Is it Right For You? and How to Understand It.
Breeding purposefully is a complex process. It isn’t just about throwing two dogs together and hoping for the best. Purposeful breeding is about understanding what traits a dog has and matching that dog with another who complements it properly. Over time, a breeder learns what traits dominate others in the pursuit of making the breed better. It’s why we chose the foundation animals that we have. Even as puppies, we saw great potential in our GSPs Juno and Hera.
Sometimes, finding the perfect fit, however, can be elusive. You want what your dogs have that others may not. In the world of dog breeding, this can be solved by inbreeding.
Wait!
Before you run screaming for the hills, you should know that it can be used effectively. Inbreeding can solidify certain traits that are elusive in many dogs. In fact,the population of some breeds have been saved after suffering declines.
There is a limit, however. When it comes to genetics, aiming for one desirable trait may strengthen another that isn’t desirable. When inbreeding, you can inadvertently highlight some genes and traits you don’t want. That high forehead or short back leg? They could come from a lack of genetic diversity.
Inbreeding comes from breeding pairings of mother to son, sibling to sibling, or father to daughter. You get the point. Over time, those pairings add up. Too many inbred pairings can also increase the risk of disease or other medical conditions.
That’s why you need to limit the level of inbreeding. Choose a breeder that understands and tracks this information in the form of the Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI). Each time a purposeful breeder maps a mating pair, they calculate the COI. It becomes a balancing act as you aim for the traits you want while limiting the ones you don’t.
The pedigree is your proof that a breeder is ethical and has a GSP to suit your needs. A reputable breeder is happy to flaunt what they do for their breed. Don’t be afraid to ask for it.
