# What Do We Think Of This?



## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

http://rufflyspeaking.net/five-things-you-think-know-about-breeding-but-youre-wrong/


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## juliav (Nov 21, 2006)

I need coffee, before I can tackle this!


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Generally, I agree with most of it except it's a pretty simple minded approach to topic number 1. Outcrossing is not better than linebreeding when the dogs being linebred have generations of good health records behind them. Comparing blind outcrossing to blind linebreeding might be better, but I expect it's still just a personal opinion. Better breeders use linebreeding with much more data than simply doing it blind. Linebreeding locks things in, but it can also be used to lock things out.

I agree that producing a lot of champions means little to nothing. I'll take a Best in Home any day over a Best of Breed, although we do get those once in a while too.

Health testing is not a be all and end all. It's just part of the big picture that a good breeder wants to do to know more about the dogs being bred. If you only have health testing one or two generations on a pedigree, it's still a guessing game, but at least you know you are not breeding some problem. Just simply doing it, means little to nothing.

I have one example of breeding 7 generations of health tested, and mostly linebred parents, with over 275 individuals, that I will put up against any other database of outcrossed dogs with similar numbers of generations and numbers of individuals. Heck, we can even cover dentition. I doubt such a database even exists. Everyone has an opinion. It's one thing on a list of things that everyone has, and usually worth no more.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> I'll take a Best in Home any day over a Best of Breed, although we do get those once in a while too.


I LOVE this, Tom! That should be the goal of all breeders of companion breeds!


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## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

I just want to say that I have been quietly reading everything Tom King writes without saying much and now it's time: THANK YOU TOM AND PAM KING! You are heroes. You are so generous to share all your knowledge with everyone on this forum and also so generous to the lucky ones who get to go home with one of the puppies that you beed and raise so carefully and thoughtfully. If something happened to my darling Henry, and I ever wanted another dog, I would want one of yours. Yours are treated with so much love - even before conception. Doesn't get better than that!


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

FancyNancy said:


> I just want to say that I have been quietly reading everything Tom King writes without saying much and now it's time: THANK YOU TOM AND PAM KING! You are heroes. You are so generous to share all your knowledge with everyone on this forum and also so generous to the lucky ones who get to go home with one of the puppies that you beed and raise so carefully and thoughtfully. If something happened to my darling Henry, and I ever wanted another dog, I would want one of yours. Yours are treated with so much love - even before conception. Doesn't get better than that!


Only just come across this, sorry so belatedly, but wanted to add a resounding "hear hear"!!! and heartfelt endorsement - thank you Tom and Pam King, you are such generous contributors to this forum.
Lalla


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