Royal Canin held the third edition of its PRO Experts Forum on 25 and 26 October 2023.
The event was conducted as a 100 percent live experience, with the content being translated into nine different languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, and Japanese.
Throughout the two days, 4,000 people registered to watch the forum, coming together from 80 countries.
This unique virtual event gathered 10 experts from a variety of backgrounds who shared their knowledge with a global network. Among them were Professor Ann Van Soom, Dr Juliette Roos-Pichenot, Dr Tabitha Hookey, Professor Sylvie Chastant, Dr Angela Hughes, Dr Helen Zulch, the champion breeder Antonio Palladini and behavior and training experts Lesley Deacon and Lucie Holbrook.
For all viewers, the event is the occasion to hear about topics such as optimal breeding, reproduction, socialisation, parental matches, monitored pregnancy, the importance of the first 16 weeks of life in puppies, as well as the best ways to find a pet’s ideal family.
In addition to these riveting conferences, audiences were encouraged to participate through a live question-and-answer session.
“The ambition of Royal Canin is to be the catalyst for experts to share their experiences,” explained Olivier Reymond, pet professionals business & corporate affairs VP at Royal Canin. “The PRO Experts Forum is the perfect opportunity to discuss both the personal experiences of breeders and know about the latest cutting-edge research.”
Puppy breeding is an intricate and multi-faceted process in which each detail is crucial to the development and future of the dogs.
From mating and natality to socialisation of the puppies and matching them with the right family, these practices not only help breeders to get happier, healthier puppies but also make a real difference throughout the lives of dogs and their pet health guardians.
The forum’s first panel featured Dr Angela Hughes, Royal Canin veterinary geneticist, who explained how genetics could help to prevent puppies’ issues. A healthy genetic diversity will optimise the prolificity of the kennel, and help maintain a healthy line of puppies through generations.
Additionally, Professor Anna Van Soom, an expert on reproduction, concurred on the need for more genetic testing, adding that male dogs should also undergo frequent semen examinations to check for quality, which can be impacted by stresses such as trauma and heat exposure.
Dr Tabitha Hookey, a member of Royal Canin’s global researhc nad development team, emphasised the importance of nutrition in this phase of breeding, as diet impacts the health of future puppies and mothers. For instance, the less-known nutritional element, vitamin A, promotes embryonic development and helps major tissues like the heart.
The forum shifted into a hands-on approach with Professor Sylvie Chastant, an expert in puppy and kitten neonatology, who demonstrated practical techniques of prenatal resuscitation, which could aid in the survival of newborn puppies.
Professor Chastant shared, for example, an exciting new research that found out the placenta plays a key role for the newborn puppy as it provides essential nutrients during the the resuscitation phase.
The second day of the forum began with Dr Helen Zulch, a specialist in veterinary behavioural medicine, who underlined that each dog has a unique profile, based on genetic and life experiences. This is why the education of the puppy in the first stages will have an impact throughout the dog’s life.
Leslie Deacon and Lucie Halbrook, from the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute in the UK, had a large breadth of experience in the field of socialisation. They explained the WALTHAM socialisation approach, which involves five key areas, including tactile stimulation, interactions with different people, auditory stimuli, visual stimuli, and world exploration.
The last (but not least) part of the event was dedicated to the responsibility of a breeder to find a home for their puppies. Antonio Palladini underlined the importance of making the right match to avoid the dog being abandoned and that any doubts that arise should be vocalised so that both the pet and the potential owner will have a fruitful and loving future together.
Viewers also visited Royal Canin’s partner foundation, ONCE, where dogs are trained to help the blind, finding the right match between owner and dog is particularly important.
“Raising a dog breed is a great responsibility,” said Antonio Palladini. “Dogs have accompanied humanity for more than 40,000 years. Dog breeds are a gift we received from the past. It is our ethical responsibility to translate and pass this gift to future generations.”
