BREEDING

Breeding decisions start with knowing the dogs behind the pedigree.

Over the years, more and more of the dogs in my pedigrees have become dogs I have bred myself or known personally. This gives me information that a pedigree alone cannot: show how they developed, how they lived, what their temperaments were like and what they produced.

When I plan a litter, I look at the dogs themselves, their relatives and the generations behind them.
Health, temperament and structure all matter, but no dog is reduced to a single result or trait.

The aim is to make each generation a good foundation for the next one.

Selection

Not every dog born or owned here will be used for breeding. Some are kept and followed for years before a decision is made, and plans can change as new information becomes available.

I look at the whole dog: temperament, health, structure, movement and how the dog develops with age. I also look beyond the individual dog. Parents, siblings, previous offspring and other close relatives can tell just as much about a potential breeding dog.

A good result in one area does not compensate for serious concerns in another. At the same time, I don't expect any dog or pedigree to be perfect. Breeding is always about working with the information available and deciding which strengths are worth preserving and which risks I am willing to take.

Health and testing

Health testing is an important part of those decisions.

My breeding dogs are examined for hips and elbows, knees, eyes and heart, with additional examinations used when relevant. DNA testing is also part of the programme, including known hereditary conditions for which testing is available.

Test results are not looked at in isolation. I also follow the health of siblings, relatives and offspring whenever information is available. The dogs I have bred over several generations give me an increasingly useful picture of what exists behind my current dogs.

Being a carrier of a recessive condition does not automatically exclude a dog from breeding. When a reliable DNA test is available, carrier status can be taken into account when choosing a mate so that affected puppies are not produced.

Health information is useful only if it is followed and used. This is why I continue collecting information about Tuebor dogs after they leave for their new homes.

Looking beyond one litter

A breeding combination is never only about the puppies I hope to get from that particular litter. I also think about what those puppies may contribute to the generations after them.

Sometimes a combination that looked good on paper is changed or cancelled. Sometimes a dog I originally planned to breed is never used. And sometimes the dogs themselves teach me something I did not expect.

After several generations, there is more information to work with, but also more responsibility to pay attention to what those generations are showing.

For me, that is the point of having a breeding program rather than simply planning one litter at a time.