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Date Posted: 15:07:36 03/22/10 Mon
Author: DKH
Subject: Re: Why either or?
In reply to: Norman Epstein 's message, "Re: Why either or?" on 07:39:04 03/22/10 Mon

Greetings Norman,
I really need to watch what I say if you are going to hold me to it for so long :)

There is a much deeper issue at work here than has been addressed...let me gingerly step off into it, I beg patience; I am not referring to this poster, but to the issue.

Structure/conformation as pertains to longevity in the field, or at sport, or any physical demands, is not now being used as breeding criteria for one simple reason...it takes too LONG. Todays breeders want to rapidly provide some evidence of soundness and MAKE PUPPIES...that is how they make their MONEY. This is still better than no attempt to evaluate for breeding soundness, but by very little. Again, no reference to the originator of this post.

Let me be clear, EVERY program has its failures and disapointments, even the best pairings can produce get inferior to the parents. I know. The best dogs will be produced by selecting from dogs AFTER, not BEFORE they have proven themselves via a working career, not simply after a series of x-rays or tests. This of course is bad news to those who do not intend or know how to put a dog to work. Worse than bad news for those breeders selling "breeding quality puppies", simply because it proves that breeding quality can not be determined at weaning. New to the breed should take note.

You say that you will get what you select for...true, but many will compromise if they get 'close enough'. I keep some twenty Boerboels, I run six or more studs, I can breed from little or no COI, linebreed with an acceptable COI, or experiment with tight breeding to get the results I am looking for...the culling criteria remains the same.
Where does that leave these breeders attempting to invest all their hopes in two or three dogs? They are almost obliged to take whatever evidence they can muster...appraisal scores, hip tests, or "Champion" titles they obtained at a bench show, and they seem compelled to breed the problems they have because it is all they have. This is why it is so tempting to 'breed away from problems', 'off-set' one problem for another, justify a breeding because it was 'the best two dogs I had available' and make excuses for why they did not cull the dog from their program. I would tell this lady to forget fixing problems...improve on good dogs when you can, problems are not all created equal, but conformation issues other than asthetic should be culled.

One other problem I have noticed...when I try to place a GOOD young dog with a client, many times the client will not take my observations for selection criteria...they have their heart set on color, or build and want to pick from a photo, many times picking a GOOD LOOKING pup over what I have observed for working apptitude...whole 'nuther discussion.

David

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