As our gene pool continues to shrink (only 14 litters and 104 dogs were registered with the AKC in 2016!), it is imperative we keep as many dogs in the breeding population as possible. One way to do this is to use the frozen semen many breeders around the world have collected and stored.

As all Deerhound breeders know, the search for stud dogs is getting more and more difficult; one way you can help, if you have semen stored, is to list your semen. Owners of Deerhound frozen semen are encouraged to list their dogs. This isn’t about “marketing,” “pushing,” or “selling” one’s stud dog: it’s about the preservation of our breed. The more semen that is listed, the more valuable the list will be. Please join us so this list can be truly useful to the Deerhound community.

This is a list, not a semen bank: the owner of the semen still has full control over who uses it and has the right to decline requests. The SDCA encourages both the stud dog and bitch owners to do due diligence, just as they would with any breeding.

This list isn’t restricted to SDCA members: we hope that this will eventually become a truly international project. For details, including how to list your dog’s frozen semen or how to access the list, go to http://deerhound.org/frozen-semen-directory/.

The SDCA Health & Genetics Committee
John Dillberger, DVM PhD, Chair
Debbie Cutter, PhD
Miranda Levin, ONB
Mary Ann Rose, MD
Betty Stephenson, DVM

Questions?