Are LUA Dalmatians the future?

Maybe? Probably at least in some capacity.

Why not now? Why not 100%?

I often hear people speak about the LUA program as though it’s the answer to everything. I frequently read statements like “no reputable breeder wouldn’t be incorporating LUA dogs!” (usually confidently stated by someone not in the breed….). Why isn’t every breeder incorporating LUA Dalmatians into their program?

First things first, what is an LUA Dalmatian?

The Dalmatian Backcross Project started in 1973 with an outcross using an AKC-registered Champion Pointer bred to an AKC-registered Dalmatian dam.

The project was started to address the Dalmatian’s genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals.

In the AKC, LUA Dalmatians have a unique registration number; in the CKC they do not.

Truth in advertising

The LUA backcross corrects the predisposition to urate urinary crystals and stones, however I regularly see LUA breeders touting that their programs prevent urinary issues, which is simply inaccurate.

The LUA program does nothing to address the risk of the two most common urinary crystals in dogs, Struvite and Calcium Oxalate.

Female Dalmatians, with their wide urethra, are more likely to have an issue with struvite crystals and stones (more than 90% due to an underlying infection) than they are to have an issue with urate.

Why doesn’t every program use LUA dogs?

Quality breeding is much more than breeding two purebred dogs together. Quality preservation breeding is more than breeding two quality dogs together!

When breeders are deciding on a pairing, their goal is to produce the healthiest, soundest puppies with confident, great temperaments, and conformation and markings that adhere to the written standard for the breed. There is SO much to balance!

Is it just about the spots?
I regularly see accusations that Dalmatian breeders are avoiding LUA dogs solely because their spotting tends to be markedly different. Let’s be honest; the spotting pattern is definitely different in most LUA dogs vs. most HUA dogs.

In a litter with both LUA and HUA puppies, you can be pretty accurate with a guess on who is who long before genetic testing is done.

Dalmatians are a uniquely marked breed. They are the world’s only truly spotted breed. As someone who’s received a fair bit of nastiness about my heavily marked girls, I get how it can seem like all the breed focuses on is spotting….but that isn’t the barrier here.

Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are “spot purists” out there who will continue to avoid the inclusion of LUA dogs in their breeding programs, but MOST breeders are not making the choice based solely on spotting, but rather due to dogs generally lacking in merit.

There are so many different things to balance when striving to breed quality dogs….temperament, structure, health, movement, drive/workability…. With only a fraction of Dalmatians being LUA and a distressingly large portion of those dogs lacking in merit for various reasons, there’s often not the right LUA dog to incorporate into a program.

The potential of LUA

I believe the LUA program has A LOT of potential. Solving a genetic predisposition is a lofty and worthwhile goal! However, a significant number of LUA breeders (not all!) are laser-focused on LUA, often at the expense of other health concerns, poor health testing, poor temperaments, or are producing dogs who are generally lacking in any discernible breed type (meaning they do not bear significant resemblance to the breed standard).

In my experience within the breed, there is not a prejudice against LUA, but rather excellent breeders are continuing to make what they believe to be the best choices to create overall healthy, sound puppies.

Should all Dalmatians be LUA?

Short answer? No

Longer answer? Working our way to 100% LUA would create a significant lack of genetic diversity within the breed. There are plenty of cautionary tales where other breeds have neglected to maintain genetic diversity to the detriment of overall health.

Although every HUA Dalmatian does have the genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals and stones, in the majority of well-bred Dalmatians, this increased risk can be managed with appropriate food, sufficient water intake, and frequent trips outside to empty the bladder.

Every breed has predisposition to health issues. Overall, Dalmatians are a robust and healthy breed. I’d rather deal with an increased risk of one type of urinary crystal than a risk of epilepsy, a significant risk of cancer, or a devastating diagnosis like Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

We are very fortunate the average Dalmatian lives a long healthy life.

What does the future hold?

While dedicated LUA breeders continue to produce improved quality, dedicated HUA breeders will continue to pair dogs carefully to decrease the incidence of deafness, breed away from the risk of CSD, and to create healthy, stable, confident, conformationally sound, beautiful dogs.

Hopefully, the future will hold an era where more breeders are willing to work together, based on a mutual understanding and willingness to be honest and transparent - on both sides of the equation. Cooperation will allow LUA Dalmatians to improve which will make them more attractive to incorporate into programs.