> I understand that breeding on genotype can be a long slow upward process, > and too tightly can involve having to cull - not a happy thought and one > that most breeders won't contemplate. IMO rightly, but there are breeders > rumoured to have done it and possibly those that continue to do it.
Actually breeding on genotype is a lot quicker. Look at the study done on hip dysplasia in the German Shepherd. When they bred phenotypically clear (of HD) dogs to other phenotypically clear dogs, they saw very slow or little improvement. When they started taking into account the parents, siblings, and other family members they saw much more dramatic improvement. Of course if you focus on just one thing and forget the rest, it won't work--except for that one thing. That is why we should fully test (in order to know even more about each dog's phenotypical makeup in health), have as many other family members fully tested as possible (in order to know even more about each dog's genotypical makeup in health), show (so that we have a realistic comparison about each dog's phenotypical makeup in type), pay close attention to all the other family member's type (in order to know even more about each dog's genotypical makeup in type), note temperament on each dog (in order to know about the dog's phenotypical makeup in temperament) and note temperament of family members (in order to know about the dog's genotypical makeup in temperament). I don't breed *close* at all, so far as pedigrees go. However, if I were to get the information I needed, I would gradually breed closer and closer genetically--even if the pedigrees didn't look as though I did. No doubt one would get to a point that it wouldn't be wise to breed any closer genotypically, but if one is fully testing, showing and paying attention to not only their own dogs, but to related dogs and and if everyone else did it too and made the information easily available--it would be very apparent when to *stop*. However, I don't think there is much chance of that. The information needed is extremely hard to get--if it is possible to get it at all. Unless there is a change in attitude, it will be a long time before there is any great improvement in the onset of MVD in Cavaliers. This is a sad fact. Laura Trunk Roycroft Cavaliers ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 1999 by its original author.
