Do You Know the Basics of Canine Breeding?
It is said that a dog is a man’s best friend. There is a lot of evidence, both historical and present, that supports this fact.
Dogs were among the earliest animals to be domesticated. At first they were mostly used to pull sleighs and other transportation devices. With time however, they became more of companions. Today, there are various types of dog breeds depending on various factors. There are those dogs that have been bred to have certain physical features while some dogs have been bred to fulfill certain roles. In this article we look at the basics of canine breeding and what it all entails.
Natural Breeding Vs Canine Breeding
Dogs are naturally meant to breed without any human intervention whatsoever. This is referred to as naturals breeding and natural selection determines the kind of offspring that will result from the breeding.
Canine breeding on the other hand is a case where someone intentionally causes the mating action so as to get offspring with desired qualities. Canine breeding is usually necessary when certain qualities and physical features are required. As simple as it sounds, canine breeding is no easy task and requires quite some knowledge in dog genetics and health.
History of Canine Breeding
When dogs were first domesticated, humans used them mostly for transport and hunting. Over time, they realized that different dogs had different characteristics. This led to a situation where canines with unfavorable characteristics were starved or killed and the good canines fed and strengthened. The desired characteristics in a canine depended on the intended use of the dog. For instance there were various dog types depending on their tasks. There were;
- Sighthounds that operated best using sight.
- Scenthounds that were known for their ability to track smells.
- Hunting dogs that were used in hunting expeditions.
- Livestock dogs that were used by grazers to help in the grazing and management of large herds of livestock.
With time, better methods of breeding were used and today the practice of canine breeding requires a lot of knowledge and skill.
How it’s done
What basically happens is that the breeder looks for a dog with certain favorable characteristics. This hound is then mated with another one with another set of characteristics. The intention is to produce an offspring that is much better than the parents. Some people have set up businesses to produce puppies of various breeds and sell them to people. There are also organizations that cater of dog breeds and require new breeds to be registered.
Effects
The most dangerous effect of canine breeding is the inheritance of unfavorable characteristics or defects. A dog may have some recessive genes that only become dominant in the offspring. Some dogs suffer from eye diseases, heart problems and deafness due to inheritance of genetic defects from the parents. To prevent this, there are organizations that work to educate breeders on the basics of breeding and provide extensive information on various breeding defects. These organizations also recommend that only qualified breeders should be allowed to breed canines.
Keep Your Dog in Tip Top Shape with These Coonhound Nutrition Tips
November 27, 2014 by Hunter • Coon Dogs, Coon Hunting Gear • Tags: feeding, nutrition • 0 Comments
Since coonhounds are hard working dogs and can literally hunt for hours on end, their nutrition is very important. You want to keep your coonhound in tip top shape so that she can perform well in pleasure hunts and in competitions.
You can keep you coon dog in excellent shape by following these coonhound nutrition tips.
Choose the Right Diet
When it comes to coonhounds, the basic fact is that they require a balanced diet consisting of all of the necessary nutrition components. However, some nutrients are required more than others and in different amounts.
Here are some of the best options in commercial foods:
Diamond Naturals Dry Food for Adult Dogs, Extreme Athlete is great for active dogs. It contains 32% protein and 25% fat. Hard working dogs need higher levels of protein to maintain their lean muscle mass. Protein is also needed to maintain the vital organs and a healthy immune system.
Diamond Dry Adult Dog Food, Maintenance 
is great for moderately active dogs. It is naturally preserved and chicken protein is the number one ingredient. This food also contains Omega Fatty Acids to keep your dogs skin and coat healthy.
Diamond Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food for Puppy
contains Omega 3, is naturally preserved, and formulated to suit the needs of a puppy or and adult pregnant or lactating dog.
Homemade food. Giving your dog homemade food is probably the best option. This is because you get to decide what to feed the dog, hence removing any chance of low quality of tainted meals. When preparing homemade foods you should focus on providing a wholesome diet. It should consist of raw meat which is good for coonhounds. Raw meat and other raw foods are also easier to process than cooked ones. Despite its many benefits, homemade cooking can have its downsides too. For one you have to be ready to use a lot of time and effort in preparing the coonhound diet. Raw diets are also associated with various diseases such as worms.
Effects of wrong nutrition
Feeding a coonhound the wrong diet can have far reaching consequences. If fed an improper diet, the immune system becomes weak and the dog is exposed to diseases like cancer and premature aging.
A coonhound requires a lot of proteins for body and muscle build-up. It also requires a lot of fat to be burned for energy production. Lack of these two crucial dietary components may have severe health effects. Additionally, coonhounds require vitamins and supplements to keep their immune system active and alert.
Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to consult your vet. Your vet can help you decide what will be the best diet for your hound.