Fad-driven inbred Japanese runts
Genetic defects rise with fad-driven inbreeding of dogs in Japan
International Herald Tribune, December 27, 2006; TOKYO: Care for a Chihuahua with a blue hue? How about a teacup poodle so tiny it will fit into a purse — the canine equivalent of a bonsai? The Japanese sure do.
Rare and unique dogs are highly prized here and can set buyers back more than 1 million yen, or about $8,400. But the problem is what often arrives in the same litter: genetically defective sister and brother puppies born with missing paws or faces lacking eyes and a nose…
…Coveted traits like a blue-tinged coat are often the result of recessive genes, which can determine appearance only when combined with another recessive gene…more...
Japanese folks are bi-polar about their dogs.
On one hand, they are will to pay the minimum going price of $1,000 for an inbred runt at a pet shop. But on the other hand, nearly all dogs in Japan are chained on 1-meter leads outside or kept in cages indoors.
The nature of traditionally flimsy Japanese housing with tatami mat floors and paper screen walls made having a dog indoors impossible. Having a dog outdoors in country like Japan were the concept of an open “yard” has never been invented means that dogs are chained on an arm’s length lead to the front door. Modern Japanese housing in theory can now have such things as real flooring, patios, and even occasionally a “yard” rather than a groomed-to-death Japanese garden. However, the dog’s life is still confined to 1-meter space for the 14 hours a day while their owners are working.
It’s a dog’s life, Japan.
UPDATE — Counter-example
Taipei Times- Dec 30, 2006
….Though figures are scarce, a study published last year showed that longevity for cats in Japan almost doubled between 1991 and 2003, from 5.1 years to 9.9 years. Dog longevity surged from 8.6 years to 11.9 years.
Researchers attribute the jump to better health care, more vaccinations, a more balanced diet and a new trend of pets being allowed to live in homes —once unthinkable in a country of tatami-mat houses…
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