29/01/2025
The dogs you choose for breeding will shape the future of the breed for many years. This should be your foremost consideration when selecting breeding stock.
Make your choices with care each generation. Your pairings should aim to surpass the qualities of the parents, with the goal of producing better dogs.
A pedigree outlines what a dog should be, but its true value is only as good as the dog standing in front of you.
Focusing on just one or two traits can lead to problems. Think of the whole dog, not just current trends or fads that might overemphasize certain features at the expense of overall quality.
The quality of your breeding outcomes is paramount. Educate yourself, exercise patience, and keep a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Ensure your dogs prove themselves before breeding, and consider the implications three generations ahead.
From what I've learned, fixing severe structural problems is one of the toughest things to fix, though any aggression with children should eliminate the prospect from breeding.
If an exceptional dog doesn't reproduce its own qualities or better them in its offspring, enjoy it but do not continue to include it in your breeding program.
Use outcrossing sparingly and with great care. It can be beneficial, but the wrong dog can set your program back significantly.
Inbreeding, when done properly, can quickly set good traits and type, but it also reveals weaknesses that need to be addressed.
Littermates don't necessarily have the same breeding potential; their genetics can differ.
There's no such thing as a perfect dog in terms of conformation or temperament. If you can't see a dog's faults, perhaps breeding isn't for you.
Genetic traits come equally from both parents. You usually can't fix all your issues in one generation.
If the weakest puppy in your latest litter isn't an improvement over the weakest from your first, maybe breeding isn't your forte.
Quality in dogs means soundness and functionality, not just the absence of faults but the presence of virtues. It's about the whole dog.
Taken from principles and points made from people who know more than I do.
