What is the intended result of selective breeding?

Answer 1

Selective breeding allows the breeders to create a desired species for whatever purposes they'd like, such as pets or combining characteristics of species to make a "better" one. Selective breeding lets people combine liked characteristics of species to form one "perfect" species.

Answer 2

Selective breeding has produced hundreds of different breeds of dog over several centuries. If it wasn't for selective breeding (choosing two dogs with the most desireable features to breed) then dogs would not have been domesticated. Selective breeding is when a person selects two dogs with the desired features to breed to pass this feature on to their puppies. For example: people who live in a cold climate would want dogs with thick coats, so they would select the dogs with the thickest coats to breed from. However, due to excessive inbreeding, many breeds have now got over-exaggerated features such as greatly shortened legs or domed skulls. This is a downside to selective breeding, when man abuses his control over nature.

Answer 3

Seeking mentorship from those more knowledgable and experienced in the breed. Spending time learning about the breed, issues the breed faces, the health, standard, history and working purpose of a breed.

Selecting their foundation dogs based on the health, structure, temperament and breed specific working abilities reflected in the individual breeding and pedigrees.

Health testing for all basic and breed specific hereditary and congenital health concerns like Hip & Elbow Dysplasia, thyroid & Cardio conditions, eyes, ect.

Evaluating their dogs against their peers, evaluating dogs structure and temperament against the breed standard and evaluating working ability through a breed relevant sport or job. For example a Border Collie's working ability would best be evaluated through ranch work or herding trials. Some breeds, like various small breeds, do not have a breed specific working purpose.

Selecting a prospective breeding based on compatibility between both individual dogs based on all the above, complimenting strengths and weaknesses and the compatibility between both dog's pedigrees based on all the above.

Being thorough and careful in selecting puppy homes and preventing poor specimens from being bred by selling non-breed specimens on spay / neuter contracts or altered before going to new homes. Being willing to take back dogs from any failed placement, ensuring all pups are registered and chipped and encouraging puppy homes to pursue breed relevant health testing and companion activities with their dogs and following up with puppy homes to keep track of what sort of issues or strengths the breeder's program is producing.

This gives the best odds of healthy, sound, functional and true to standard future generations. It also gives the best odds of improving the current issues in various breeds by giving more insight into current breeding dogs as well as providing usable data for canine health & theriogenology research.