Black Litter 2009

Libby and Chant's nine puppies arrived October 9th, 2009, and will be ready for their homes December 4th, 2009. There was a 25% chance that Libby carried the yellow gene, and therefore a chance this litter would have yellows in it... & to our surprise, out popped three! :)

Please scroll down to see their new babies and watch them grow...

COLOUR CHART THAT DETERMINES COLOUR OF LITTER

Because Libby has not been coat colour tested, and her brother carries the yellow gene, we cannot rule out the possibility of there being yellow puppies in this litter. If Libby carries the yellow gene, then theoretically there should be yellow puppies as indicated by the square with an *. Otherwise, this will be an all black litter.

Part of our genetic screening includes an extra eye DNA test performed by OptiGen to denote if the dog is clear, carrier or affected with a gene that causes late oneset PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy ) blindness in Labradors. Libby and Chant are "normal", meaning both parents are clear of this gene, so their puppies will not be affected.

The OptiGen prcd test is done on a small sample of blood from the dog. The test analyzes the specific DNA mutation causing prcd-PRA. The OptiGen test detects the mutant, abnormal gene copy and the normal gene copy. The result of the test is a genotype and allows separation of dogs into three groups: Normal/Clear (homozygous normal), Carrier (heterozygous) and Affected (homozygous mutant).

Genotype	Risk Group	Significance For Breeding	Risk of prcd Disease
Homozygous Normal	Normal/Clear	Can be bred to any dog, extremely low risk of producing affecteds	Extremely low
Heterozygous	Carrier	Should be bred only to Normal/Clear to remove risk of producing affecteds	Extremely low
Homozygous Mutant	Affected	Should be bred only to Normal/Clear to remove risk of producing affecteds	Very high

We also do an extra eye test using DNA called Retinal Dysplasia/OculoSkeletal Defects. What is this?

Retinal Dysplasia-retinal folds (RD) is a common clinical observation in many dog breeds. Since many retinal folds are benign and of unknown heritability, veterinary ophthalmologists will often advise that breeding dogs with RD is an acceptable option. However in two breeds, the Labrador retriever and the Samoyed, RD is of much greater concern. RD in Labradors and Samoyeds will cause a dog to fail a CERF examination, the recommended annual eye examination that is done in North America by certified veterinary ophthalmologists, diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ACVO). In such cases, breeding is not advised because RD in these breeds can be an indication that the dog is a carrier of a serious inherited syndrome called OSD (OculoSkeletal Dysplasia). OSD is a severe condition in which the dogs show a variety of skeletal malformations, including shortened limbs (dwarfism), and blindness at an early age; the blindness results from a generalized malformation of the retina that causes a partial or full retinal detachment and cataracts.

RD/OSD Test Breeding Strategies and Outcomes for Labradors and Samoyeds
RD/OSD Genotype (DNA Test Result)	RD-fold/OSD association	Significance For Breeding	Possibility of producing OSD-affected pups
Homozygous (Normal)	None	If RD-fold is observed, it is not due to OSD. Consult ophthalmologist; breeding the dog is likely to be an option.	None
Heterozygous (Carrier)	RD likely but not always observed	Should be bred only to genetically-Normal OSD/RD mate to remove risk of producing OSD-affected pups.	Extremely likely if bred to an OSD-Carrier or an OSD-affected mate; if bred to an OSD-Genetically Normal mate, Carriers with RD are likely to be produced.
Homozygous Mutant (Affected)	OSD-Affected (Severe OculoSkeletal defects observed at an early age)	Should not be bred.	All litters are very likely to contain pups with RD or severe OSD.

We also do an extra test of the hip joints, rated by PennHip. What is PennHip?

PennHIP stands for the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program.

PennHIP is a multifaceted radiographic technology (x-ray) for hip evaluation. The technique assesses the quality of the canine hip and quantitatively measures canine hip joint laxity. The PennHIP method of evaluation is more accurate than the current standard in its ability to predict the onset of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD), is the hallmark of canine hip dysplasia (CHD).

PennHIP is more than just a radiographic technique. It is also a network of veterinarians trained to perform the PennHIP methodology properly and, perhaps most importantly, it is a large scientific database that houses the PennHIP data. The radiographs are made by certified PennHIP members worldwide and are sent to the PennHIP analysis center for evaluation.

Being that Libby and Chant are Labrador Retrievers, their hip evaluations were compared to all other Labradors in PennHip's database. The average is 50th percentile, and both dogs scored very high - Libby in the 80th percentile, and Chant in the 80th percentile!

This is one more tool some breeders are using to try and decrease the incidences of hip dysplasia that is prevalent within the breed.

These two parents are fine specimens of the breed, and have personalty plus!

Masonridge's Libby Browne

More of Libby

OVC Certified Hips & Elbows

OFA Prelims Hips Good - Elbows Normal

PennHip 80th Percentile

OptiGen NORMAL/CLEAR by parentage

Eyes ACVO Examined clear annually

Ch Jaunenir's Enchanted Spirit

More of Chant

OVC Certified Hips & Elbow

PennHip 80th Percentile

OptiGen NORMAL/CLEAR

RD/OSD normal

Eyes ACVO Examined clear annually

Full Dentition

Your Jaunenoir Puppy!	CAN CH JAUNENOIR'S ENCHANTED SPIRIT (Yy)	AM CAN CH HYSPIRE WINDFALL COOKIE CUTTER (USA) (Y)	AM CAN CH WINDFALL'S PIPE MAJOR (By)
			Hyspire Show Me The Cookie (Y)
		Jaunenoir's Highness MacBeth (Y)	CAN CH HUNTSDOWN REBEL YELL CGC (Y)
			Jaunenoir's Whispering Rivulet WC CGC (By)
	Masonridge's Libby Browne (Cy) (championship pointed)	CAN CH APPLEMEADOW MARSHALL MAC (C)	Bonaventure Lubberline Viscount (C)
			Melem M Liberty at Applemeadow (C)
		Lindenhall's Pollyanna Browne	Lindenhall's Everett Browne (C)
			Lindenhall's Plain Jane Browne (C)


Just minutes old	One day old


Male - 3 days old	Female - 3 days old


Males - 2 weeks old


Females - 2 weeks old