Yes interesting. The FCI doesn't though presently allow interbreeding of varieties, at least not in Belgian Shepherds (neither do the UK KC ). Would be a good move if they were considering changing the policy on this to open up the gene pools.

Yes totaly agree, some coats are of course there because of the need their job requires
Waterproof, double coat, wiry - and so on
and some colours are undesirable - like breeding 2 white facotored or merle collies and that type of dog
But because of the fashion for aussies to be merle, merle to merle matings are almost the norm and I read a sickening article a while back (didnt bookmark it cos it was gross) explaining to breeders when you did the merle to merle how to spot and cull the expected 25% deaf dogs in the litter

But (and I use collies cos I know the most about them) if it is totaly natural for a small number of black and white dogs to have blue eyes and it is no problem at all then why is it considered a fault for showing?
If in other breeds it is totaly natural and healthy to have parti colouring or splashes, sable or sadle markings why are these dogs excluded from the gene pool?

Apparently the KC were working with the TV producers already on this program and half way through got uneasy about the way ut was going.

I suspect the program will not be an unbaised view.

note owned both cross breds and pedigrees

Merle x Merle matings are certainly NOT the norm!

I suspect initially it was to do with defining a breed, and breed recognition. Another factor, is that many of these breed standards for the ring were developed prior to the knowledge we now have about genetic diversity and its importance.

Some of these colour anomalies have been corrected, eg isabella in Dobermanns is now included in the standard. With brown and dilute already in the gene pool as recessives it was unavoidable that isabella (a combination of those two) would crop up from time to time.

Others persist. Newfoundlands.... accepted colours are black, brown and black & white piebald (landseer). Very basic understanding of genetics will tell you that if you interbreed these colours, brown & white will also occur. Breeders naturally try to avoid this by keeping lines separate.

The Landseer is actually classified as a separate breed by the FCI.

Good I should hope it wouldnt be, I was looking at kennels and forums in america and australia who suggested that it was but I am glad to be corrected
But still sickend that there are people out there who do do it knowing all the risks

It is I believe, quite common in harlequin breeding in Great Danes. There's a particular gene combination necessary to produce the harl pattern. It is a bit complicated and involves the merle gene.... all harls are genetically merle.

Because of this combination it's not possible for the pattern to breed 'true' there will always be other colours cropping up in litters. But what harl breeders don't seem to realise is that the usual breeding of harl x harl is not, on average, going to produce more harls than harl x mantle (black with irish pattern white spotting). A breeding that doesn't double up on merle.

Harl x harl breeding carries the same risks as merle x merle in that there is a 25% risk of double merle with all the associated eye and ear defects.

According to dog press this week (OD), the production team have not shared an early screening with anyone, including the KC...and some 'finishing touches' are still being made to the programme before it goes out.

Mary

a must watch for any CKCS owner ..........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7569521.stm