This is the news I wanted to announce a year ago, but things took their time…

But here it is:

Akiro, the F1-Generation of a Duck Tolling Retriever and an Australian Shepherd, will finally start to maximize his (hopefully excellent) genes! Plans are, that it will happen in May, 2018, and it will be a purebred Duck Tolling Retriever he will be coupled with.

We are still waiting for the final genetic report (he’s been x-rayed, and he has no  ED/HD (Elbow and Hip Displasia)!  He also passed the eye-examination, but we have to wait for some of the results of the genetic testings. We already know that Akiro is free of: MDR 1 and HSF 4 KATARAKT, but have to make sure, that he does not carry the PRA-Gene  (Progressive Retinal Atrophy. PRA is inherited as a recessive trait. This means a disease gene must be inherited from each parent in order to cause disease in an offspring. The female Toller with which he will be coupled is a carrier of PDA.  What is the problem with PDA? If both are carriers, their puppies might go blind by the time they are three.)

Akiro hates to be at the Vets. Here it is just a saliva sample taken by Doc Unna

PDA is just one of the genetic diseases that are inherited within so many breeds (for more info have a look here: http://www.optigen.com/opt9_test_prcd_pra.html.)  The poor genetical diversity of purebred dogs was the reason for Alexander Däuber  to bring in some fresh blood into his breed –  the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. But Däuber was offended and threatened by many other breeders https://www.wuff.eu/wp/diskussion-sos-rassehund-einkreuzungsprojekt-zur-rettung-einer-hunderasse-vom-vdh-abgelehnt/ So he decided to leave the powerful VDH and coupled one of his healthy Tollers with an Australian Shepherd, leading to six male Aussie-Tollers.  Akiro is one of them.

That was in 2011! Today Däuber´s Aussie-Tollers are six and a half years old and still nobody wanted to “use” this so called F1-Generation to improve the Toller´s genetic diversity.

Axel Schön, breeder of the Smart-Toller. His “Michel” (a mixed breed!) made 3rd at Best of Show!

Until Axel Schön found a dog association, that would support him to improve the health of the Duck Tolling Retrievers. He calls them “Smart Tollers” – so far he mixed  Tollers with Golden Retrievers. Now, in May 2018, Akiro will be coupled with a purebred Duck Tolling Retriever. There are further plans for this  F2 generation –  Axel Schön will announce them later this year.

For now I leave you with a video of Akiros (and my) first dogshow appearance ! We had to go there so that breed judges would give their opinion of the “breed” Aussie-Toller. What can I say? They liked him almost as much as I love him;)

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