challenges and needs of blind, blind-deaf or deaf dogs and their people? -To be identified ……
Please contact us or your favorite blind dogs or deaf dogs or blind-deaf organizations or Breed Club with any believable potential solutions that you can assist.
[PROGRESS REPORT: Web Sites such as this one were created in protest to the recognized abuses perpetrated by various self-proclaimed anti-science self-serving so-called 'pure-breed' clubs and 'special needs dogs rescue' authorities. // By August 2013 considerable scientific research has been reported that support, and none seem to refute, the key technical information on this Site. ]
2. How can “fashion-based” breeding for “flashy” or fad coats of deaf and blind dogs be monitored, publicized where it is observed, and reduced?
[PROGRESS REPORT: By July 2012, new fads and fashions among the Hollywood 'elite' allegedly transferred their monomani to "tote-dogs" who were hauled about in purses and shoulder-bags until the poor wee creatures barfed or pooped on their owners. Although very sad for the "tinies", the good news is that there will be fewer unwanted deaf and blind dogs born in puppy mills and by irresponsible or ignorant breeders. Likewise the roughly 90 percent decline in the numbers of AKC dogs in the US since 1994 has dramatically reduced the numbers of deaf and blind dogs being born in the US.]
3. Can BAER marketing be stopped that falsely claims that deaf dogs are always instinctively liabilities that are permanently dangerous to people, themselves and other animals?
[PROGRESS REPORT: Increasing awareness of the deficiencies of the BAER Dog-tests, and an increase of reports of dogs passing their BAER tests on their second or third try have discredited unnecessary and excessive testing done for fees on most dog breeds (excepting Dalmatians).]
4. How can abuse of BAER testing of deaf dogs for euthanizing (killing) deaf dogs be monitored, publicized, and discouraged?
[PROGRESS: An increased number of independent WEb sites such as "Deafdogsneedavoice" and others have begun to make the facts more readily available. Over time more and more breed clubs, including the Dalmatians, are ensuring adoption of the deaf or blind and awareness of the risks in breeding for "flashy" coats such as dachshund 'double-dapples' that are often blind-deaf. Perfection is thought to be impossible or unaffordable.]
5. How can public data about the rate or commonness of deafness or blindness among dog breeds be made more clear and accurate to be more understandable and made widely publicly available?
[MIXED PROGRESS: The recent new book Strain, 2011 contained new data which unfortunately were mostly indecypherable and potentially misleading for most people without access to the foundation raw data and a thorough knowledge of scientific research methods.]
6. What are the “adoption-rescue-shelter- homing” burdens on those organizations and people as consequences of there being more deaf or blind dogs to be fostered, rescued, sheltered and homed because of almost entirely halting “put to sleep” (PTS), euthanizing and killing of deaf or blind puppies and adult dogs? What if then the rates of deaf-blind puppy births increases? - Apparently halting PTS, euthanatizing (killing) of deaf and-or blind dogs will increase the numbers of such puppies and adult dogs who need good homes: Can pet shops, rescues, adoptions and so forth handle the increase?
[Questionable PROGRESS: If the apparent shift in the population of new deaf dogs during 2000 through 2012 from conventional breeds to fighting breeds continues, it is potentially disastrous to all deaf dogs and owners of deaf dogs.]
7. Because it is impossible to eliminate genetic and accidental domestic dog deafness and blindness – what is to be done?
[ACCIDENTAL PROGRESS: Making flashy dog coat colors unfashionable, reducing the size of the AKC and DCA registered dog numbers, reduced numbers of puppy mills, and rapid increases in informative Web sites such as Weebly deafdogsforever have all contributed to a reduction in the numbers of genetically deaf and genetically blind dogs being born in the US. The Web information is helpful in a similar way for other countries, who might consider banning importing of AKC dog breeds-lines with exessive rates.]
8. What is to be done to make widely known publicly more about the common factors of genetic sources of blindness? And any possible or suspected common factors linked to diabetes and epilepsy, diabetes, et al? [PROGRESS: Vital advances are taking place in collateral research on cats, birds and humans, that are almost certainly applicable to blind dogs, deaf dogs, blind-deaf and ordinary dogs and well publicized on the Web. Some were indentified on Weebly, here, but Google or other search engines should be used if the recent progress is to be understood.]
9. Can research by credentialed organizations be encouraged of deaf and-or blind dogs’ behavior as compared to ordinary dogs behavior? [i.e. do research with private money? Award cash prizes?]
[NO PROGRESS: To July 2012 all attempts of that sort known to us have failed, for various reasons. Hope remains.]
10. What are the other important challenges and needs of blind, blind-deaf or deaf dogs and their people? -To be identified ……
Please contact us or your favorite blind dogs or deaf dogs or blind-deaf organizations or Breed Club with any believable potential solutions that you can assist.