# Selecting for or against traits when breeding



## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

In light of some of the posts in the "Breeding dogs with problems" thread, I thought this would be interesting... Just quote me and answer in the quote 

What are genetic qualities/characteristics (be they positive or negative) that are very hard to maintain in a breeding program. In other words, genetic qualities/characteristics that are very easily lost if not carefully maintained in each mated pairing?

*<your answer here>*

What are genetic qualities/characteristics (be they positive or negative) that are very easy to maintain in a breeding program. In other words, genetic qualities/characteristics that are very difficult to breed away from if not carefully selected against in each mated pairing?

*<your answer here>*


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

hunterisgreat said:


> In light of some of the posts in the "Breeding dogs with problems" thread, I thought this would be interesting... Just quote me and answer in the quote
> 
> What are genetic qualities/characteristics (be they positive or negative) that are very hard to maintain in a breeding program. In other words, genetic qualities/characteristics that are very easily lost if not carefully maintained in each mated pairing?
> 
> ...


I'm speculating based on what I *SEE* in the various dogs that cross my path, interaction with breeders, etc.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Really? Not one person wants to chime in?


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

:chime: There.  Actually I don't know enough to chime in.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I think one of the easiest things to maintain, or to bring back in if it has become diminished, is drive. Partly because it tends to bred true for the most part from one generation to the next, and partly because high drive breeding candidates are very easy to find.

And I think the most difficult to maintain unless it is very strongly focused upon, and almost impossible to regain if lost, is sound nerve. Not necessarily in the general sense as maintaining dogs who are sound and stable from an everyday standpoint isn't difficult. But when coupled with other desired temperament traits that really stress the limits of a dog's nerve strength... like high drive, strong active aggression/fight drive, some suspicion/defense, etc...it is more difficult to maintain the level of nerve required to go along with those things.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Chris Wild said:


> I think one of the easiest things to maintain, or to bring back in if it has become diminished, is drive. Partly because it tends to bred true for the most part from one generation to the next, and partly because high drive breeding candidates are very easy to find.
> 
> And I think the most difficult to maintain unless it is very strongly focused upon, and almost impossible to regain if lost, is sound nerve. Not necessarily in the general sense as maintaining dogs who are sound and stable from an everyday standpoint isn't difficult. But when coupled with other desired temperament traits that really stress the limits of a dog's nerve strength... like high drive, strong active aggression/fight drive, some suspicion/defense, etc...it is more difficult to maintain the level of nerve required to go along with those things.


Regarding sound nerve... so worded another way, could you describe that as a dog who can be/is very civil, very sharp, not motivated primarily by prey stimulus & drive, but yet has the clear headed-ness and strength of character to not make mistakes with the application of that civil sharpness or "lose their temper" when put under stress?


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