The Institute of Canine Biology
  • HOME
  • Blog
  • Courses
    • COI BootCamp (FREE!)
    • Basic Population Genetics (FREE)
    • The Science of Canine Husbandry
    • Managing Genetics For the Future >
      • Syllabus - Managing Genetics for the Future
    • The Biology of Dogs (Open Reg )
    • DNA For Dog Breeders >
      • Syllabus - DNA for Dog Breeders
      • Open Reg - DNA For Dog Breeders
    • Understanding Hip & Elbow Dysplasia >
      • Open Reg - Understanding Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
    • Genetics of Behavior & Performance >
      • Syllabus - Genetics Behavior & Performance
      • Open Reg - Genetics of Behavior & Performance (Open Reg)
    • Strategies for Preservation Breeding >
      • Open Reg - Strategies for Preservation Breeding
    • Group Discounts
    • MORE FREE COURSES >
      • Quickie Genetics (Free!)
      • Heredity & Genetics (Free!)
      • Useful Genetics (Free!)
      • Basic Genetics Videos
  • Breed Preservation
    • Breed Status
    • Breeding for the future >
      • BFF Breed Groups
    • The "Elevator Pitch"
    • What's in the Gene Pool?
    • The Pox of Popular Sires
    • What population genetics can tell us about a breed
    • What population genetics can tell you...Tollers & Heelers
    • How to use kinship data
    • Using EBVs to breed better dogs >
      • How population size affects inbreeding
      • EBV Examples
    • How to read a dendrogram
    • Global Pedigree Project >
      • The Database
    • Finding the genes without DNA
    • How to read a heat map
  • Health Data
    • Bloat (Purdue Study)
    • Body Condition Score >
      • % Dysplastic vs BCS
    • Breed Comparions
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Cataracts
    • Caesareans
    • Deafness
    • Degenerative Myelopathy
    • Elbow Dysplasia
    • Epilepsy
    • Genetic Diversity
    • Genetic Diversity (MyDogDNA)
    • Hip Dysplasia >
      • Hip Dysplasia (Hou et al 2013)
    • Inbreeding Effects
    • Inbreeding (Gubbels)
    • Inbreeding (Dreger)
    • Lifespan
    • Litter size
    • Metabolic
    • mtDNA
    • Orthopedic
    • Mode of Inheritance
    • Patella Luxation
    • Thyroid
    • Portosystemic shunt
    • Purebred vs Mixed (UC Davis)
    • Purebred vs Mixed Breed (Bonnett)
    • Spay & Neuter Effects
    • Calboli et al 2008
    • Hodgman (1963)
    • Scott & Fuller (1965)
    • Stockard: Purebred crosses
    • Summers (2011)
  • Projects
    • How To Interpret Breed Analyses
    • Afghan Hound
    • More details about the Toller study
    • Belgian Tervuren >
      • Belgian Terv p2
      • Belgians- why population size matters
    • Bernese Mountain Dog
    • Boxer
    • Brussels Griffon
    • Bullmastiff
    • Canaan Dog >
      • Canaan analyses
    • Cesky Terrier >
      • Cesky genetic history
    • Chinook
    • Curly-coated Retriever
    • Doberman
    • Entelbucher Mountain Dog
    • Flatcoat Retriever
    • French Bulldog
    • German Shorthair
    • Golden Retriever >
      • Golden Retriever Pedigree Charts
    • Irish Water Spaniel >
      • IWS (6 Nov 17)
    • Labrador Retriever
    • Manchester Terrier
    • Mongolian Bankhar >
      • Research Updates
      • Bankhar 1
    • Norwegian Lundehund
    • Plummer Terrier
    • Otterhound
    • Portuguese Water Dog >
      • Portuguese Water Dog (pt 2)
    • Ridgeback
    • Schipperke
    • Standard Poodle >
      • The Problem With Poodles
      • 3poodle pedigree charts
      • 3Poodle Wycliff dogs
      • Poodle Genetics
    • Tibetan Spaniel
    • Tibetan Mastiff
    • West Highland White Terrier
    • Whippet
    • Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
    • UK KC Graphs >
      • UK KC Breed Status
      • UK Groups
      • KC Gundogs
      • KC Hounds
      • KC Terriers >
        • Terriers (select breeds)
      • KC Pastoral
      • KC Toys
      • KC Working
      • KC Utility
      • Australian KC
    • Breed outcrossing programs
  • Resources
    • Genetics Databases
    • Stud Books >
      • American Kennel Club stud books
      • Field Dog stud books
      • The Kennel Club (UK)
    • Learn
    • Videos about dog genetics
    • The Amazing Things Dogs Do! (videos) >
      • Livestock Management
      • Livestock guarding
      • Transportation, exploration, racing
      • Conservation & wildlife management
      • Detection Dogs
      • Medicine & Research
      • Entertainment
      • AKC/CHF Podcasts
    • Read & Watch
    • Bookshelf
  • Preventing Uterine Inertia

Genetic Management of Dog Breed Populations

2/21/2014

 
By Ed. J. Gubbels
Population Geneticist
Genetic Counselling Services
The Netherlands

http://www.gencouns.nl/
(Download pdf)


Translations available:
  • Russian

1. Introduction

In the course of the second half of the 19th century the method of ‘inbreeding and selection’ took hold in domestic animal breeding. From 1900 onwards it was widely applied both for companion animals and in agricultural animal husbandry. Especially in the early phases of pedigree breeding (oriented to conformation) the method yielded advantages. With its use breeders were able to ‘fix’ desired traits in their breeding stock and have these transmitted reliably to subsequent generations. 
Picture
This breeding method also has drawbacks. Its systematic application concentrates not only desired genes, but also the hereditary predisposition for undesired traits. The problem is that harmful genes are being spread while successive generations display only a very limited part of these in the offspring. For every harmful trait the bulk of the unwanted genes is hidden away in carriers. We do not notice their damaging effects until later, many generations down the line, by which time the harmful genes have become so widespread that our selection is virtually powerless. On top of that, hereditary problems involving more complex transmission patterns cannot be combated with this system of individual selection at all.

In the world of pure-bred dog breeding ‘inbreeding and selection’ is still the order of the day. What it basically comes down to is this: the level of inbreeding is gradually raised (via line breeding). The purpose is to fix the superior traits of dogs in the line. Selection is in favour of the desired characteristics (the most breed-typical traits), and against undesired characteristics (such as disorders in health and well-being). There are two objectives here: ‘preservation’ and ‘improvement’.

Most breeders are convinced they are ‘preserving’ as long as they mate pure-breds only. As to ‘improving’, most breeders hold that this can be achieved by always letting the ‘best’ animals contribute as much as possible to the next generation. They assume that this approach will also check the frequent occurrence of health and well-being problems in pure-bred dogs. The reality of pure-bred dog breeding, however, yields a different picture.


Read More

What Does Population Genetics Have To Do With Breeding Dogs?

2/2/2014

 
Picture
by Carol Beuchat PhD

For most of history, people bred dogs to produce a particular type suitable for work, companionship, or some other purpose. Knowledge about genes and the principles of inheritance were used to improve the predictability of many traits breeders cared about- color, size, coat type, instincts, and so on.  Before the advent of kennel clubs, breeders did what worked for them and avoided breeding in ways that caused problems.

When dog breeding became a hobby and kennel clubs were formed, breeders placed value on the purebred dog and created closed registries- dogs would only be considered "pure" bred if their parents were already registered in the studbook.

Over the ensuing years, generation after generation of purebred dogs have been produced from animals already registered in the studbook. Breeders have used selective breeding to produce dogs to suit their needs, carefully choosing breeding pairs and evaluating the offspring to determine which were of high enough quality to be suitable for breeding themselves. 

At the time kennel clubs were created about the turn of the 20th century, very little was known about genetics.  Scientists were arguing about the mechanisms of evolution, and Mendel the monk was puttering in his garden doing experiments on peas.  Nobody had any notion that creating closed populations of purebred dogs might not be a good idea.  But as genetics began to develop as a discipline alongside the theory of evolution, biologists began to think about how new species evolved and the role that genetics might play.  They realized that changes in the traits of animals over time could lead to the evolution of new species, and that this was a reflection of changes in the particular mix of genes present in the animals that form a species.  If the animals in one population of a species became different enough genetically from the animals in another population, they could cease to interbreed and become separate, distinct species.  The process of evolution was really just a change in the frequencies of particular alleles that determined the traits that make the new species unique.


Read More

    Archives

    January 2025
    November 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    December 2020
    January 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    March 2013
    July 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Behavior
    Border-collie
    Herding

Blog

News


About Us

Contact Us








Copyright © 2012-2017 Institute of Canine Biology
Picture
Picture