WHO’S MY DADDY?
If I could use the phone . . . . if I could get on the
internet . . . . if I could write a letter . . . . would I be able to
find my Daddy? I’m not sure. I’ve been searching for my
sire for quite some time without much success. I know who my
father isn’t, but I don’t know who my father is.
I’m an attractive Vizsla with a show championship.
I’ve even have been successful in field trials. My owners are
pleased with me. (I can tell by all their baby talk and
pats). I overheard them talking about finding a husband for
me. (Hmmmm . . . . they never consulted with me, but I
guess that’s a dog’s life.) But . . . . wow! It was
discovered after my DNA was submitted to AKC that my father wasn’t my
father. What could we do? Well, we tried. We got DNA
submitted from other males at the place my Mom was sent to be
bred. No luck. O.K. Where do we go from here?
We tracked down a possibility . . . but the dog was dead. So
guess what?? A boot that the dog used when he was hunting was
found with hairs on it. It was shipped to AKC with the hope that
the DNA lab would find follicles on some of the hairs and give us
information. The lab is now trying to build a genotype by using
those hairs, my possible grandfather’s DNA, a bitch he was bred to and
their kids. We’re even considering digging up my possible
grandmother’s body and getting DNA from the bones. (If they let
me dig her up, they won’t need shovels). We’re hoping . . . . .
but in the meantime, all my titles are on hold – and could even be
denied if we can’t find my Daddy.
What can I do? I’m also a Vizsla. I was bred
while my DNA was being submitted to AKC and whelped a litter before the
results were in. Oh, my gosh! ……Grrrrr …..My Daddy isn’t my
Daddy! My owners, who were also my breeders, had to get in touch
with everyone that had one of my brothers and sisters and get them
DNA’d. How embarrassing for me and my owners. Especially
when it was discovered that not one single puppy in the litter was from
the dog that was supposed to be my Daddy. Registration papers
were lifted on all the pups from my litter and I was informed I was no
longer registered. Well, my owners finally found out the true
father of my litter. (He must have been lurking around the
honeymoon suite.) But . . . the stud fee was never recovered and
my owners were never reimbursed for the $280 DNA tests (which was $40
per dog to get the information) plus all the Fed Ex charges. Why
is it some humans are so dishonest? We dogs simply don’t
understand that.
Listen, I’m not growling at you guys. But I’ve got a
story, too. I’m a Vizsla – but, heck, aren’t we on the first page
of AKC’s DNA pamphlet? I’m a Dual Champion with a pretty enviable
record. Folks want to send their pretty babes to me to be
bred. (Can’t say I mind that.) Well, got one all the way
from Canada. Kinda thought she was cute. Had one breeding
(which was o.k. with me) and then her owner whisked her back to
Canada. My owner signed a litter registration that said we had
produced 6 pups. Two were sent to Hungary, some remain in Canada
and one came to the U.S. Well, after the one in the U.S. was
DNA’d, I was embarrassed to discover I wasn’t the Daddy. Where
the heck did that chick go after she was through with me?
Unfortunately, the Canadian Kennel Club isn’t involved with DNA and
wouldn’t assist in trying to get more information from the other
pups. The breeder in Canada is hiding in the shadows. The
pup in the U.S. was spayed and the owner of the ones sent to Hungary
was informed of the mistake. So, where does that leave me?
Aw, heck, just take me hunting.
OK – now I want all of you to sit in front of me.
Sit. Stay. OK. Nod your heads if you agree with what
I’m going to ask you. Would your life have been easier and less
stressful if every dog registered with AKC had to be DNA’d? Hmmm
. . . . I see three heads bobbing up and down, eyes focused on
me. (No tail wagging yet).
Do you want me to ask AKC if this is a real
possibility? Ah – now I see wagging tails.
Lynn Worth
AKC Delegate
Vizsla Club of America