4 wolves used in breed development

yukidomari · 12-11-2010, 18:14

Just a few points -

At least to my knowledge, 'culling' of breeding stock today doesn't always have to equate to the older use of euthanasia. Rather, the dog is simply neutered/spayed and 'removed' that way from genetic contributions. 'Regular' breeders today use sterilization as a form of culling.

This thread was not meant to say that there should be new wolf blood, and given the replies here, I totally agree that it would make recognition or further acceptance difficult if not impossible. And that there wouldn't be an ethical way to go about this nowadays, not that I agree it was ethical 'back then', either.

But if necessary, the inclusion of new blood doesn't have to come through neither wolf nor German Shepherd Dog. There have been back-cross projects in Dalmatians and Boxers alike that utilized breeds not originally linked to their foundation, including Pointers (for the Dalmatian project to 'solve' the uric acid problem) and Corgis (in the Boxer backcross natural bob-tail project by geneticist Dr Bruce Cattanach). Dr. Cattanach's Boxers are now KC/FCI registrable and within about 5 generations you (and KC judges of breed) could not tell either temperamentally nor physically that his Boxers were 'mixed', so to speak.

Genetics is awfully fascinating, isn't it?

But now I am off-topic. Thank you for all the replies on the original wolves!

12-11-2010, 18:14	#14
yukidomari Moderator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 847	Just a few points - At least to my knowledge, 'culling' of breeding stock today doesn't always have to equate to the older use of euthanasia. Rather, the dog is simply neutered/spayed and 'removed' that way from genetic contributions. 'Regular' breeders today use sterilization as a form of culling. This thread was not meant to say that there should be new wolf blood, and given the replies here, I totally agree that it would make recognition or further acceptance difficult if not impossible. And that there wouldn't be an ethical way to go about this nowadays, not that I agree it was ethical 'back then', either. But if necessary, the inclusion of new blood doesn't have to come through neither wolf nor German Shepherd Dog. There have been back-cross projects in Dalmatians and Boxers alike that utilized breeds not originally linked to their foundation, including Pointers (for the Dalmatian project to 'solve' the uric acid problem) and Corgis (in the Boxer backcross natural bob-tail project by geneticist Dr Bruce Cattanach). Dr. Cattanach's Boxers are now KC/FCI registrable and within about 5 generations you (and KC judges of breed) could not tell either temperamentally nor physically that his Boxers were 'mixed', so to speak. Genetics is awfully fascinating, isn't it? But now I am off-topic. Thank you for all the replies on the original wolves!