Why good breeding matters. Genetics is the solid bedrock base of dog behavior (human behavior as well).
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7 thoughts on “Genetics and your dog’s personality”
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Genetics No #1 breed for function. The next most important and maybe equal importance is how the breeder raises the pups until the new owner picks them up. You do great job with your puppies, Miss B failed under these optimal conditions of good genetics and thereby definably should never have been bred. We don’t need those traits in the gene pool. Good talk
My next podcast is on early development of puppy brain size and early stimulation . She failed miserably…
Yeah, I don’t think you can love or train genetics away with animals, including humans. Do you consider dog-aggression and high prey drive like my Boxer has, is a serious fault? It’s not that uncommon in Boxers and other breeds. She pulls her head in and can play nice when she’s put with my Corso and Aussie “Bull Arab” pigdogs. I think dog-social pups are kind of expected by owners. I had intended to breed her but now I ‘m wavering. I wouldn’t expect all the pups to turn out like her, but I think some would.
Why do you want to breed?
I have been thinking about a small breeding program for quite a while. I’ve retired early and now I have the time to devote. I’m in Australia where docking is prohibited. I like this traditional look in Corsos and Boxers and I think others do too. There was a fascinating breeding program in Britain by the geneticist for the British Kennel Club that introduced a gene for a bobtail into the Boxer to produce “natural ” bobtails. I’m also not fond of today’s US hyper type of soft, nervous animals. I had a big, strong confident Boxer in my youth that was very different – from British/German lines. Unlike today’s US type, this was a dog you could imagine working with the police etc. My breeding goals are very specific: to produce German-type Bobtail Boxers. My girl is a bobtail with breeding rights that is a descendent of this program. She’s therefore a special foundation dog that I want to use I’m now researching German. sires for AI if I decide to use her. I don’t want dozens of dogs, If I bought another one what if it’s a bag of nerves or dog-aggressive?
You may find the British genetic program as fascinating as I did. Hilariously, they introduced the bobtail gene from the Corgi for god’s sakes. There are images documenting each generation away from the Corgi mutants and these bobtails have now been accepted back into the stud books. The bobtail gene is recessive and appears around 50/50 with tailed pups in a litter. I guess you could breed two Bobtails together but there may be risks of having the same problems they have with merles. BUT. Now I have a Corso I find I absolutely love this breed and my heart has totally moved on from Boxers! The geneticist ran Steadmere Boxer Kennels. His wife lectured in microbiology, so they had the complete team at home. They have identified the loci of the gene. The microscopic percentage of Corgi left (supposedly less than 1% and confined to the bobtail gene) since the foundation dogs in this 90’s project gives one an insight into the suspiciously high percentage of mixes in the US Corso that we still see in 2017 study.
Anyway, sorry for the wall of text, that the deal with why I want to breed.
I’ll make a podcast to address what you have said.
If I had the years left to develop the needed generations, I would have liked to commit sacrilege and use a Bobtail Boxer to develop Bobtail Corsos. I imagine the Corso zealots would go mad and want me shot!