Dog Breeding Methods

Article by Steve Griffin

Are you considering breeding dogs? Before you go ahead there are some important things you need to know…

For example, did you know that many dog owners prefer purebred dogs? Even when breeding the same breeds, there is often a tendency to unknowingly produce different traits and characteristics with each individual dog. As you can see, dog breeding is not a simple undertaking and I strongly recommend you do not consider dog breeding without first acquiring the required knowledge.

You must be willing to invest the time and money before you can see the benefits of your efforts, but once you do begin to breed dogs successfully, it can be both rewarding and profitable.

So where should you start?

Well, you should first consider the following questions;Are you aware of the Breeding Standards? Which dog breed do you favour and wish to breed? Can you find a pair of dogs to breed, that have the characteristics you require? Have you thought about the temperament of any particular breed?

You should also consider different breeds and their character traits, as well as what you are hoping to achieve from breeding. For example, do you wish to improve the breed? Do you wish to retain particular traits and qualities in your chosen breed?

You really need to be able to answer these questions before you start breeding and if you can’t yet answer them, then some further reading and research is required.

The breeding methods will vary depending on what you want to achieve from breeding? It also depends on whether you are cross breeding, out breeding, inbreeding, line breeding or using purebreds etc.

Cross breeding is simply the method of breeding two dogs of differing breeds. The problem with cross bred dogs is that it is much harder to breed the required characteristics you hope for and if you are not happy with the results, it can be extremely difficult to pinpoint the source of the problem.

Another method is out breeding. This is a highly skilled breeding style and should only be undertaken by knowledgeable breeders. The general principle is to remove any undesirable traits from the dog by breeding it out. Picking a mate is crucial here and the breed must possess such a trait for at least the previous three generations. Following out breeding the dog can be breed back to its original breeding line, minus the undesirable trait or with the improved trait.

Out breeding makes it very difficult to produce consistent breeds with the same traits, characteristics and temperament.

Yet another method of dog breeding is line breeding. This is the most popular method and is ideal for beginners. It involves breeding closely related dogs and results in off spring with the same qualities and temperaments. If you wish to concentrate purely on one breed then line breeding is the way to go.

The above three methods are the ones you should definitely study if you want to be a dog breeder. Remember dog breeding can be done with great success but be sure to understand the principles and do your research before you attempt to breeding either for a hobby or for profit.

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