27/07/2024
UPDATE: Lots of exciting (and some challenging) developments to share. Bear with me—it's a bit of a long post.
First, Squam River American Northern Inuit Dogs (SRANID) is now in the process of affiliating with Northern Inuits International Unleashed (https://www.facebook.com/northerninuitsinternationalU). We learned just this week that we have been accepted for membership, and we are thrilled!
Second, however, NIIU requirements for mating dogs differ from those of the breeders' group with which we were previously affiliated. More specifically, NIIU requires a lower Coefficient of Inbreeding (the percentage of shared grandparents/great-grandparents, etc.).
Although Buck and Shelby met the criteria for the other group, they do not, for NIIU. To adhere to the NIIU Code of Ethics, we will not be breeding the two of them.
A bit of a curveball, but we have a backup plan.
As with all rare dog breeds, there is the challenge of what is known as a closed gene pool. The Northern Inuit breed originated in the 1980s through the strategic crossing of old line huskies from North America, malamutes, German Shepherds, and some mixed-breed dogs that were not fully identified.
Over time, the breed standard emerged, which stipulates the characteristics related to appearance and temperament. The objective was and is to breed “wolf-alike” dogs that are not wolf hybrids, and that have a gentle, affectionate temperament.
However, the problem with a closed gene pool is that, over the generations, there is an inevitable increase in in-breeding, due to shared grandparents and great-grandparents. As a result, breeders inevitably end up with higher than optimal “Coefficients of Inbreeding (COI) across the breed.
This rise, in turn, can intensify the likelihood that heath issues will increase, leading to the risk of less healthy dogs that do not always live as long. For breeders committed to ethical breeding, this is not acceptable.
Our alternative is to expand the gene pool by approved, strategic out-cross breeding, using selected dogs from the origin breeds that were part of the development of the Northern Inuit dog in the first place. That way, we are not introducing new breeds into the mix but, instead, are reinforcing the original mix while enriching it. Genetic testing of Northern Inuit dogs already shows different percentages of these origin dogs.
I had previously worked with Points Unknown (https://www.points-unknown.com/kennel/), whose owner Linda Newman breeds Hedlund Huskies, a rare line of Alaskan Husky that dates back to the 1930s when it was developed by Rose and Nels Hedlund, in the Iliamna Region of Alaska, for use in trap line teams and for subsistence living.
Linda N.'s Hedlund Huskies are working sled dogs. She, herself, is involved in a gene-pool preservation project (https://www.hedlundhusky.com/). NIIU is also working with Points Unknown. Of particular importance is how closely these dogs resemble Northern Inuit dogs.
Last year, I acquired a frozen s***m collection from Linda N.’s dog Oken, one of her origin dogs who passed away several years ago. Here are is a picture of him. As you can see, he is very wolfy looking and, from what I understand, a real sweetheart!
Shelby is now in heat, and through IVF we will soon mate her with Oken. If interested in one of their puppies, please message me!
