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Originally Posted by ASTPhi877   Okay, I DON'T want to restart what definitely turned into a negative thread... But I just read almost all of thread about 'Marshall Dillon'. Like I said, I don't want to stir emotions and the content of that thread is not what really concerns me. My question, after going through it, is this: if you don't start a breeding program by acquiring a dog from someone else's lines... How do you start one? Obviously, you don't buy an already finished dog. That much I garnered from the post mentioned. But it says several times that 'you have to start with a solid foundation'. But.. How? And by lines... Does that really mean that the dogs have been inbred? Is that what line-breeding is? Don't get me wrong. I understand that there has to have been some degree on inbreeding in order to establish the set characteristics of any breed of dog... I just was wondering if that was how a solid foundation was created?
I don't breed, although I would like to one day after I retire (I'm 26, so not for a loooong time!), but I am interested in knowing all I can about breeding and how to go about it ethically and successfully. The thread I read, while heated, brought to my attention certain aspects of ethical breeding that would never have occured to me otherwise... Namely that you can't just buy a pretty, CH. dog and start a great breeding program up! So...
How do you start a breeding program, if it's not with a CH. (what I thought meant "approved for breeding") dog?
Sorry if this is a dumb question! I'm just curious to know how the experts did it!!! Oh, and to reiterate, I am NOT a breeder! I have two spayed girls, and that's all I will have for many years to come!    |
How exciting! You are only 26 yrs old, loads of time to study, to meet and garner relationships in the show world and obedience/rally/agility world.
And yes you will pick your mentor carefully, as carefully as she/he will agree to mentor you. Essentially the best way is to earn the trust and respect of a reputable breeder; to sit at their feet and learn from them.
So starting with a solid foundation in terms of breeding stock, will be eased in for you, by your reputable breeder/mentor. And don't be surprised the first female or male of her, or another's line will for sure be co-owned. With strict rules about breeding and how your relationship in terms of this line and this dog will work. And you will by this time have helped to championship one or two of your breeders dogs, and will be entrusted to Championship one or two of your own dogs.
So for you right now, it is study study study time. Attend shows, learn the lines by examining pedigrees, take courses on genetics, read everything you can about the standard, take courses on structure, start to develop an "eye for a dog". Learn all you can and keep that learning current about the health problems of Yorkies. Ask lots of questions of everyone. Become a known face at the shows.
Okay because I'm kind of a person who likes structure; here are some of the arenas you want to learn and develop over time an expertise in;
Standard: Study it inside and out. Know it's contents by heart.
Structure: Train your eye to observe a dog moving. Train your hands to palpate the dog. First get to know the terms, then to intellectually understand them. For eg: roach backed, rolling, straight shoulders, sickle hocked, toeing in or out, narrow/deep chest, low tailset, gay tail, earset, top loin, loin, croup, etc etc. There are many good books on a dogs structure. Head shape, bite.
Movement: How to recognize correct movement for the Yorkshire terrier. Seeing movement faults.
Coat and color
Temperament: what are the temperament tests; compare contrast.
Showing in the ring: How to, what judges look for
Genetics: Inheritance factors, basic genetic terms, such as recessive, dominant polygenetic, etc. What are the Yorkies health concerns thought to be from a genetic base? How to understand a pedigree, what are the health databases, and what do they show?
Health concerns of Yorkies. What are they? Their inheritance factors, their commonality, their rareness?
Breeding a huge topic which links all of the above, plus health screenings, care of the pregnanat bitch, successful whelping and rearing of puppies, screening potential buyers,etc etc.
And most important before all of the above; Why do you want to breed? To become an excellent breeder, takes years of not only the studying as elaborated above, but also by breeding, by showing. If you have a passion to leave this breed better than when you found it; is an admirable goal.