What Are The Priorities?
When planning a litter which goals are contemplated? Is any one thing most important? Will it be one, two, or all?
- Breed preservation: “Our job as breeders is preservation, not innovation.” (Dr. Edna K. Martin).
- Functionality: “Traits that contribute to the dog doing his job (as in the original job description) are virtues; traits that interfere with the dog doing his job are faults.” (Patricia Trotter, long time AKC judge). Examples of either an original job or one in which inherent traits contribute: livestock protection, hunting game, livestock herding, search and rescue, narcotics detection, family companion
- Winning: e.g., the next leading conformation (or agility or obedience or herding) dog in the breed?
- Genetic diversity: How is that determined and is it relevant to health of the progeny? See genetics tab.
- Healthy Progeny: How is this planned for? How can every breeder contribute?
Then, How To Select the Sire?
- “Neither do show records or championships have anything to do with a dog’s producing ability. Winning in the show ring proves the dog has the quality necessary to win. Siring outstanding offspring is the only thing that proves a sire’s ability. These are two entirely different qualities.” Richard G Beauchamp – see first reference.
References
- NEW. Breeding Dogs for Dummies, Richard G. Beauchamp (2020).
- Breed preservation
- Looking Forward by Patricia Trotter, by Patricia Trotter (AKC Gazette) (p 11)
- Posterity, What Legacy You Can Leave, by Rhonda Hoven (p 2)
- Owner/breeder sharing of health information
- Don’t Shoot the Messenger by CA Sharp (p 12)
- Health Registries, by Elizabeth Coolidge-Stolz, MD (p 4)
- Open Health Registries, Trust but Verity, by CA Sharp (p 1, left side)
- Temperament
- The Beardie Temperament, Linda Aronson, DVM (p 12)
- So What is a Beardie Temperament? Lynne Sharpe, PhD (p 4)
- NEW. Canine Ethology by Jan de Wit
- NEW. Shepherding and Other Considerations, “Have You Herd”, Alice Bixler (with permission, published in AKC Gazette Dec 2022)
- Role of Research in Improving Canine Health
- How Research Works, JP Yousha (p 5)
