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Originally Posted by LittlePaws  Black and white in color. And yes for a certain look, like all dogs. Take a yorkie, they range a good deal in size and color, you have blue and gold, black and tan, gold, etc ect ect.
My ideal is black and white 6-8 lbs. |
Yes, unfortunately, there are a wide range of Yorkies. Fewer and fewer actually look like a Yorkie *should.*
It is good to know that you do have a goal physical appearance you are striving for, not just "whatever you get." Are you seeing your goal met consistantly with the litters you have produced?
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Originally Posted by LittlePaws The way not get breed specific issues is not to breed dogs with those issues. |
Of course breeding in certain health issues should be eliminated from a program. But that can only be achieved with genetic issues, not with issues that are customed to the breed, like physical attributes that are part of the standard.
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Originally Posted by LittlePaws The Maltese is not prone to eye problems. The Shih-Tzu is prone to eye problems. |
Actually, I was thinking of retinal atrophy, which Maltese's ARE genetically prone to (which I would guess could be selectively avoided) and Shih-Tzus are prone to as a brachiocephalic breed--a 'structural issue' rather than a genetic one. (I had a Peke that suffered from this.)
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Originally Posted by LittlePaws Can you pass this to a crossbred litter? You could in theory but that has not proved true for my puppies, They have had the smaller eyes of the Maltese 1 had larger but not protruding eyes. The same hold true for the extreme short nose. It has not been present in puppies I have bred. The noses are shorter than that of a Maltese but longer than a shih-tzu. |
It is relieving to see the attention to detail you are giving your program and your attention to the results. That is not something that you run accross very often. Are you planning on breeding a second generation using the dogs you produce that best match the 'goal' type you are trying to achieve.