1. We don’t know what health issues the Pointer is introducing into our breed
There is one Pointer and well over 4,000 AKC Dalmatians in the pedigrees of current LUA Dalmatians.  It is simply not logical to suspect that any health issues exhibited by the current LUA Dalmatians are somehow due to the single Pointer.  Geneticists that have reviewed the project believe that there is no adverse affect that can be introduced to current LUA Dalmatians by the single Pointer many generations removed.

2. We don’t know about the health of the project Dalmatians
Records have been kept of the LUA breeding program consistent with best practices of the time.  In addition, a very large percentage of the LUA Dalmatians are entered in the open OFA data base for all to see.  To the best of our knowledge, there have been no unusual health issues with any of the descendants of the backcross project.  Health issues have all been typical to the Dalmatian.  In addition, health survey forms have been prepared and submitted on a significant sample of living LUA and HUA project Dalmatians.

3. We don’t believe the incidence of urate stone disease is significant
The AKC Health and Welfare Committee independently reviewed all available articles, studies and statistics and concluded that urate stone disease is a significant problem in our breed.  They report the incidence of stone formation in MALE Dalmatians is between 13.8% and 34.3%.   DCA’s health survey places urate stone disease as one of the major Dalmatian problems.  DCA/DCAF has spent considerably more money on urate stone research/education than any other health issue.  AKC includes the DCA pamphlet on urate stone disease with every AKC registration certificate.  The World agrees that urate stone disease is a significant problem in our breed. 

4. We think altering the genetic make-up of the Dalmatian is a radical and drastic solution.
Since the high uric acid defect is fixed, worldwide, in our breed, there is no other solution.  We cannot breed to unaffected Dals because they do not exist.  In addition, all breeds are a mixture of several other breeds, and breeders have been improving breeds for 100’s of years by cross-breeding to obtain the desired physical characteristics.  We have done a cross breeding for health reasons only.

5. We believe that this should have been conducted as a research project with detailed litter and health records of all breedings and dogs produced
The research aspect of the LUA or Backcross Project could be interpreted as starting when Dr. Schaible conducted the single cross to a Pointer. AKC then granted registration to two 5th generation offspring.  Research was then conducted when the University of California (Davis) team discovered the mutation of the SLC2A9 gene and the genetic test for the normal version of that gene.  All other aspects of the project are a breeding program.  Records have been kept of the breeding program consistent with best practices of the time.  In addition, a very large percentage of the LUA Dalmatians are entered in the open OFA data base for all to see.

6. We want proof that the LUA’s won’t get urate stones
No LUA’s have had urate stones to date.  Two were ultrasounded and their bladders were clear of debris.  Without high urine uric acid, urate stones cannot form.  While it is true that other factors may trigger urate stone formation; high uric acid is a necessary and essential condition.  High uric acid is not normal in any other breed.  It is not normal for puppies to pee creamy, viscous urine.  To reiterate, normal canine uric acid, no urate stones.

7. We want proof that the LUA’s won’t form other types of stones in greater frequency
There is no data to indicate or even suggest that LUA Dals would form non-urate bladder or kidney stones at any greater frequency than the rest of the canine population.  No LUA has formed urate stones to date.

8. We don’t want AKC to tell us what to do concerning our breed
Registration is the sole responsibility of AKC.  While AKC does not like to interfere with parent club issues, they have opened the Stud Book against parent club wishes in several instances, including the Black & Tan Coonhound and the Racing Greyhounds.  The AKC also opened the Stud Book for health issues in the case of the African Basenji and the Desert Saluki.

9. We don’t believe that the LUA’s are purebred Dalmatians
The AKC Health and Welfare Committee independently reviewed the purebred status of the LUA Dalmatians.  They concluded that the pedigree analysis of the LUA Dalmatians was 100% accurate, DNA test results confirmed the pedigrees and urine testing records, and that today’s descendants are more than 99.97%  Dalmatian.  They further concluded that these Dalmatians are purebred.  Recent testing of the DNA of 27 “project” LUA and HUA Dals at Mars Labs ordered by that committee was compared with file DNA from AKC Dals, English Dals, Pointers and dogs in general.  The results were that the “project” Dals clustered near the AKC Dals, a bit removed from the English Dals, and far away from the Pointer and dogs in general.  Their DNA is Dalmatian, their pedigrees are Dalmatian, their look is Dalmatian, they act like Dalmatians, they ARE Dalmatians.
 
10. We believe that the LUA proponents will advertise inaccurately and unfairly putting AKC Dalmatians at a disadvantage making AKC puppy sales difficult
The fact is that LUA breeders will continue to produce HUA puppies for decades.  It is important to breed Uu (carriers) in order to continue to increase the genetic diversity of the breed.  No one is proposing to eliminate carriers or HUA Dalmatians from breeding programs.  Therefore, LUA breeders will have HUA pups for sale and will not devalue the HUA Dals.

11. We believe there is a hidden agenda and that the LUA proponents want to change the AKC Standard to allow patches and fault blue eyes
The LUA proponents have no desire or intent to change the AKC Dalmatian Standard.  The suggested standard change would have no bearing on AKC registration of the LUA Dalmatians.  The often stated goal of the LUA proponents is to breed Dalmatians that conform to the AKC Dalmatian Standard.

12. We want more UU to UU breedings to make sure no undesirable recessive traits are lurking
Many of us would like to have more UU Dalmatians to choose from.
Currently there are 8 known Homozygous Dalmatians.  All of them are very closely related and it would not be sound breeding practice to breed them together.  The only warning given by the Health and Welfare Advisory Committee was to be extremely careful in not creating a bottleneck in our breeding program.  It is therefore essential and important to spread the gene pool.  Our hope is that others from many different AKC lines will be willing to breed to an LUA Dalmatian thereby allowing for greater diversity.  When the gene pool is diverse it will offer us the opportunity to eventually breed UU to UU.

13. We believe the project should be redone using another Pointer
The science is proven; the gene for normal canine uric acid has been put back into the Dalmatian from the one cross to the Pointer.  There appears to be tremendous concern that we are introducing something that may be detrimental to the Dalmatian dog; after 10+ generations and over 4000 Dalmatians that is not the case.  For those concerned about the Pointer that was used, they will continue to have those same concerns with an additional Pointer entry into the Dalmatian gene pool.

14. We believe that the LUA’s are ugly, they look like Pointers
The answer to that is “look at the LUA Dalmatians from the current litters”.  No they are not ugly and no they do not look like Pointers. Just like any AKC litter that is being bred today, there will be a few dogs that breeders consider showable and outstanding; there will be a couple of dogs that do not exhibit those attributes that we as breeders are trying to achieve and the rest will probably fall somewhere in between.  At one time the LUA gene pool was so small that there were very few choices of dogs used in the breeding program to continue to produce LUA Dalmatians.  Luckily today the gene pool is somewhat expanded and we have the luxury of choosing the best to breed to and from.  It is hoped that as the gene pool is expanded that breeders will choose only the best to move the quality of the LUA Dalmatian forward.

15. We believe that the LUA spotting is inferior
The markings are greatly improving.  All of us agree that we need to continue to work on this.  Please look at the AKC Dalmatian standard and how markings are addressed -- Spots vary from the size of a dime to the size of a half-dollar.
Virtually all of the LUA Dalmatians fall into this range.

16. We don’t want to be forced to incorporate the LUA’s into our breeding program
No one should or would be forced into incorporating LUA Dalmatians into their breeding program, just as no one should be forced to incorporate any specific kennel lines. Each breeder has the right to direct their breeding program as they see fit.


FAQ’s
Regarding LUA AKC Registration.

May 17, 2011