When it comes to pet ownership, there is much to consider, from nutrition and exercise to the types of breeds that are best for your lifestyle. Many dog owners are interested in creating their own hybrid or designer dog, but one area of contention is whether it is ethical to breed dogs that are related, specifically, cousins. For many, the idea of cousins breeding is taboo, but this practice may not be as scientifically and ethically problematic as some may think. In this blog post, we will explore the concepts of cousin breeding and discuss the potential consequences of this practice. We will also discuss the health implications for both the dogs and the potential puppies, as well as the ethical considerations in question. By examining the pros and cons of this practice, we will uncover the answer to the question, “Can you breed cousin dogs?”
Breeding – A beginners guide to inbreeding and line breeding
Animal Care College – caring for people caring for animals
I appreciate Sue Bowling allowing me to use a lot of her article’s quotes.
I should emphasize that line breeding is the cornerstone of selective breeding first and foremost. We now have dogs that are the most beautiful in the world thanks to selective breeding, as well as cows that produce the most milk, sheep that produce the most wool, chickens that lay eggs almost daily, and cows that produce the most milk. While there is nothing wrong with line breeding, it must be used intelligently or you risk ending up in Richmond, North Yorkshire instead of Richmond in London. To use line breeding intelligently, you must be familiar with the fundamentals. I hope that this short article will help.
Inbreeding and line breeding: what are they, and what are the effects?
Inbreeding is the term used in genetics to describe the union of two related animals. In contrast, out crossing, the two parents have no connection whatsoever. Although the term “pure breeding” is not typically used to refer to matings where a common ancestor does not occur within a five-generation pedigree, all pure breeding is, by this definition, inbreeding because all pure breeds of animals (including humans) trace back to a relatively small number of foundation ancestors.
To describe the more benign types of inbreeding, breeders of purebred livestock created the term “line breeding.” There is no “official” definition of what line breeding and inbreeding are, so each species tends to define them differently. The closest definition of inbreeding is what would be considered incest in humans: mating of full siblings or parent to offspring. However, some people refer to first cousin, half-sibling, and uncle-nephew unions as inbreeding and others refer to them as line breeding. In a five-generation pedigree, the “inbreeding coefficient,” which is expressed as a percentage, would typically be so low as not to be significant if this were the only instance of close breeding. But three things need to be taken into account. The more frequently it occurs and the more closely related the other sires and dams in the pedigree are, the closer this relationship is to the first generation of the pedigree.
Inbreeding increases the likelihood that the two copies of any given gene will be identical and descended from the same ancestor, which is what it does (in the genetic sense). This is more likely to occur if the inbreeding coefficient is higher. The technical term is ‘homozygous’ for that gene. There are some differences between the two copies of the gene in the “heterozygous” animal. To reiterate, keep in mind that each animal (or plant, for that matter) possesses two copies of each gene (or, if you prefer, two alleles at each locus), one derived from the father and one from the mother. There is a possibility that the two genes in the offspring are both identical copies contributed by the common ancestor if the father and mother are related.
This in and of itself is neither good nor bad, but take into account, for example, the PRA gene, which results in progressive blindness. Carriers typically have normal vision, but if they mate with another carrier, it is statistically likely that one in four of the puppies will develop PRA and become blind. You do not breed from the dogs who go blind, though some of the other dogs in the litter will be carriers, as inbreeding will increase both the number of affected dogs (1 in 4) and the number of genetically normal dogs (3 in 4). As a result, inbreeding can bring these undesirable recessive genes to the surface, where they could be removed from the breeding pool. Of course, this won’t matter unless they mate with another carrier, but it shows how complicated the issues are.
Unfortunately, there is still much more complexity involved because there are only two packages of genes—one in the sperm and one in the egg—and we cannot breed animals based on just one gene. You may be able to remove one undesirable pair as a result, but other undesirable pairings are likely to emerge as the animals become more homozygous (which may quickly improve some characteristics).
In the 1920s, Sewell Wright created what is now known as the “inbreeding coefficient.” This relates to the likelihood that any given gene’s two copies are descended from the same ancestor. A total outcross (in dogs, the closest approximation would be a first-generation cross between two purebreds of unrelated, unrelated breeds) would have an inbreeding coefficient of 0. As we have seen, even though the inbreeding coefficient is zero, matings between unrelated pairs can still result in genetic disease because they would still share ancestors from many generations ago and be homozygous for some genes shared by all dogs.
Mammals rarely have an inbreeding coefficient of 100%, but that is what would happen if full brother and full sister were the only couples to mate over many generations. A brother and sister from unrelated parents who were to get married would have a 50% inbreeding coefficient. If there were no other related matings in the previous generations, the breeding coefficient of a mother/son or father/daughter (or vice versa) pairing would be 25%. A cousin-to-cousin mating actually gives a relatively low percentage (6. 25), but additional related matings may have a significant impact on this number. Dr. Malcolm Willis, one of the most knowledgeable dog geneticists, claims that the average inbreeding coefficient in pedigree dogs registered with the Kennel Club is actually only between 4 and 5%; however, of course, the long-term effect of many generations of a breed on the same register will mean that today’s dogs do have a higher chance of passing on harmful genes simply because, as explained at the beginning of this article, there were relatives of today’s dogs who were related to relatives of yesterday
Very close inbreeding in domestic animals typically results in loss of fertility, in addition to any other genetic disorders that may manifest, making it impossible to maintain for many generations.
Breeders must choose pairs so that the offspring’s inbreeding coefficient is as low as possible while still maintaining the stock’s adherence to the breed standard in order to ensure genetic health. To achieve this, one approach is to breed from animals that “look” the same (heterozygous), as opposed to what we typically do in the UK, which is to breed from animals that are genetically similar (homozygous).
Moving away from families with genes known to be harmful is another essential, and experienced dog breeders have used this strategy for generations.
You can download a programme from the Internet called GENEs which was written by Dr Robert Lacy which will enable you to calculate the inbreeding coefficient of any mating (assuming you have the full five generation pedigree) quite easily. The programme is free but has some restrictions. Go to http://www.vortex9.org/genes.html to download it.
Genetics is an immensely complex subject and this is but a simplistic introduction. Much more can be found athttp://www.highflyer.supanet.com/coefficient.htm including the formula for working out inbreeding coefficients.
Can dogs breed with their cousins?
Is it acceptable to breed cousin dogs? No, it is not acceptable to breed cousin dogs. That still constitutes inbreeding and can cause complications and health issues.
Natural Occurrenceof Inbreeding
To say that inbreeding doesn’t happen naturally is not accurate. A wolf pack that is geographically or by other means separated from other wolf packs may become very inbred. As the majority of the offspring inherit these genes, the effect of any harmful genes becomes apparent in later generations. Even though they inhabit different regions, wolves have been found to share a lot of genetic similarities. Perhaps wolf populations have been drastically reduced in the past due to the destruction of their natural habitat, leading to a genetic bottleneck.
Because the wolf lacks genetic diversity, they are more prone to illness because they cannot fend off certain viruses. Due to small litter sizes and high mortality rates, extreme inbreeding has a negative impact on their ability to reproduce. By bringing wolves from other regions into the inbred wolf packs, some researchers hope to create a more diverse gene pool.
The giant panda is yet another animal affected by inbreeding. This has resulted in low panda fertility and high infant mortality rates, similar to what happened to the wolf. Panda populations become more separated from one another as a result of humans blocking the routes that pandas once used to move from one place to another. As a result, pandas breed less successfully and find partners with different genetic combinations.
Domestic cat breeds like the Manx, which evolved on an island so that the gene for taillessness became widespread despite the issues associated with it, were created as a result of natural isolation and inbreeding. With the exception of the occasional cat jumping ship on the Isle of Man, there was little outcrossing, and the result of inbreeding is reflected in smaller-than-average litter sizes, stillbirths, and spinal abnormalities that conscientious breeders have worked so hard to eradicate. Geneticists believe that more Manx kittens than previously thought are reabsorbed due to genetic abnormality.
Due to isolation from other cat colonies, some feral colonies (e.g. g. Because other potential mates in the area have been neutered, removing them from the gene pool, or because they are located in a remote farm. The majority of cat workers who work with feral cats have seen some of inbreeding’s effects. Such colonies may exhibit certain traits more frequently than usual. Some are not serious, e. g. a predominance of calico pattern cats. Other inherited traits that can be found in greater than average numbers in inbred colonies include polydactyly (the most extreme case reported so far being an American cat with nine toes on each foot), dwarfism (although dwarf female cats may experience difficulties giving birth due to the size of the kittens’ heads), other structural deformities, or a propensity to certain inheritable conditions).
As the gene pool shrinks, fertility declines, abnormalities rise, and mortality rates rise as a result of continued inbreeding, the ultimate outcome is likely extinction.
FAQ
Can you breed dogs that are related?
In theory, dogs can mate with any member of their close genetic family. However, instances of sibling mating are far more common. These incestuous relationships are more common than most people realize, believe it or not.
Can you breed dogs from the same bloodline?
Linebreeding: This phrase frequently refers to mating between related people or canines from the same family or bloodline. Examples include relationships between first or second cousins, uncles and nephews, and aunts and nieces. In some references, linebreeding is also described as involving relationships between half brothers and half sisters.
Can you breed dogs that are uncle and niece?
LINEBREEDING entails mating relatives besides the individual parents or siblings. Grandfather/granddaughter, grandmother/grandson, grandson/granddaughter, great-granddaughter/great-grandson, uncle/niece, aunt/nephew, and cousin crosses are examples of common linebred matings.
Can you breed dogs that are half brother and sister?
By breeding dogs that are half-sisters and half-brothers, you are contaminating the gene pool. This can cause genetic defects in the long run. As the coefficient of inbreeding rises, the likelihood of developing ailments, disabilities, and undesirable behavioral traits also rises.