Selective Dog Breeding Articles | DOGS

By: A. Fletcher

Making a deliberate selection of dogs with specific traits for reproductive purpose so as to influence the traits of the next generation is selective breeding. By this method one can get dogs with specific good characteristics and eliminate the bad ones. This is a time tested and effective method to produce good quality dogs. Breeding dogs is an artistic science or a scientific art. Either way it takes both talent and study to get a strong variety of dog. To be one successful breeder, he must have a clear idea of what traits he desires and which he needs t eliminate, as well as how much potential his bitch has for carrying those genes

There are four main types of selective breeding are line breeding, in breeding, out crossing, out breeding.

Line breeding is a process that attempts to get a high contribution of one or two ancestors/strains/bloodline through successive generations for accentuating particular features in the off spring. It’s mating of dogs with a common ancestor or a far off relative of the dog. The history of both dogs must be known for at least five generations to ensure uniformity in litter and to avoid the negatives of in breeding. It can be said as a weak form of inbreeding done with proper knowledge of the pedigrees.

In breeding is a method of mating dogs which are very close relatives like father-daughter, mother-son. It very strongly increases the strength as well as the faults. On breeding can cause depression of immune system and congenial faults if done repeatedly. But it’s the only available way to breed near extinct or a new variety.

Out crossing is mating of two line-bred varieties but of different family trees. It’s a long-term solution to cure certain defects in a certain line of breed. It has an increased advantage to the breed, if the mates are not of same variety, to preserve population diversity. The effects will not be as quick as line or in breeding but does a much better job of eliminating the bad qualities and defects. Once the desired traits are got it must be followed by in breeding to get the full effect of out crossing

Breeding two different dogs of different family trees and also not products of line breeding it’s called out breeding. This allows carrying of two genes that are not the same, and increases gene diversity between each dog by allowing of matching pairs between unrelated genes from different ancestors. Out breeding can also cover up the cause of recessive genes, and allow their propagation in the carrier state.

Thus these are the ways of selective breeding and the order in which they are done relies upon the skill of the breeder.