Dog Driven Podcast

Joint health is about a lot more than hip dysplasia — and orthopedic disease doesn’t only affect senior dogs.

In this Wellness Wednesday deep dive, we’re breaking down the joint and bone conditions every sporting, working, and performance dog owner should know about, from puppyhood through the senior years.

We’ll cover hip and elbow dysplasia, osteoarthritis, cruciate ligament disease, OCD, patellar luxation, growth plate injuries, angular limb deformities, panosteitis, HOD, fractures, septic arthritis, immune-mediated joint disease, osteosarcoma, and more.

We’ll also dig into the options available when orthopedic problems occur — including veterinary diagnostics, surgery, rehabilitation, pain management, nutrition, weight management, conditioning, environmental modifications, and supportive therapies.

Most importantly, we’ll talk about what you can do before there’s a problem: choosing genetics thoughtfully, supporting appropriate puppy growth, keeping your dog lean, building muscle, progressing workload gradually, prioritizing recovery, and learning to recognize subtle changes in movement and performance.

Because a dog doesn’t have to stop working to be hurting — especially when drive tells them to keep going.

We can’t prevent every orthopedic disease or injury. But we can reduce the risks we can control, recognize problems earlier, and make informed decisions that support comfortable movement for the long haul.

The goal isn’t just building a dog that can perform today. It’s building an athlete that can still comfortably do what they love years from now.

🎙️ Wellness Wednesday | Dog Driven
Joint & Bone Health in Performance Dogs: Disease, Treatment, Prevention & Longevity

Is hip dysplasia really just a genetic problem?

In this Myth Buster Monday episode, we break down one of the most common misconceptions surrounding canine orthopedic health. Genetics absolutely matter — but they’re only one piece of a much bigger picture.

We’re talking about how growth, body condition, nutrition, exercise, development, and environment can all influence orthopedic health, why even puppies from health-tested parents can still develop hip dysplasia, and why good genetics should be viewed as a strong starting point — not a guarantee.

If you’re raising a hunting dog, sport dog, working dog, or any canine athlete, this episode will help you better understand how the choices you make during development can impact long-term soundness and performance.

And stay tuned for Wellness Wednesday, where we’ll go even deeper into hip dysplasia, joint disease, bone conditions, treatment options, and ways to support lifelong orthopedic health.

You have an incredible female. You find the most accomplished stud you can—the titles, the pedigree, the performance record, the genetics.

Breed the best to the best and you should get even better puppies… right?

Not necessarily.

In the final installment of The Genetics of a Performance Dog, we’re taking everything we’ve learned throughout this series and asking the question that ultimately matters: How do you actually choose the right breeding pair?

Because the most impressive dog available isn’t automatically the best dog for your dog.

In Part 4, we dive into complementary breeding and why a thoughtful cross requires looking far beyond titles and accomplishments. We discuss performance versus production, evaluating the entire family behind a dog, and why siblings and previous offspring may tell you things a championship résumé cannot.

We also explore:

• Why breeding should start by honestly evaluating your own dog
• Why complementary breeding doesn’t mean trying to “average out” serious weaknesses
• The difference between drive and usable drive
• Why temperament and the ability to regulate and recover matter in a performance dog
• Why structure is about function—not just appearance
• The importance of durability and longevity in working families
• Why health testing should be the starting point, not the finish line
• Why COI, pedigrees, DNA panels, and titles are tools—not breeding decisions
• The danger of chasing the hottest stud
• Why an exceptional performer isn’t automatically an exceptional producer
• The questions breeders—and puppy buyers—should be asking before a litter is ever produced

Ultimately, responsible breeding isn't about stacking the two most impressive résumés.

It's about understanding what each dog brings, what each dog lacks, what their families consistently produce, and whether those two genetic packages actually make sense together.

Throughout this four-part series, one theme has remained constant:

Responsible breeding is about managing probability—not guaranteeing outcomes.

The goal isn't to produce the most extreme dog, the most fashionable pedigree, or the puppy with the most impressive names behind it.

It's to produce healthy, functional, stable, durable dogs capable of doing the work they were bred to do—and hopefully doing it for a very long time.

🎙️ Part 4: “Is ‘Best to Best’ Really Best?” concludes The Genetics of a Performance Dog on Dog Driven.

Better dogs. Better lives. Through knowledge.

If an incredible dog appears multiple times in a pedigree, are you really “locking in” the traits that made that dog great?

Not exactly.

In Part 3 of our Wellness Wednesday series, The Genetics of a Performance Dog, we’re diving into one of the most debated topics in dog breeding: linebreeding, inbreeding, COI, and genetic diversity.

Breeders have used linebreeding for generations to create consistency and preserve desirable characteristics within a family of dogs. But there’s an important catch:

Genetics don’t know which traits you wanted doubled.

In this episode, we break down:

• What linebreeding actually means genetically

• Linebreeding vs. closer forms of inbreeding

• Homozygosity and why it can increase predictability

• Why recessive traits can emerge when related dogs are bred

• What coefficient of inbreeding—or COI—actually tells us

• Why pedigree depth matters when comparing COI numbers

• Pedigree COI vs. genomic measures of inbreeding

• Why a low COI doesn’t automatically mean a better or healthier breeding

• Inbreeding depression and long-term population health

• The popular-sire effect and how successful performance dogs can dramatically influence a gene pool

• Why outcrossing isn’t automatically the answer

• The constant balancing act between consistency and genetic diversity

We’ll also talk about why linebreeding itself shouldn’t automatically be labeled “good” or “bad.” It’s a breeding strategy—and understanding the family behind the pedigree matters just as much as the number attached to it.

Because when you linebreed on an exceptional dog, you don’t get to select only the drive, marking ability, structure, trainability, or temperament you loved.

You’re concentrating the genetic package—not just the traits you can see.

🎙️ Part 3 of The Genetics of a Performance Dog challenges us to stop breeding pedigrees and numbers in isolation and start asking a better question:

What are we concentrating—and do we understand the family well enough to justify it?

Dogs Eat Grass Because Their Stomach Is Upset… Right? 🌱🐕

We’ve all heard it: “If your dog is eating grass, their stomach must be upset.” But is grass-eating really a reliable sign of nausea?

On this episode of Myth Buster Monday, we’re digging into why this common behavior is a lot more complicated than it seems. While gastrointestinal discomfort can play a role, dogs may eat grass for a variety of reasons—including normal foraging behavior, feeding patterns, environmental enrichment, and simply because they like it.

We’ll break down the difference between casual grazing and the frantic grass-eating that may deserve a closer look, what other signs of GI discomfort owners should watch for, and why changes in your dog’s normal behavior often tell us more than the grass-eating itself.

For working and sporting dogs especially, those subtle changes can matter. Knowing your dog’s normal is one of the most valuable tools you have.

🎙️ In this episode:

• Why grass-eating doesn’t automatically mean nausea

• Why some dogs vomit after eating grass

• Casual grazing vs. frantic grass-eating

• Behavioral, dietary, and GI factors to consider

• Signs that warrant a conversation with your veterinarian

• Why patterns matter more than one isolated behavior

The takeaway: Grass-eating isn’t a diagnosis—it’s a behavior. Look at the whole dog, not just the grass.

🐾 Driven dogs deserve informed owners.

What makes a hunting dog unforgettable?

In this episode of Dog Driven, Whitney sits down with LaDell Gee to talk about the dog behind some of his most memorable days in the field—Nova.

LaDell shares Nova’s story from the beginning, including how she came into his life, her development as a hunting dog, the challenges they worked through, and the moments when everything started to click. We dive into memorable retrieves, lessons learned in the field, the evolution of their communication, and what it really means to build a partnership with a dog over season after season.

We also talk about the other side of performance: conditioning, recovery, knowing when your dog has had enough, and learning to read the individual dog in front of you.

But this episode isn’t just about retrieves or successful hunts. It’s about the relationship that develops along the way—and how, eventually, the dog beside you can become more important than the birds you’re chasing.

Because the birds fade.

The dogs don’t.

🎙️ Featuring LaDell Gee with association to Salt Creek Ammunition
🐾 Nova’s story, training & development
🦆 Memorable hunts and retrieves
💪 Caring for the canine athlete
🤝 Building trust between dog and handler
❤️ Appreciating the seasons we get with great dogs

Stay Dog Driven.

Be sure to check out Salt Creek's Triple Curl duck loads on their website link listed below!

Salt Creek Custom Ammunition

The Genetics of a Performance Dog — Part 2: Clear Genetics = Healthy Dog?

Your dog's DNA panel came back completely clear. Green checkmarks across the board.

So that means your dog is genetically healthy… right?

Not necessarily.

In Part 2 of our Wellness Wednesday series, The Genetics of a Performance Dog, we're digging into what genetic testing actually tells us—and, just as importantly, what it doesn't.

We'll break down the difference between DNA testing and health screening, what clear, carrier, and affected results actually mean, and why a dog being a carrier for certain recessive conditions doesn't automatically mean that dog is unhealthy—or should automatically be removed from a responsible breeding program.

We also dive into:

• Clear × clear, clear × carrier, and carrier × carrier breedings

• Why genetic probabilities don't guarantee the makeup of an individual litter

• Autosomal recessive inheritance

• Why not every genetic disease follows the same rules

• Genetic risk versus genetic destiny

• Why orthopedic, cardiac, eye, and other breed-appropriate screenings still matter

• The importance of family history and longevity

• Why eliminating every carrier can have unintended consequences for genetic diversity

• How responsible breeders can use testing to manage risk rather than chase genetic perfection

For performance dogs, health is about far more than a DNA report. These dogs need bodies and minds capable of running, swimming, retrieving, hunting, recovering, and remaining functional for years—and understanding the genetics behind them is only one piece of that puzzle.

A green genetic panel doesn't mean zero risk. A carrier result doesn't automatically mean a bad dog.

The real question is: Do we understand the information well enough to use it responsibly?

🎙️ This is Part 2 of The Genetics of a Performance Dog, a four-part Wellness Wednesday series from Dog Driven.

Your dog's DNA panel came back completely clear. Green checkmarks across the board.

So that means your dog is genetically healthy… right?

Not necessarily.

In Part 2 of my Wellness Wednesday series, The Genetics of a Performance Dog, we're digging into what genetic testing actually tells us—and, just as importantly, what it doesn't.

I'll break down the difference between DNA testing and health screening, what clear, carrier, and affected results actually mean, and why a dog being a carrier for certain recessive conditions doesn't automatically mean that dog is unhealthy—or should automatically be removed from a responsible breeding program.

I will also dive into:

• Clear × clear, clear × carrier, and carrier × carrier breedings

• Why genetic probabilities don't guarantee the makeup of an individual litter

• Autosomal recessive inheritance

• Why not every genetic disease follows the same rules

• Genetic risk versus genetic destiny

• Why orthopedic, cardiac, eye, and other breed-appropriate screenings still matter

• The importance of family history and longevity

• Why eliminating every carrier can have unintended consequences for genetic diversity

• How responsible breeders can use testing to manage risk rather than chase genetic perfection

For performance dogs, health is about far more than a DNA report. These dogs need bodies and minds capable of running, swimming, retrieving, hunting, recovering, and remaining functional for years—and understanding the genetics behind them is only one piece of that puzzle.

A green genetic panel doesn't mean zero risk. A carrier result doesn't automatically mean a bad dog.

The real question is: Do we understand the information well enough to use it responsibly?

🎙️ This is Part 2 of The Genetics of a Performance Dog, a four-part Wellness Wednesday series from Dog Driven.

The Genetics of a Performance Dog — Part 1: Good Parents = Good Puppies?

If you breed two phenomenal working dogs, you’re guaranteed phenomenal puppies… right?

Not exactly.

In Part 1 of my Wellness Wednesday series, The Genetics of a Performance Dog, we’re breaking down one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding breeding: that great parents automatically produce great puppies.

We’ll explore how genetics actually influence the dogs we see in the field, including genotype vs. phenotype, polygenic traits, heritability, genetic recombination, environmental influence, and why littermates from the exact same breeding can turn out remarkably different.

We’ll also talk about what titles and pedigrees can—and can’t—tell us, why the dog standing in front of you represents much more than genetics alone, and why evaluating a breeding means looking beyond just the sire and dam to the larger family behind them.

Whether you’re a breeder, trainer, handler, or searching for your next performance prospect, understanding genetics can help you ask better questions and set more realistic expectations.

Because responsible breeding isn't about guaranteeing the outcome.

It's about stacking the deck toward the traits we want while understanding that biology still deals in probabilities.

🎙️ A pedigree is a probability—not a promise.

This is Part 1 of The Genetics of a Performance Dog, a four-part Wellness Wednesday series from Dog Driven.

Is your dog constantly licking their paws, scratching their ears, or battling recurring skin infections? What if allergies aren't actually where the problem begins?

In this in-depth Wellness Wednesday masterclass, we're diving into one of the most overlooked topics in canine health—the skin barrier. Understanding how your dog's skin functions could completely change the way you think about allergies, itching, nutrition, and long-term health.

In this episode, we go far beyond the typical conversation about "allergies." You'll learn why the skin is your dog's first line of defense, how a damaged skin barrier contributes to chronic inflammation, why recurring ear and skin infections happen, and what role nutrition, omega-3 fatty acids, bathing, and veterinary medicine play in protecting your dog's health.

Whether you own a hunting dog, hunt test competitor, field trial dog, or simply want to give your best friend the healthiest life possible, this episode is packed with practical, evidence-based information you can apply immediately.

• Why the skin is one of your dog's most important organs
• How the skin barrier protects against allergens, bacteria, and moisture loss
• The connection between the skin barrier and environmental allergies
• The science behind the itch cycle
• Why dogs develop recurrent ear infections and skin infections
• The role of the skin microbiome in overall health
• How nutrition and omega-3 fatty acids support healthy skin
• Common bathing mistakes that may be working against your dog
• How medications like Apoquel, Cytopoint, and immunotherapy fit into a comprehensive treatment plan
• Practical strategies to support healthier skin and improve your dog's comfort year-round

Your dog gives everything they have in the field. Understanding how to protect the skin that protects them is one of the best investments you can make in their health, performance, and longevity.

Because healthy skin isn't just about stopping the itch—it's about building stronger, healthier dogs from the inside out.

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In this episode, we discuss: