Page 26 - Aussie Magazine - 2024 Issue 3
P. 26
Breeding
Coefficient Of appears in both the sire’s and different bloodlines. The prime
Inbreeding dam’s pedigree. The puppies objective is to breed two dogs
One method which is often born to a mother/son, father/ that are completely unrelated
daughter or brother/sister
genetically.
used to measure the degree mating would be at least
of inbreeding, or how closely 25%, while the COI of puppies Therefore, the two mating
related the parents are, is the resulting from a grandfather/ dogs must come from separate
Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI). granddaughter mating would bloodlines. These bloodlines
COIs measure the genetic be at least 12.5%. From a have to have at least a four
similarity looking back over health viewpoint, the lower generational pedigree gap
generations of an animal’s the COI the better. of no common ancestors.
pedigree, not just whether the This is due to the fact that
parent animals are close first Outcrossing is the breeding genes are substantially
and second-degree relatives. of two unrelated dogs concentrated during the first
The higher the COI, the higher within the same breed. Dog four generations. With the
the probability that the parents breeders outcross their introduction of new blood in a
are genetically similar and, bloodline’s dogs in order to line, recessive traits are able to
consequently, the more likely it bring valued characteristics cross over the entirety of the
is that there will be problems from another breeder’s population. In doing so, genetic
in the offspring related to the bloodline. Outcrossing dogs variation is greatly increased
accumulation of inbreeding also increases the over and thus, protecting the line
effects. bloodline’s gene pool and from extinction. Often times,
genetic diversity. Outcrossing outcrossing in canine breeding
The COI is hugely revealing. should not be mistaken with is considered a “wildcard”
For example, a COI of 12.5% cross-breeding which is approach to breeding due to
indicates that there is a one in the mating of two different the simple fact that breeders
eight chance that a dog will breeds. Rather, in order to do not know for sure how the
inherit the same version of a outcross, the dogs have to be two separate lines are going to
gene from the same dog that of the same breed albeit from interact with each other.
26 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 3/2024
