Unconfirmed Crufts Rumour: Big News Announcement re Crossbreeding
Well, colour me surprised but I think I’m about to heap more praise on the Kennel Club than I’ve ever heaped before.
Before I go on, I must first caution – I am dealing in pure rumour and speculation. But the source is usually good.
Ready?
There could be a huge announcement at Crufts that the Kennel Club is preparing to open the studbook and (finally) encourage crossbreeding to widen the gene pools of pedigree dog breeds.
Could it be that there is finally some hope for many inbred breeds and that the ridiculous, snobbish attitude to ‘purity’ is about to be blown away for good?
This move to open the studbook (allow breeds to be outcrossed with other breeds) is something that welfare campaigners have been asking for for many years and one that scientists have stated is what is needed to help get dogs out of the genetic bottleneck that many find themselves in.
Of course, such a move would be a monumental change in pedigree dogdom and would no doubt create some explosive debate within the dog world. But it is unquestionably the right move and would instantly mark Crufts 2009 out as the event that began to set dogs on a fast track to recovery.
Let’s hope that this is one Crufts rumour that actually comes true. But, I must again reiterate, it’s a rumour. Still, we can but wish for it to be confirmed!
Update: Further to the earlier rumour, more fuel to the fire, it is now rumoured that in an effort to halt the genetic decline, the KC is going to INSIST on outcrossing in any breeds with high average COIs (coefficient of inbreeding). So that would include all the endangered breeds such as Dandie Dinmonts, Sealyham and Cesky Terriers. What a truly fantastic response from the KC (if true!).
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Wow, I have now bated my breath in anticipation!
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I (literally) cannot believe this. This goes against everything the Kennel Club has ever said and done in the past.
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Wow, an amazing change of direction! Let's hope it's true!
Some responsible outcrossing could do wonders for those breeds with high COI and no alternatives to improve it because their founding populations were so small.
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this would be an incredible move on their part. the so-called "purity" of the breed they are trying to maintain is what's causing breed extinction in the first place. this is about helping the dogs; bringing the healthiest, most well-bred dogs into the world as we can, to further the breed. hope this comes true!
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What people are forgetting is that MOST breeds carry genetic problems- so by outcrossing to other breeds, you inroduce that breed's genetic problems into the gene pool of your own breed.
This in effect does NOT help the health and wellbeing of purebred dogs-
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urmm, this is not news. The Kennel Club have opened up the stud book for years. Indeed they opened it up for me to register a first generation Canaan Dog five years ago. Previously they have allowed crosses between breeds. But what Don states is absolutely correct, which is why they insist that you have to show them it is indeed necessary and good for the breed in question.
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Well said Don, I think that many don't understand this.They think by out crossing all the genetic faults go away.
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Oh well it was a nice thought while it lasted.
No change there then.
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There as some permitted outcrossing of Irish Red and White Setters with working irish Setters in the early 1980s. The results did not do much for IRWS in conformation or temperament ( skilled UK breeders did that later) BUT it did introduce the deadly genetic fault Canine Leucocyte Adhesion Deficiency – CLAD – into IRWS.This has been eliminated from IRWS at considerable cost thanks to the efforts of the main breed club.
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