Black and Tan English Shepherds
Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd Association
In any breed population, genetic diversity is a key factor in ensuring the breed’s health and longevity. This diversity is often maintained through the presence of distinct bloodlines within the breed. A bloodline represents the lineage of a dog, tracing its heritage back through many generations. Each bloodline can carry specific traits, abilities, and sometimes … Read more
The Coefficient of Inbreeding, formulated by Sewall Wright, measures the probability that two alleles at any locus in an individual are identical by descent from the common ancestors of the parents. This is a fundamental concept in population genetics and is often used in animal breeding to measure the level of inbreeding. In simpler terms, … Read more
The long-term health and vitality of the English Shepherd breed depend on maintaining genetic diversity and minimizing inbreeding risks. This short article compares two approaches for achieving these objectives: perpetual outcrossing with a cognitive bias towards low Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) percentages versus bloodline conservation. We discuss the pros and cons of each strategy … Read more