Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Harmful effects of selective
breeding
- Interbreeding
- Well known that pedigree dogs typically have a shorter life expectancy and worse health
than that of their cross-bred counterparts - pedigree dogs are more in-bred
- Cross bred animals have a higher chance of displaying "hybrid vigor" - making them more
functional due to beneficial (diverse) genetic contributions from both parents
- Breeds displaying a severe prevalence of inherited conditions are
often descended from very few animals = small founding
- KCCS - Thought to descend from only 6 dogs
- Rusbridge and Knowler, 2003
- Line breeding
- Commonly practiced in the dog breeding community - keeping lines "pure" by continually
mating a handful of successful animals which share a common ancestor = greater chance of
replicating desirable characteristics
- Line breeding reduces genetic variability and
prevents hybrid vigor from occuring in most
matings
- Using popular sires also
dramatically reduces genetic
variability
- Due to line breeding, of the 45,000 Boxers surveyed in
the UK, all could be traced back to only 45
breeding dogs
- Calboli et al., 2008
- Often, by selecting for a select gene another seemingly un-related gene is
also promoted - Dalmatians black patches promotes high uric acid that can
contribute to urinary disorders
- Out-crossing to increase genetic variability and reduce
heritable conditions
- For example: Dalmatian out crossed with a Pointer, then back in to Dalmatians that
didn't have a heritable disorder (high uric acid) = progeny without genetics for the
disorder
- The KC will only register the 5th generation of
these out-crosses however = breeders are put off
- Rooney and Sargan, 2009
- Many perspective owners will buy dogs
based on their pedigree - believing it indicates
quality = promotes further pedigree breeding
- Morphological extremes
- Large head - dystocia
- C-section often required
- Females have no
limitations on number of
C-sections allowed
- Short legs & long backs - limited locomotion &
predisposition to spinal issues
- Disc prolapse & subsequent spinal cord compression
- pain, weak back legs & eventual paralysis
- Singh and Masuda, 2005
- Large, heavy set breeds - joint issues
- Osteochondrosis - death of bone cells growing too
quickly for blood supply to function effectivly
- Limits mobility - lameness from an early age
- Can cause secondary damage - often permanent
- PAINFUL.
- Ekman and Carlson, 1998
- Hip/ elbow dysplasia
- Malfitting of bones into joints and surrounding tissue too weak
to hold in place- erosive change of joint/ dislocation occurs
- PAINFUL - often progressive through the creation of
arthritis
- Brachycephalic - respiratory issues
- Elongated soft palette interferes with air
passage into the trachea
- Monet, 2004
- Dogs commonly cause secondary damage to
larynx when attempting to breath (forced) which
can lead to laryngeal collapse
- Stenotic nares- shortening of the nostrils
reduces air inspired
- Surgical opening of the nostrils and
ressection of soft palate VERY common to
allow for more normal exercise
- Reduced area for evaporation when
panting - prone to heat stroke
- Bruchim et al., 2006
- Skin folds - dermatitis, bacterial
infection & inflammation
- Toy breeds
- Prone to stress fractures
from minimal trauma - eg
jumping up and down
- Patella luxation common
- pain & lameness
- "Neotenous facial
features" - Puppy face in
adulthood (KCCS/
Pomeranian)
- Incomplete development of skull -
predisposes to syringiomyelia
- Under-developed skull = disrupts cerebrospinal fluid causing
accumulation & cyst formation - cyst can grow over time causing
damage to spinal cord
- Headaches, weakness, referred pain, stiffness and paralysis
- Rusbridge, 2005
- Can also be a heritable condition
- Curved tails predispose to curvature of the spine
- Hind limb weakness
- Paralysis
- Faecal/ urinary
incontinence
- Morphological extremes that affect behaviour
- Hungarian Puli - hair covers
eyes
- Cannot see as well therefore more likely to react
aggressivly / be unaware of surroundings due to its lack
of context
- Brachycephalic/ Short legged
- Ability to move/ exercise is limited - difficulties
in play, exercise and normal dog interactions
- Less able to show facial expressions - lack of signalling
- Toy breeds
- Due to their size they often suffer from high levels of fear/ defensive behaviours
- Duffy et al., 2008