Dog Breeding

Breeding for Conformation

The type of breeding that most people are aware of is conformation breeding. This type of breeding is done to produce dogs that closely conform to the standards for their breed as defined by the registering body. For example, dogs that are registered through the American Kennel Club (AKC) should closely match the standards defined by AKC for that breed without any faults. Dogs that are bred for conformation typically compete in the show ring, where they compete against dogs of the same breed in specialty shows to determine best of breed and also compete against dogs from the same group in dog shows to determine best of group.

There are a number of factors that come into play when you are considering dogs bred for conformation. These factors may include:

• Coloring
• Bite
• Gait
• Size
• Other physical characteristics

Typically breeders who breed specifically for conformation are very particular about the dogs they choose to breed. Their breeding program consists of dogs who are excellent specimens of the breed. Dogs with faults could pass these faults onto their offspring. For this reason, dogs who do not meet the breed specifications are often spayed or neutered and placed in companion dog homes.

Breeding for Performance

Those who participate in dog sports such as agility or flyball understand the importance of breeding for performance. In this type of dog breeding, dogs are selected for breeding based on their athletic abilities rather than their appearance and structure. In sports where speed and jumping abilities matter, dog breeders may choose to breed two dogs that excel in the sport, in the hopes that their offspring will also excel. For example, flyball is a sport in which speed is an important factor. Each team’s jump height is set by the height of the smallest dog on the team, so some teams have experimented with crossing a medium-sized, fast, high-drive dog such as a Border Collie with a small, driven dog like the Jack Russell Terrier. The result is known as a BorderJack in the dog sport community, and many of these fast dogs make excellent height dogs for flyball teams.

Responsible Dog Breeding

Whether you breed for conformance, performance or any other reason, it is important to practice responsible breeding. This means that dogs included in your breeding program should be selected carefully to not pass on undesirable characteristics to future generations. Many breeds are prone to certain health problems such as hip dysplasia, eye problems and many other concerns. Dogs that are bred should be screened for any known problems in the breed, and only dogs and bitches with excellent ratings should be bred. This will decrease the possibility that the fault will not be passed on to the offspring.

Dog breeders should place puppies in quality homes and should be willing to except back the dog at any time, for any reason. A responsible breeder will meet with the family wishing to purchase a puppy to ensure they can provide a healthy environment for the puppy and that they are knowledgeable about the breed. Responsible breeding also involves spaying or neutering aggressive dogs rather than including them in a dog breeding program.