Thread: Are Labradors good at finding Large Game?

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

I will disagree with this stagstalker. Crossbreeding of two unrelated pure breeds masks or hides genetic faults, and inbreeding / linebreeding brings these to the surface. The crossbred animal will inherit the faults but those genetic faults will not be visible. It is only when the fault carrying animal is back crossed with another animal carrying the same fault that it will possibly make its appearance once more . Crossbreds are more vigorous, healthy, fertile and have longer lives than the parent breeds from which they are derived, this is on average measured at 16% in the first or F1 cross.
Genetic progress in breeding is best made with pure breeds. It is possible to use cross breeds to form new breeds but needs a lot of resources.
In summary, the parents of pure breds need to be totally 'sound' and free of genetic faults ( not just physically tested to not have the fault because they can still carry it ), whereas for a utility dog that won't be bred from a crossbred is a better bet if the genetic soundness of the parents isn't tested and proven.

If anyone is interested, I know where there is a Lab male that leaves exceptional pups. He totally 'stamps' his litters and every pup is brilliant and improved. Pm me and I can put you in contact with the owner.

You make some good points. It still identifies however that cross breeding is not a magic cure. The issues still remain and they are still being bred forward into the next generation. Crossbred or purebred, the responsibility for health checks and responsible breeding remains the same.

Originally Posted by stagstalker

You make some good points. It still identifies however that cross breeding is not a magic cure. The issues still remain and they are still being bred forward into the next generation. Crossbred or purebred, the responsibility for health checks and responsible breeding remains the same.

Using two pure breeds to cross and produce a utility animal will produce an animal that is superior to the mean line of the two parent breeds. The offspring will be consistent and predictable.
Problems will only arise when the cross-bred is bred with IF it is bred to another similar cross-bred or to one of the parent breeds. In either case the hybrid vigour of the first cross is lost and the genetic mix is randomised with a lot of variation across the offspring. Remember Gregor Mendel's sweet peas that we all learnt about in High School Bio.
If a cross-bred is to be bred from it should be crossed to a third unrelated breed. This will maintain the vigour and consistency.
Genetic progress in breeding is best achieved by selection within a pure breed, but in the case of dogs, because the breeds carry such a high 'inbreeding coefficient' ( this is a mathematical ratio of close breeding relationship) from memory around 60% crossing is a good option to breed a utility dog.
For example Greyhounds ( which are anatomically perfect and carry no genetic faults ) cross very well with Border Collies to produce Lurchers. Such a dog could be crossed to a Staffy to produce awesome pigdogs for example.