Striking a Balance: How Conservation Breeding Programs for Working Dogs Can Preserve Traits While Avoiding Inbreeding Depression

Black and Tan English Shepherd

Conservation breeding programs for working dogs aim to preserve the traits and characteristics that make these dogs effective in their roles, such as hunting, herding, and guarding. However, these programs must also avoid inbreeding depression, which occurs when there is a reduction in genetic diversity due to repeated breeding between closely related individuals. To strike … Read more