The Reasons For Dog Breeding

Dog breeding is the process of mating animals to achieve desired characteristics in their offspring. Skilled breeders select mates based on traits, such as personality, size, skills and strength. Some are bred to produce loving, family-friendly pets, while others are mated to produce working animals who are able to perform alongside farmers, police officers, rescue workers and others. Some canines are bred to become service animals, and can be trained to assist blind or physically disabled individuals.

Beginning with prehistoric humans, canines have been important members of communities. For many centuries, the relationship between humans and canines has been evolving. Today, three separate groups of canines function as human companions. These include sighthounds, hunters and livestock guardians.

The livestock guards protect the herd from predators. They instinctively learn to perform this task after being introduced to herds as puppies. They bond with the herd, and only provide protection to that specific group of animals. For example, puppies who have been imprinted with a herd of goats will not guard sheep or cattle. Armenian Gamprs, Komondors, Great Pyrenees, Sheepdogs and Mastiffs are among the best livestock guardians.

Hunters include hounds, terriers, Dachshunds and gun canines. The variety of hounds include sighthounds, scent hounds and lurchers. Sighthounds are well adapted for speed and visual acuity. Whippets, Afghans, and Greyhounds are in this category. Scent hounds use their highly developed sense of smell to track game. These include Beagles, Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Bloodhounds and Coonhounds. Lurchers are sighthounds crossed with working dogs. Greyhound and terrier mixes are common Lurchers.

Terriers are great mammal hunters. They have the ability to locate animal dens, and travel underground to chase them out. This group includes Boston Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Kerry Blues, Pit Bulls, Airedales, Bull Terriers and Jack Russells.

Animals that burrow deeply, such as rabbits, prairie dogs, foxes and badgers, are hunted by Dachshunds. These speedy, short-legged, long-bodied animals can travel effectively through burrows. This canine is the only one certified to track prey both below and above ground.

Gun canines can effectively assist people who use shotguns to hunt small game. These include spaniels, setters, pointers and retrievers. They can locate and retrieve prey from both water and land. They include German Shorthaired Pointers, English Setters, Cocker Spaniels, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.

Since prehistoric times, humans have practiced dog breeding to develop helpful partners. Their inherent dependability, loyalty, adaptability and agility make them ideal companions. In addition to the traditional fields which have used canines for many years, their use is expanding into new regions, such as medicine.

Looking to find the most comprehensive information on dog breeding?