Breeding Styles

TYPES OF BREEDING TECHNIQUES

I decided to write this when I was contacted by a laymen that knew nothing about the genetics of breeding. This person said that they would not purchase a dog from my kennel because we linebred, and due to that, I must not have cared anything about my dogs and I was running a puppy mill just to make money.

Even though there is great debate and discrepancy about how to breed and the outcome of breeding a certain way, I will provide the information below to help educate people and possibly prevent, well blatantly, another “Idiot” from making false accusations about our kennel practices or the care and love for our dogs.

Willow Creek Kennel does practice linebreeding. However, we do not condone Inbreeding. You may have noticed that one of our dogs (Crow) was Closebred, a form of Inbreeding. Unfortunately, this was an accident. Timber, Crow’s father ended up digging out from his kennel and digging into Crow’s while we were gone for the day. When we returned, we found Timber in the kennel with Crow and knew what had been taking place. We immediately dug 2 feet deep trenches around the kennels and reset the fences below ground. It was too late for what had taken place between Timber and Crow though. Two months later, Crow whelped a litter of pups sired by Timber, her own father. We were very distraught and had all the puppies thoroughly checked out by our vet. There were no abnormalities and all the pups were healthy with wonderful temperaments. We ended up keeping three of the pups for ourselves: Kovu, Keanna and Serenity. All have proven to be of great health and temperament. Though this was an absolute accident and we consider it a blessing in disguise to be blessed with three wonderful dogs that have come out of this, we do not in any way condone or practice Closebreeding or Inbreeding.

Though there are still debates and controversy over breeding styles, and some people may not agree with our own preference of breeding, we feel that it is necessary to make the information available so that prospective purchasers of our puppies are well informed and aware of our breeding practices. We do not suggest that other breeders choose linebreeding for their kennel, especially those just starting out. We have done significant studies about the breed, our lines, each dog within the ancestry of our lines and so forth. We know them inside and out and also watch for any imperfections or health issues that may crop up by linebreeding. We are fully aware of the offspring that our dogs throw and unless they will contribute to the Alaskan Malamute breed, we omit them from our breeding program as well as selling to other breeders. We rarely do give breeding rights out on our dogs, and when we do, the dog must be of exceptional quality and possess traits that will only prove positive to the breed. The pups that we keep for our own breeding program must also possess the same positive traits as well.

Below is a list of the 3 major breeding practices: Crossbreeding, Linebreeding, Inbreeding, and Closebreeding (a form of Inbreeding) .A large portion of it has been pulled from the Internet for easier understanding.

CROSSBREEDING

CROSSBREEDING is the mating of dogs from different lines or breeds. Crossbreeding may also be used to produce heterosis (hybrid), the sudden increase in vigor and fertility caused by a sudden increase in heterozygosity. Because dogs from separate lines and/or breeds usually carry very different genotypes, crossbreeding causes a more extreme form of heterosis. The possibility of each parent contributing identical alleles to their offspring is remote. Heterosis from crossbreeding often appears as a sudden improvement in physical characteristics, such as size, endurance, disease resistance, etc. New lines or breeds are sometimes established by crossing members of two or more lines or breeds and carefully inbreeding the original crossbred offspring. Crossbreeding initiates the desired change, while inbreeding increases the ability of each generation to breed "true to type".

Definition: Crossbreeding - 1. to produce (a hybrid); hybridize, 2. to undertake or engage in hybridizing; hybridize.

Definition: Outbreeding (another term used in conjunction with crossbreeding) - 1. to produce offspring through sexual relations outside a particular family or tribe, 2. to breed (animals that are not closely related) or (of such animals) to be bred

LINEBREEDING

LINEBREEDING, the most conservative form of inbreeding, is usually associated with slower improvement and limited risk of producing undesirable individuals. It can involve matings between closely or distantly related dogs, but it does not emphasize continuous sire-daughter, dam-son, or brother-sister matings. The main purpose of line breeding is to transmit a large percentage of one outstanding ancestor's genes from generation to generation without causing an increase in the frequency of undesirable traits often associated with inbreeding.

Because linebreeding is not based strictly on mating closely related individuals (with very similar gene types), it does not necessarily cause a rapid increase in homozygous gene pairs. Consequently, it will not expose undesirable recessive genes as extensively as closebreeding. For this reason, linebreeding is generally a safer inbreeding program for most breeders.

Intensive inbreeding (and resulting increased homozygosity) is often directly related to an increase in the expression of many undesirable traits. Therefore, the linebreeder should carefully study pedigrees for each prospective mating and determine if, and how closely, the bitch and stud are related. By following certain guidelines, the breeder can limit inbreeding (and, therefore, homozygosity) within their breed. At the same time, they may increase the influence of a common ancestor upon the entire strain or family.

Definition: Linebreeding - the interbreeding of individuals within a particular line of descent usually to perpetuate desirable characters compare

　INBREEDING

INBREEDING is done for the purpose of fixing certain traits or the influence of certain ancestors upon the progeny. This procedure varies in degree from intense closebreeding to mild linebreeding. Although inbreeding can be detrimental to fertility, vigor, and athletic ability within the offspring, it can also result in true-breeding strains of dogs (that consistently pass important traits to their offspring). Because most breeds were formed by a process of inbreeding, the breeding of purebred dogs is a form of inbreeding. Some breeds are more inbred than others. (Degree of inbreeding depends on the number of common ancestors, how far back in the pedigree they appear, and how often each common ancestor occurs.)

From a genetic viewpoint, inbreeding results in an increase of the number of homozygous gene pairs in the offspring. Homozygous refers to a condition where two paired chromosomes have the same allelle (gene type) at a corresponding point. Because two close relatives tend to have more of the same alleles (by virtue of inheritance) than two unrelated individuals, their mating provides a greater chance for identical alleles to be paired within their offspring. This increase in homozygosity is directly related to the appearance of both desirable and detrimental characteristics that were not necessarily apparent in the sire and dam.

When dogs are inbred haphazardly, without omitting inferior stock, many undesirable traits may become predominant in their offspring. Nonselective inbreeding is directly related to a depressed fertility rate, an increase in abortion and stillbirth. Some basic principles of genetics show why these traits are directly related to inbreeding.

When two unrelated dogs are mated, the chances of unidentical alleles combining within the resulting embryo are high. On the other hand, mating close relatives increases the pairing of identical alleles (increases homozygosity). The effect of increased homozygosity is a decrease in the number of heterozygous gene pairs and, subsequently, a decline in heterosis (i.e., loss of vigor and fertility). Although the reason for this allelic interaction is not clear, geneticists believe that its presence contributes to the overall quality of an individual. Therefore, as homozygosity increases within the inbred breed, physical quality controlled by over dominant alleles declines.

Many undesirable genes affecting the dog's overall vigor and fertility are recessive. Fortunately, they have no influence in the heterozygous state, since the effect of the recessive allele is completely hidden by the effect of the corresponding dominant allele. Because of the overall effect of inbreeding is an increase in homozygosity, it increases the number of homozygous recessives. Hence, the effects of undesirable recessive genes begin to surface. Inbreeding does not create undesirable trait, it exposes recessive alleles for hidden weaknesses which are present within the sire and dam. Because successful inbreeding demands the omitting of inferior breeding stock over many generations (to help eliminate some of the undesirable recessive genes from the breed), it may not be feasible for some breeders. Additionally, the traits which tend to surface within the inbred line (such as depressed growth rate and decreased size) contrast sharply with what many breeders select for. Therefore, the breeder must be objective when the need to exempt a particular dog arises.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of inbreeding is that it increases the prepotency of individuals within a line and consequently helps to create distinct true-breeding strains or families. This prepotency (the ability of a stud or bitch to stamp desirable characteristics upon their offspring with a high degree of predictability) is the result of the parent being homozygous for important desirable traits. When such a parent carries two identical alleles on corresponding points of a chromosome pair, he transmits that allele to the same chromosome point within his offspring. If two such parents are mated, the offspring will always possess the same desirable trait. Therefore, as inbreeding increases homozygosity, it also enhances prepotency. (This is advantageous only if the parents are homozygous for desirable traits.)

As mentioned previously, inbreeding exposes certain weaknesses within the inbred line. Uncovering these undesirable traits can be an important tool for the overall improvement within a breeding program. By setting certain selection guidelines, and by carefully eliminating inbred individuals which show inherit weaknesses, the breeder can slowly remove any undesirable recessive genes from their line. They will find that vigor and fertility are actually improved when inbreeding is accompanied by careful selection.

A successful inbreeding program requires good foundation stock and exempting certain dogs over many years. For this reason, inbreeding is usually practiced by experienced breeders for the production of superior breeding stock. It can also be used to establish breeds, or true-breeding types, with respect to certain characteristics such as color or size.

Definition: Inbreeding - the mating of closely related individuals, as cousins (in humans), sire-daughter, brother-sister, or self-fertilized plants, which tends to increase the number of individuals that are homozygous for a trait and therefore increases the appearance of recessive traits.

CLOSEBREEDING

CLOSEBREEDING (a form of Inbreeding) is referred to when a breeding system which uses extreme inbreeding, such as mating between siblings or between parents and offspring takes place. The detrimental effects of inbreeding (such as decrease in vigor, fertility, athletic ability and size) are usually exaggerated in a closebreeding system. This is especially true when average breeding stock are used and little exemptions has been implemented. Closebreeding can produce extremely good, or extremely poor, results. Success and failure depend on factors such as planning, foundation stock, emphasis on exempting certain dogs, and completeness of pedigree and performance records, etc. Haphazard closebreeding could be very detrimental to the overall quality of the resulting offspring. To avoid disaster, a careful study of the merits and weaknesses of the breeding stock should precede a closebreeding program. Only the most outstanding studs and bitches can be used with any degree of safety in a long term closebreeding program.

Closebreeding is a valuable tool in genetic research, since it quickly exposes hidden gene types that an individual carries. Because of its extreme nature and the chance that it may suddenly cause undesirable effects in the offspring, closebreeding is not often used by dog breeders. Some breeders, who operate large and well organized program, might utilize closebreeding if they progeny test their dogs. (One method of progeny testing a sire is to mate him to a large group of his own daughters. A study of the offspring determines whether he carries undesirable genes hidden in the heterozygous state.) After a stud proves that he is of superior gene type, the experienced breeder may choose to continue the closebreeding to increase prepotency of future breeding stock.

Definition: Closebreeding - a form of Inbreeding that is referred to when a breeding system which uses extreme inbreeding, such as mating between siblings or between parents and offspring takes place