Dog breeding 476072 225648327 2008-07-14T18:51:07Z Bob98133 4392768 rvt good faith, unreferenced comments '''Dog breeding''' is the practice of mating selected specimens with the intent to maintain or produce specific qualities and characteristics. [[Image:CatahoulaLitter wb.jpg|thumb|Litters of puppies and their mother]] Dogs reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by [[natural selection]]. [[Domestic dog]]s may be intentionally bred by their owners. <ref>{{cite book |author=Seranne, Ann |title=The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog |publisher=Howell Book House |location=New York, N.Y |year=1980 |pages= |isbn=0-87605-413-0 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> A person who intentionally mates dogs to produce puppies is referred to as dog [[breeder]]. Breeding relies on the science of genetics, so the breeder with a knowledge of canine [[genetics]], health, and the intended use for the dogs attempts to breed suitable dogs. == History == Humans maintained a population of useful animals around their places of habitat since [[pre-historic]] times <ref>{{cite book |author=Darwin, Charles |title=The Variation of Animals And Plants Under Domestication |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |location= |year=2004 |pages= |isbn=1-4191-8660-4 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref>. They intentionally fed useful dogs, while killing wild dogs, establishing the relationships between humans and specific types of dogs over thousands of years. Later, certain domesticated dogs developed into different types, or groups, such as [[livestock guardian dog]]s, [[hunting dog]]s, and [[sight hounds]]. In order to maintain these differences, humans intentionally mated dogs with certain characteristics. Over years, hundreds of dog breeds were developed, while the ownership of working, and, later, purebred dogs, had been a privilege of the wealthy. Nowadays, many people can afford to buy a dog. Some breeders chose to breed purebred dogs, while some prefer to produce crossbred “mix breed” dogs, claiming that the outcross is healthier than original breeds, and avoiding [[linebreeding]] or [[inbreeding]]. ==Registries== Breeders may report the birth of a litter of puppies to a dog registry, such as [[kennel club]] to record it in stud books and receive according documents for the puppies. AKC (American Kennel Club is widley known. Such registries maintain records of dogs’ lineage, accenting on achievements and working qualities, and usually are or affiliated with kennel clubs <ref>{{cite book |author=American Kennel club Staff |title=The complete dog book |publisher=Howell Book House |location=New York, N.Y |year=1997 |pages= |isbn=0-87605-047-X |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref>. Maintaining the correct data is vitally important for purebred dog breeding. When the breeder has access to records, he shall be able to analyze the pedigrees, and understand, what traits to expect and what to avoid, while choosing inbreeding or outcross. Requirements for the breeding of registered purebreds vary between breeds, countries, kennel clubs and registries. In general, the rules are formulated to benefit either a certain breed, or different breeds of dogs, and breeders have to abide the rules of certain organization in order to participate in its breed maintaining and development programs. The rules may apply to the health of the dogs, such as joint x-rays, hip certifications, and eye examinations; to working qualities, such as passing a special test or achieving at a trial; to general conformation, such as evaluation of a dog by a breed expert. ==Criticism== The term ‘backyard breeders’ is commonly used in the U.S. to describe a breeder with a lack of knowledge and experience; while the term ‘[[puppy mill]]s’ or ‘puppy farms’ refers to a businesses that mass produces puppies of different breeds. Animal rightists claim that breeding dogs in order to sell them is unethical, attacking breeders they consider especially “greedy”. Critics cite breed registries for encouraging inbreeding dogs thereby increasing the number of genetic disorders. Animal rights group [[PETA]] <ref>{{cite book |author=Dave Workman |title=Peta Files: The Dark Side of the Animal Rights Movement |publisher=Merril Press |location=Bellevue, Wash |year=2003 |pages= |isbn=0-936783-32-X |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> periodically attacking the American Kennel Club claiming that AKC adds to the pet overpopulation problem by encouraging breeding pure bred dogs when millions of dogs are killed yearly in US animal shelters. Veterinarian and author Dr. Michael Fox claims that, "The best use of pedigree papers is for housebreaking your dog. They don't mean a damn thing. You can have an immune- deficient puppy that is about to go blind and has epilepsy, hip dysplasia, hemophilia and one testicle, and the AKC will register it" "<ref name=A Terrible Beauty>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,163404,00.html A Terrible Beauty]</ref> ==Genetic defects== Some dogs have certain inheritable characteristics, that can develop into a disease. Such as improper anatomy can cause excessive wear of hip joint or bone, known as [[Hip dysplasia (canine)]]. As well, some eye abnormalities, heart conditions, deafness, are proven to be inherited. The breeders need to avoid reproducing such animals, regardless, for purebred breeding, or for crossbreeding. <ref>{{cite book |author=George A. Padgett |title=Control of Canine Genetic Diseases (Howell Reference Books) |publisher=Howell Book House |location=New York, N.Y |year=1998 |pages= |isbn=0-87605-004-6 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> There are extensive studies <ref>[http://w3.vet.upenn.edu/research/centers/penngen/services/metaboliclab/ University of PA Section of Medical Genetics PennGen]</ref> on those conditions, commonly sponsored by breed clubs and dog registries, while breed clubs provide information of common genetic defects for according breed. As well, special organizations, such as [[Orthopedic Foundation for Animals]], collect data and provide it to breeders, as well as to the general public. Some registries, such as [[American Kennel Club]] include records of absence of certain genetic defects, known as certification, into dog’s individual records. For example, the [[German Shepherd]] National Breed Club in Germany is a registry that recognizes that [[Hip Dysplasia]] is a genetic defect for the dogs of this breed. Accordingly, it requires all dogs to pass evaluation for absence of Hip Dysplasia in order to register their progeny, and records the results in individual dog‘s pedigrees. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2006/05/inbred-thinking.html Article showing graph of increased inbreeding resulting from closed registries] *[http://www.terrierman.com/rosettestoruin.htm Rosettes to Ruin: An Article on the effects of conformation breeding on working dogs] *[http://www.fci.be European registry FCI] {{Dog nav}} [[Category:Dog breeds]] [[Category:dog breeding]] [[ka:მეძაღლეობა]] [[no:Moderne hundeavl]] [[ru:Собаководство]]