Breeders are always looking for the perfect mix of qualities that make a dog win shows. It can take years of trial and error to get the mix right, and once they have it, breeders want to produce as many of these animals as possible. Breeders often resort to inbreeding in an attempt to speed up the process or make it easier to continue. For example, a female dog with a desired trait is bred and produces a litter of five puppies. Only one of the cubs, a male, also has the desired trait. After the male reaches maturity, the breeder can mate the mother with her male offspring to produce a litter, all of which have the trait. While this technique can be effective in achieving its intended purpose, it can cause serious problems for puppies and their offspring. For this reason, inbreeding is illegal in many jurisdictions.
Many of the problems we see in some breeds have arisen due to years of inbreeding. Problems caused by inbreeding include arthritis, heart problems, hip dysplasia, and even cancer. Certain breeds of dogs have been inbred to such an extent that they are in danger of extinction. The Pit Bull Terrier has been inbred to such an extent that its future existence is uncertain.
Just as inbreeding can lead to the continuation of a desired trait, it also perpetuates undesirable traits. Of the 30,000 genes that make up dogs, approximately 400 of those genes contain genetic problems. As inbreeding continues, these negative traits are much more likely to appear. Problems such as blindness, mental problems, organ failure, and deafness are common in inbred bloodlines.
As can be demonstrated by the condition of hip dysplasia, the only way to eliminate the condition is by carefully controlling the lineages of the animals bred. Only lines that are not related and have shown several generations without dysplasia.
If you are considering getting a purebred dog, it is vital that you research the dog’s lineage as far back as possible. Dogs with the most diversity in their gene pool will be the healthiest and least likely to suffer from genetically caused problems. If a breeder is hesitant to reveal the history, he should be suspicious and should probably find another breeder. If you’re not sure what to look for, there are many online sources that can tell you about common problems that different breeds suffer from. Armed with this information, you will be able to better recognize conditions in the mother and father, if you can see them. It will also allow you to question breeders specifically and even add provisions to purchase contracts.
