The links are all working now. Next you'll be telling me Dr. John Armstrong hasn't got a clue what he's talking about

Well maybe that is because you went back and edited your post to change the links When I tried to open them the first time they were definately not working (possibly because the first one linked to a .h rather than a .htm file) I didn't have time to try and figure out what was wrong with the rest of the links.

Will have a read of them all later

If you have the time also read this one - http://documents.seppalasleddogs.com...ts/pbdb21c.htm

Will do

I am currently looking at the Population Structure and Inbreeding From Pedigree Analysis of Purebred Dogs which appears to be the most scientific of the ones listed, however from a brief glance they are basing their report on the KC database. I think most people would readily agree that the KC will register anything and everything, regardless of health as long as the parents are KC registered. The vast majority of KC registered dogs do not have to be health tested and I personally do not consider them to be the pinacle of ethical breeding

My argument is for 'ethical' breeders, not for any old show/working breeders.

Originally Posted by Shona
pups come with both injections, tails were docked by vets, you get the whole lot with the pup, bags of feeding, vet bed, yada yada,
the last litter cost a lot to rear as they were hand reared,



Maybe if you took the time to read up on Shona and her breding practices, you might have saved yourself the condescending comment you have just made.

Paddywack it seems you dont fully understand the basis of "line breeding"

You are right in some aspects.. line breeding can be a disaster, if done incorrectly... it should never be practiced by the novice breeders, or those who do not know their lines....

It can be horrendous if done be people who have no knowledge of the genetics of the dogs...

BUT, done correctly it can enhance a line, bringing out the qualities the breeder is striving for..if all dogs in the line have been tested, and are free of hereditary diseases, fit the standard, temperament of the breed, there is nothing wrong in the practice..... if generations in that line are free from hereditary diseases.

Whether you line breed, interbreed, out breed... the trick is to breed from healthy stock, doing your homework on all ancestors of the breeding stock... if you do this correctly healthy dogs produce healthy dogs.


I know breeders who line breed, they know the genetics of every dog going back generations, they line breed for a reason... to enhance the breed, they like that line, the qualities it brings with it.

Your assumption is incorrect. Having read your post it seems it's yourself that doesn't understand line breeding, please do your research before making silly accusations

I'm afraid all that line breeding achieves is to fix a trait producing an extreme look/type as close to the breed standard as possible. It may help to avoid producing pups with a hereditary diseases that the line has been tested clear for but you need to understand that only very few hereditary diseases can be tested for, by line breeding the breeder is increasing the chances of the pups ending up with hereditary diseases that haven't/currently can't be tested for.

No line is free from hereditary diseases. The idea is to dilute the lines to prevent the recessive diseased genes meeting up.

obviously not its illegal now, my last litter are two years old, I havent had a litter since the last one

The whole point being , however you breed, is to breed as healthy stock as possible.... is is not down to line/inter/ out breeding that is the cause of hereditary health problems... it is down to people not health screen their dogs..

Line breeding would not put me off buying a puppy, bad breeding would.

This is where you are wrong. Line breeding increases the chances of heredity diseases, that can't yet be tested for, showing themselves. A breeder has no idea what recessive traits their line carries, inbreed these dogs together and the chances of two of the same recessive genes meeting up is increased. Possible but unlikely in a dog that hasn't been inbred/line bred. Have a read of the links I posted, research modern population genetics and you might understand what I'm saying. I'm afraid what you are saying is incorrect.

I understand exactly what you are saying, and agree to a point..... but you cant discredit good line breeding on what if `s