American Kennel Club to soon register mixed breed dogs

American Kennel Club to soon register mixed breed dogs

Sometime in 2007 or 2008, I had blogged about the American Kennel Club being dismayed with the popularity of Goldendoodles and Labradoodles. They pretty much wrote an article ranting about how designer /mixed breed dogs are an insult to purebred dog fanciers and the entire article put down breeders for creating "designer" dogs. Lo and behold, I went to the AKC website to research my German Shorthaired Pointer's lineage/ancestry and found they had a new article claiming that beginning October 1, 2009, dog owners can begin registering their "mixed breed dogs" with the American Kennel Club and receive an AKC id number.

This news goes against everything that the American Kennel Club originally stood for. They now claim this new program fits in with their over all message for being responsible dog owners, breeders, yada, yada, yada. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not complaining that AKC is now allowing mixed breed dogs into their registry program. That is all fine and dandy. I personally left the American Kennel Club back in the late 90s for what I felt was a much better kennel club, Universal Kennel International. Why did I leave AKC? Because in the late 90s I had sold a female Toy Poodle to a woman in Georgia after I felt the dog wasn't a good match for my male Toy Poodle. Both were in my breeding program back then. I had the two dogs together for a year and we had not been able to get a litter during that time. I knew that my male Toy Poodle was very capable of siring a litter so I felt the female more than likely wasn't a good match for him. Within four weeks of the female Toy Poodle being in the woman's possession, I received an email from an anonymous person that the dog had a litter of puppies and that the woman had registered the litter with the American Kennel Club claiming HER male Toy Poodle was the sire. Well, I went back and looked at my receipt and the dates just didn't jive for her Toy Poodle to be the father to that litter. She didn't feel or look pregnant when I sold her but according to the date, she had to have been 4 weeks pregnant and she wouldn't have been showing at that stage of pregnancy. I contacted the woman and told her she would have to either give me the litter of puppies or pay for the entire litter. I sold her the female dog, not offspring that was produced by my sire. I also told her that I was contacting the kennel club because she had improperly registered the litter. I called AKC and filed a complaint and I had asked them to have this woman produce a DNA test proving that her male Toy Poodle was the sire and not mine. I was more than willing to produce evidence that my male Toy Poodle was the sire and not hers.

I completely had expected AKC to check into this situation since their website is full of claims of responsible breeding and so on. What did they do? They told me that they could not involve themselves with a "breeder dispute" and that they were nothing more than a "registrant service". I could not believe my ears. This coming from a club that makes the claims on their website about responsible breeding and how they care about the breeders who are affiliated with their club. When they refused to have this woman produce DNA evidence to prove whether or not her Toy Poodle was the sire to the produced litter after I sent them copies of the sale date, etc....I withdrew all of my dogs from their kennel club. I then re-registered all of my dogs with Universal Kennel Club International.

After withdrawing from their kennel club, they actually had the audacity to send a representative to my home some years later asking me to allow the representative to look over my records and gather DNA from my dogs. I told the representative that my dogs were already registered with a different kennel club and they could take themselves back to their office in Raligh, NC and go be the "registrant service" they claimed to be when I needed their assistance back in the late 90s. I was no longer a member of AKC, nor were my dogs and as far as I was concerned, they had no right asking me for anything. They had not come to my home asking me for records regarding the Toy Poodle or DNA evidence and that is what I had thought they were asking for. Now had he asked me for this, I would have complied. But they were not at my home regarding the Toy Poodle. I had not registered a single litter with AKC after pulling my dogs out of their club, so of course I was very angry that they had the nerve to make any requests from me since they were unwilling to assist me with the woman in Georgia. I even told the American Kennel Club that now there was an entire litter of Toy Poodles out there with incorrect AKC documentation and if THOSE dogs breed with other dogs, their entire lineage of information is a lie! If they did this with me, just how many other dogs in their kennel club actually might be improperly registered with improper lineage information? I was reeling with anger at AKC over their lack of integrity.

What I am discussing in this blog is the fact that back in 2007/2008, I specifically blogged that the American Kennel Club always seemed to jump on a "breed" band wagon as soon as a breed becomes popular. They've done this since the day they became a kennel club. It is of no secret that the American Kennel Club is all about the big bucks. They have laughed all the way to the bank for decades.

The American Kennel Club wants owners to believe that this new program for mixed breed dogs will benefit the dog as well as the dog owner. The truth is, it won't be long before the American Kennel Club will start promoting its own "standards" regarding designer dogs, mixed breed dogs and particularly the Goldendoodle or Labradoodle to bring in millions of dollars to their bank account. This opens the door for breeders to proclaim that their Goldendoodle puppies or mixed breed, designer dogs are now superior to dogs registered with different kennel clubs simply because they were assigned an AKC id number. Goldendoodle breeders will now proclaim their Goldendoodles are AKC registered and therefore of high quality than those registered with various other kennel clubs. Mark my words, I see the writing on the wall and the ink hasn't even dried yet from the board of directors of the American Kennel Club. Unfortunately many consumers are not aware of the deceitful practices of AKC. Maybe now they've cleaned up their act but that doesn't remove the fact that before they began their DNA profiling program, they allowed dogs to be registered improperly and there is no telling how many hundreds of dogs have incorrect lineage/ancestry information due to their lax attitude from years past. The kennel club we are now affiliated with stands behind their breeders and they have been more help to me over the years than AKC has ever been. Unfortunately, AKC has always been about the money, not customer service. The only service from AKC that has been of help to me is being able to obtain lineage/ancestry documentation over the internet and sometimes I still question whether that information is even correct, given my experience with this kennel club.

For years, many breeders affiliated with the American Kennel Club, have always made claims to those seeking a canine, that their puppies or dogs were superior to those registered with other kennel clubs. I completely disagree given my experience with the American Kennel Club. Had they stood by me as a breeder and assisted me when I needed them the most, I would not even have an issue with AKC. The notion that AKC is superior to any other kennel club is completely outrageous especially given the fact that there are kennel clubs all around the world who are NOT affiliated with AKC. The unfortunate aspect of it all is that potential customers believe that dogs who have an AKC identification number are better quality than those who do not and even I had the same notion prior to my raw incident. This was a huge wake up call for me. It is also a fact that hundreds of breeders left the American Kennel Club the same year that I did and it didn't surprise me. Breeders who are fanatics and pro AKC will make the claim that the American Kennel Club is better because it means their dogs are purebreds but after finding out they tell breeders they don't get involved with "breeder disputes" and that they are nothing more than a "registrant service", they will have to experience a similiar situation before finding out the truth about AKC.

Quality does not begin with the kennel club that a dog is registered with. Quality begins with the breeder and his or her decisions that affect the offspring produced. Quality begins with the breeder's integrity and honesty regarding the dogs they create and breed. The American Kennel Club states that they decided to create the mixed breed program after "extensive research". I personally believe that this "extensive research" was finding out how much revenue this new program was going to bring in for AKC. By not allowing mixed breed dogs to be registered with their kennel club, they were losing potential millions to those kennel clubs who were registering designer dogs and mixed breed dogs alike. Designer dogs began to become popular in the United States in 2001. I knew when I began breeding for Goldendoodles back in 1999, it was only a matter of time before the American Kennel Club would dip its hands into the doodle pot. According to AKC, their new program requires that mixed breed dogs who are given an AKC id number, must be spayed or neutered. AKC will charge each owner a $35 registration fee. This is a hefty fee to pay considering right now, they are requiring all of the registered dogs to be altered just to obtain an AKC id. Yeah, sure, they are throwing you a bone of a few extras, but their fee is still absurd. I guarantee that sometime in the future, AKC will lift this restriction and allow full registration to breeders of mixed breed dogs so they can then register entire litters with AKC. The more money they can bring into their kennel club, the merrier.

Dogs who are mixed breed, hybrid or purebred and who are altered, should still be registered with a kennel club for identification purposes and I am all for that. Their actual registration serves no other purpose if the dog is altered. AKC claims they are all about responsible breeding; that they are all for spaying and neutering and yet, they do NOT allow purebred dogs who are competing in dog shows to be spayed or neutered. This kennel club has always been about saying one thing and doing another. Did you know that in Europe, dogs are NOT allowed to have their tail docked and ears croppped? They are disqualified if altered in any way. AKC requires competing dogs to have their tail docked and ears cropped knowing how painful ear cropping is to the dog, itself. Tail docking isn't so painful when done a few days after birth, but ear cropping is completed after the dog is much older and there is a lot of pain involved! We ask all of our customers to send in the registration form that we provide to them so that their Goldendoodle can be registered with our affiliated kennel club. The purpose is to have their doodle identified through registration documents. We also recommend they have their Goldendoodle puppy or dog micro-chipped. Kennel registration can be done for $15. I love the fact that our affiliated kennel club offers registration documents where your dogs' photo can be placed upon the form as well as the dogs' DNA or microchip information. If your dog becomes stolen, the registration identifies your canine and becomes an important piece of "evidence" that you are the owner and the dog actually is who the form says it is. The American Kennel Club has always charged an outrageous fee and people buy into the notion that if they register their canine with this kennel club, their dogs are now somehow much better than those who are not affiliated.

I remember back in 1999 when I received a very hateful phone call from the Golden Retriever Club who was outraged over the fact we had intentionally bred our Golden Retrievers to Poodles in order to create Goldendoodle offspring. They were so incensed in fact over the idea of these doodle dogs, they wrote a blog about it on their website. The blog was basically to put down the Goldendoodle dog and those who created them or bred them. Purebred dog fanciers and dog owner fanatics rolled over in anger, spewing their venon on various dog forums. Can you now imagine what they are thinking after word came out that the American Kennel Club was now allowing Goldendoodles and mixed breed dogs alike, to be registered and affiliated with their kennel club? I can't help myself even now, from wondering how the canine fanatics will ever survive knowing their purebred pals are now sharing the same kennel club with "mutts". Surely you jest? Purebred dog fanciers and fanatics enjoy putting down the mutts and designer dogs. They fail to stop and remember that the purebred dog was once a mixed breed dog...a mutt, if you will, before dog fanciers tagged them with a fancy name and formed clubs after proclaiming their "mix" was now purebred. Well, move over rover....AKC has now come to the realization, like millions of others in the United States, that the designer dogs and mutts alike are here to stay and they are NOT a "one night wonder".

*About the author: Dee Gerrish of Goldendoodle World has been a private, professional, hobby breeder since 1996. She began creating Goldendoodles in 1999 and has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog. More can be read on her website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/

What kind of sleeper is your Goldendoodle?

What type of sleeper is your Goldendoodle? Many doodles sleep just like humans do! They may enjoy taking up the entire bed; they may just nap on the couch; some doodles even love just snoozing on the floor or in their favorite chair.

How many times have we purchased beautiful designer dog beds for our Goldendoodles only to discover they much prefer sleeping in OUR bed, instead? Goldendoodles have their own preferred sleeping positions.

How often do we walk in to find these terrific, funny doodle dogs full of antics, snoozing in various positions? Does your Goldendoodle have a particular sleeping habit? Is he or she a cuddler? A snuggler? A loner? A sprawler? A leaner? Or does he or she prefer to burrow under blankets?

We humans enjoy shopping for our canine, furry friends whether they are Doodles, Poodles or Poms. We love our dogs regardless of whether they are purebred, mixed breed or hybrid. Much emphasis is placed on purchasing bedding for our dogs when the fact of the matter is, they prefer to sleep on our beds, couch and chairs or floor. Dog beds come in a variety of price ranges. Some can be quite expensive depending upon whether they are designer beds or non designer beds. It has been my own experience as a Goldendoodle breeder that while these dogs enjoy being pampered and coddled, they are just as happy romping around outside as they are living indoors with luxurious accomodations. Many Goldendoodles are tomboys whether they are male or female.

Goldendoodles prefer to be where their human companions are, so they don't get all caught up in the glamour of designer dog beds. They are just as happy cuddling to a soft, warm blanket tossed on the couch. A Goldendoodle owner doesn't need to spend much to provide their doodle dog with comfort. They are happy to take over your bed, with your permission of course, or claim your favorite sitting chair as their own. But if you insist on purchasing a doggie bed for your doodle, make sure that you know what type of sleeper he or she may be. If your Goldendoodle enjoys sleeping on your bed, you might consider buying a specialty bed that resembles human furniture. Perhaps your doodle would be very comfortable in owning a bed that looks just like your own?
Does your Goldendoodle have a favorite couch or chair to sleep on? There are actual designer beds that resemble a human couch or chair. If you want to splurge, you can even obtain one to match that of your own home decor. There are no limits as to the types of designer beds available for your lovely Goldendoodle. Comfort, however, is the main concern. While some designer beds look fabulous, we must remember that your doodle isn't concerned with looks or colors. He or she is concerned with comfort. This is why they prefer to sleep on your couch, chair or bed. You've obviously taken comfort into consideration for yourself and this is why your Goldendoodle enjoys taking over your precious personal space. Who can blame them?

*About the author: Dee Gerrish has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. She has been a private, professional, hobby breeder since 1996. More information can be obtained by visiting her Goldendoodle World website.

*Special thanks to Mindy and Marley's mom/dad for sharing these terrific Goldendoodle photos. These doodles came from Goldendoodle World.

What is a first generation Goldendoodle?

What is a first generation Goldendoodle?

What does "F1" mean? What does "F1B" mean? Why is there so much confusion about the term "First generation Goldendoodle" ?

It seems to me that many people are having problems understanding what constitutes a Goldendoodle as being a "First generation" hybrid. It's quite easy to understand if you have some knowledge with basic genetics. It may seem complicated to those who do not understand the basics of genetics. Simply put, a First generation Goldendoodle is any Goldendoodle dog that comes from two parents who are not closely related, regardless of whether or not both Goldendoodles are Goldendoodles or if one parent is a Poodle and the other parent is a Golden Retriever or whether one parent is a Poodle and one parent is a Goldendoodle. The offspring are STILL considered Goldendoodles and they are STILL considered first generation when neither parent shares the exact same parents themselves. That's it in a nutshell. Nothing complicated about it, but so many people...including breeders.....just can't seem to grasp the concept.
Instead, some people believe that a first generation Goldendoodle only comes from a 50/50 mix...meaning, coming from one parent who is a Poodle and one parent who is a Golden Retriever or some people believe that Goldendoodles are "f1B" if a Goldendoodle is bred to a Poodle or Golden Retriever or to another Goldendoodle. I'm sorry to burst the genetic bubble, but that belief is not accurate at all. If you really want to get technical, lets first ask "First generation of what???". What is the Goldendoodle a first generation of, exactly ? Are they the "first generation" upon their family tree? Are they the first generation to both of their parents? Technically and accurately speaking, if neither parent are directly related, the answer is YES. All offspring, in reality, that are born to two parents who are not directly related and who DO NOT share the same parents themselves, are FIRST GENERATION DOGS.

What exactly does the term "first generation" imply anyway?

When speaking of "generations" it is generally implied to mean parent/child. The parents have children and thus, their children are "first generation". When those children have their own children, they then become "second generation". When we speak of the Goldendoodle being a "first generation" it is implied to mean that the offspring come from two parents who are not closely related or who are not related at all....whether the same breed or different breed, the offspring are always "first generation" when neither parent are directly related to each other. I've had so many people try to convince me that a Goldendoodle isn't a first generation Goldendoodle unless if comes from a Poodle/Golden Retriever parent. Again, I hate to burst your genetic bubble, but that's not correct. With purebred dogs, both parents are the same breed and their offspring are first generation providing neither parent shares the same parents themselves or direct relatives within their first three generations of pedigree. If you bred two parents who were related, together, then their offspring would be "second generation" . When we speak of Goldendoodles being an "F1B", the "B" means "backbred". A very nice term for implying the dogs are inbred....backbred to a close relative. Just because a Goldendoodle is bred to a Poodle, does NOT imply the offspring are "F1B". If a Goldendoodle is bred to a Poodle and the Poodle within the Goldendoodle's genetic structure is NOT related or closely related to the other Poodle used for breeding, their offspring are "first generation". If a Goldendoodle is bred to a Golden Retriever and the Goldendoodle used for breeding is NOT closely related or related at all to the Golden Retriever within the Goldendoodles' genetic structure, their offspring is still a first generation.

Genetic diversity is very important when it comes to hybrid dogs, period. Due to the fact many purebred fanciers inbreed their dogs, the entire reason hybrid dogs have fewer health issues is due to the fact their genetic structure is wide and varying. A genetic "bottle neck" is created when two dogs are bred together and share the same lineage. It's one thing to have similar ancestors or share similar ancestors down through the pedigree, its quite another to have the same exact ancestors down through the pedigree. We have created the Goldendoodle since 1999. We have been purebred dog breeders since 1996. We know for a fact that dogs are healthier and have entirely fewer genetic issues when they have a wider variance in their genetic structure. Goldendoodles who come from two related parents will have genetic issues much more often than Goldendoodles who come from two unrelated parents. When a breeder says they create "multi-generation" Goldendoodles....that means you'd better be careful of buying one of their dogs. Multi generation Goldendoodles are highly inbred dogs and are at a much greater risk for genetic issues. I definitely do not believe in multi-generation doodles or even purebred dogs. I've never agreed that even purebred dogs who are bred back to a direct relative is a good thing. Such dogs can be at a higher risk for behavioral issues; health issues and genetic issues. Many undesirable traits come from dogs who are born from parents who are too closely related.

When Gregor Mendel began his hybridization experiments with pea plants in 1856, knowledge of how heredity works was limited. Experimenting with hybrids has been going on for many, many years. Many things had been guessed at or not exactly known as to how genetics + hybrids really worked. Some characteristics, called discrete traits, did not produce a state of being between two parents. The children of a brown-eyed father and blue-eyed mother do not end up with an intermediate eye color; rather, the children inherited the eye color of a single parent. This occurs with people. With dogs, it is quite different. The offspring CAN inherit an intermediate eye color and we've witnessed this with the Goldendoodle dog. In 2006, we bred two Goldendoodles together that were not closely related. They had a different Golden Retriever parent and a different Poodle parent. The only traits the Goldendoodle dogs had in common was that they had the same eye color (Blue); The same coat type (curly) and both were the same color (apricot). We intentionally bred both Goldendoodles together so that we could increase our chances of having blue eyed Goldendoodles.

We were not sure what coat type would occur since both doodles had a curly coat. We were quite surprised to learn the following:

*smooth coat/blue eyed/first generation Goldendoodle

1. This pairing only produced 2 blue eyed doodle offspring.

2. Out of four offspring, 1 puppy had brown eyes. 1 puppy had green eyes. Two of the puppies had blue eyes.
3. Out of four offspring, 3 puppies had a smooth coat and 1 puppy had a shaggy coat. Not a single curly coat was born to parents who had a curly coat themselves.
4. Out of the four offspring, 2 puppies were cream. 2 puppies were apricot.

If we assume that each parent contributes a single chromosome to his/her offspring for a given trait, how is it that we had 3 smooth coat Goldendoodles born out of this pairing and neither parent had a smooth coat? How is it that we've seen a variance in size regarding the offspring, regardless of the sizes of either parent and how is it that we've seen a variance in eye color for the Goldendoodle offspring, regardless of the eye color of either parent? We personally have come to know that Goldendoodle dogs can inherit their traits, appearance, sizes, temperaments and coat or eye coloring from their entire lineage of ancestors. We have come to know that Goldendoodle offspring do not inherit traits exclusively from their parents. We know that their entire lineage plays a part of what and whom they become. Gregor Mendel proposed that some genes are dominant while others are recessive. Since 1999, we have come to realize that our Golden Retrievers Do carry the dominant genes. They dominate personality, color and at times, they dominant coat traits in our Goldendoodles. On occasion, we do see Poodle traits dominate in a select few offspring. For an experienced breeder, it is quite easy to spot the dominating gene. The inexperienced breeder will only be able to rely on information they obtain via the Internet and not all of the information is clear, precise or accurate. Hence, why there is so much inaccurate Goldendoodle information over the Internet. Much of it drives me crazy.

Especially because I've dedicated an extensive amount of time documenting the coat changes; The many coat phases; the personality types; The coat types; The coloring and markings; I've lived, breathed and basically dreamt day in and day out, the Goldendoodle dog. It is very frustrating to try and explain the facts with regards to the Goldendoodle dog to inexperienced people who want to challenge what it is I've come to know through personal experience and my countless hours of research. There are some days, I just don't even try. Some people don't want to know the facts, they only want you to tell them what they want to hear and not what the facts are and I don't like to try and teach someone about the Goldendoodle dog if they are not interested in actually learning and knowing facts vs. rumors or what they've "read" over the Internet. I LOVE writing about the Goldendoodle dog and what I've come to know. It's quite obvious that the Goldendoodle dog is a passion of mine, given the fact my website is so extensive and comprehensive where the Goldendoodle is concerned.

*Dark apricot, first generation, curly coat Goldendoodle

I love talking about the Goldendoodle to anyone who wants to know.....and I might even get into some heated arguments with people about the Goldendoodle dog because I'm very passionate about what it is I've come to know to be facts and I am NOT one for believing rumors. The Goldendoodle dog is a very stimulating, entirely new field of study for me. I've created the Goldendoodle dog in nearly every imaginable way and my research has helped literally thousands of people over the years. Some people you just can't convince and it is those people that really need to become breeders themselves or otherwise just shut up. That sounds harsh, but I'm very direct and honest. I don't need to argue with an inexperienced doodle person who doesn't know what they are talking about. They don't know what they are talking about because they haven't done the research on a personal level. They haven't spent the time that I've spent, nor have they indulged themselves in documenting facts and taking thousands of photos as a part of their documentation.

Darwin's problem explaining "blending" and the preservation of variation was essentially solved. However, while Mendelian genetics provided a way to refute arguments concerning the lack of a mechanism for the preservation of variation through inheritance, Mendel's results went largely unnoticed until 1900, when the laws were independently "rediscovered" by several geneticists -- Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns, and Erich von Tschermak -- some 34 years after Mendel's original publication of his findings in 1866! Speaking of genetics, Let's talk about genetics for a little bit.
Evolution can be described in many ways; one way to look at evolutionary change as a change in genotype frequencies over time. If organisms are considered evolutionarily successful if they have more offspring, and offspring are created from genes, then changes in gene frequencies (or more specifically, genotype frequencies) will reflect successful evolutionary phenotypes. Researchers in the field of population genetics examine populations in terms of differing proportions of particular genotypes in order to determine what, if any, evolutionary forces are active in that population. Genotype frequency and gene frequency are closely related variables, and both are easy to measure. The simplest case is one genetic locus with two alleles (A and a) and three genotypes (AA, Aa, and aa).

Each individual has a genotype made up of two genes at the locus and a population can be symbolized like this:

Aa AA aa aa AA Aa AA Aa

This is an imaginary population with only eight individuals. To find the genotype frequencies we simply count the numbers of individual with each genotype. Thus:
frequency of AA = 3/8 = 0.375frequency of Aa = 3/8 = 0.375frequency of aa = 2/8 = 0.25
The extent of variation in natural populations is such that every individual must be genetically unique. Evolution from the origin, to the modern diversity, of life must have required more variation than existed in the original population.

Where did the extra variation come from?

Several processes can generate new variation in a population:

• Recombination between existing chromosomes produces new chromosomes with their own unique sequences and many new genetic variants of a character like body size were probably generated by recombination.

• Migration is an important source of new genetic variation: when individuals arrive from distant parts they will often have different genotypes from the local population; they thus provide new genetic variation.

Both recombination and migration work with existing allelic variation; they put existing variation into new genetic, or geographic, combinations. Important though this is, if there were no pre-existing allelic variation, recombination and migration would not generate new genetic variants. Recombination between identical chromosomes produces the same identical chromosomes over again.

• Mutation is the original source of genetic variation. Even in a population in which all copies of a chromosome were identical, new genetic variants would arise by mutation.

Random events in population genetics - What is random sampling?

Gene frequencies may change by chance
Even when natural selection is not operating, the gene frequencies may change a little from the previous generation just by chance. This can happen because the genes that form a new generation are a random sample from the parental generation.

Random sampling

Random sampling occurs whenever a smaller number of successful individuals (or gametes) are sampled from a larger pool of potential survivors and the fitness of the genotypes are the same. Random sampling works at every stage as a new generation grows up but it starts at conception.
In every species, each individual produces many more gametes than will ever fertilize, or be fertilized, to form new organisms. Using the female trout as an example, it has many thousands of gametes of which a tiny fraction will ever become zygotes.

The successful gametes which do form offspring are a sample from the many gametes that the parents produce. Provided the parent is a heterozygote, such as Aa , it will then produce a large number of gametes, of which approximately one half will be A and the other half a . If that parent produces 10 offspring, it is most likely that five will inherit an A gene and five a . But because the gametes that formed the offspring were sampled from a much larger pool of gametes, it is possible that the proportions would be something else. Perhaps six inherited A and only four a , or three A and seven a.

Random sampling can have important evolutionary effects such as genetic drift and the founder effect.

What is the Founder effect??

Using Polydactyly as an example......extra fingers or sometimes toes ..... is one symptom of Ellis-van Creveld syndrome. The syndrome is commonly found among the Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania, a population that experiences the "founder effect." Genetically inherited diseases like Ellis-van Creveld are more concentrated among the Amish because they marry within their own community, which prevents new genetic variation from entering the population. Children are therefore more likely to inherit two copies of the particular recessive genes that lead to genetic disease. Because of their closed population stemming from a small number of German immigrants -- about 200 individuals -- the Amish carry unusual concentrations of gene mutations that cause a number of otherwise rare inherited disorders, including forms of dwarfism. Eastern Pennsylvania is home to beautiful farmlands and countryside, but it's also a gold mine of information for geneticists, who have studied the region's Amish culture for decades.
The founder effect can occur in dogs when a breeder inbreeds their dogs and does NOT use a wider variation of genes to create their dogs' offspring. Maybe not perhaps by having extra fingers or toes, but by other undesirable traits such as personality disorders, behavioral disorders or physical issues as well as internal issues. When dogs are too highly inbred, some do not even survive their first birthday. The female dog can miscarry the entire litter or one or two of the puppies can suffer from what is called the "fading syndrome".

Because defects can vary wide and greatly, it is of great importance that the Goldendoodle breeder become experienced in their selection of breeding methods. Some people can challenge me all they want with regards to the Goldendoodle dog, but we are up for the challenges and will argue with whomever wants to debate the issue regarding first generation Goldendoodles vs. F1B Goldendoodles. There isn't a single advantage in creating a second generation Goldendoodle...much less an "F1B". Breeders can argue amongst themselves or with others as to what the term "F1B" means, but we personally will never change our view that "F1B" means the Goldendoodle is an inbred dog. A breeder who creates the "F1B" Goldendoodle will create the Goldendoodle from a 50/50 mixture; meaning, the Goldendoodle comes from a Poodle/Golden Retriever mixture. They will then select one of the offspring and when that offspring becomes old enough to breed, they then breed that Goldendoodle BACK to its brother, sister, mother or father or close relative. Perhaps they even breed it to another Goldendoodle who shares its same ancestry. This is the true meaning of the "F1B" Goldendoodle. We have never created a Goldendoodle in this manner, nor would we want to. We have not ever created a purebred dog in this manner, but many show breeders have. Hence why so many purebred dogs have so many issues, today.

If individual dogs share the same parents or very close ancestry, there's a greater likelihood that the recessive genes of the "founder" genes will come together in the cells that produce offspring. Thus diseases of recessive genes, which require two copies of the gene to cause the disease, will show up more frequently than they would if the two breeding dogs were not closely related. Further studies have been completed regarding inbreeding.

HIDDEN VARIATIONS

The fact there are hidden variations at the genetic level is yet another reason why inbreeding (creating F1B Goldendoodles) carries with it an increased likelihood of the expression of a deleterious or lethal allele. It is very likely that all individuals carry some deleterious alleles which are left unexpressed from generation to generation, primarily because the frequencies of these alleles in the whole population is very low. While outbreeding (creating offspring from two unrelated parents) (or exogamy) will significantly reduce the probability of a chance encounter between two individuals carrying the same deleterious alleles, inbreeding will significantly increase this probability on the basis of degree of relatedness. Again, this is why the Goldendoodle hybrid, when created properly by experienced breeders, is a much hardier, healthier dog than their purebred counterparts.

All dogs, as well as all living animals and plants, including humans are made up of living cells. Each microscopic cell is a building block of life that contains a specific set of "biochemical blueprints" called chromosomes. The complex molecules instruct the cell and make it possible for the cell to repair and reproduce themselves. As an example, whether a cell is supposed to be part of an organ such as a heart, or a part of your skin or whether or not its role is to grow hair upon your head, arms or legs. Breeders who study the basic concept of genetics, found out a long time ago that many traits, such as hair coloring of dogs, could be manipulated to produce new coat colors or even new eye colors by breeding two dogs that have one particular coat color or a particular eye color. Breeders found out they could also remove such coloring if they wanted to, in the offspring. A British mathematician/biologist named R.C. Punnett developed a straight forward, yet very powerful statistical tool called the PUNNETT SQUARE to predict the outcome/offspring of breeding individuals with known traits of various characteristics. Even though both parents may have a particular coat color...lets say "Black" (Bb), about 1/4 of the litter of puppies will have buff coat coloring. Why does this occur? Each parent's pair of genes responsible for determining coat coloring has one recessive buff gene (b) that was passed along to the offspring by their parents and/or their grandparents and so on. This is how we explain eye coloring of the Goldendoodle dog. When a breeder has a puppy with an eye color that neither parent has, you can be sure the eye coloring came from a recessive gene that was a part of the parents' lineage down through their heritage.

This also explains the SMOOTH COAT Goldendoodle.

The Golden Retriever has a smooth coat. The Poodle has a curly coat. When we bred a blue eyed curly coat Goldendoodle to a smooth coat Golden Retriever, interestingly enough, all of the offspring had brown eyes and all of the offspring had a shaggy coat except for one smooth coat who looked like a carbon copy of her purebred Golden Retriever mother. The shaggy coat was a recessive gene carried by the Goldendoodle sire who had littermates himself, as well as ancestors with a shaggy coat. As with the Goldendoodle to Goldendoodle pairing who both had a curly coat and yet did not produce a single curly coat in their offspring, we know that the parents themselves both carried the recessive genes to create the blue, green and brown eyed doodles who had the shaggy coat and smooth coat.

The origin of the Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles originated from the crossing of a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Some argue that the Aussies (Australians) created the Goldendoodle first and some argue that the Canadians created the Goldendoodle first. Who actually started the Goldendoodle doesn't matter.What matters is the fact that Goldendoodles have actually been around much longer than most people realize. Dogs have been mating outside of their own breed since the beginning of man. Every purebred dog in the world began as a mixed breed dog or came to be as a result of many mixtures of other breeds. Lets say that we give the Golden Retriever the letters (GR) to represent the gene pair for the Golden Retriever and the Poodle (PP) to represent the gene pair of the purebred Poodle.

The offspring that comes from this pairing is quite accurately predicted by the Punnett's Square:
GR+PP=GD (Goldendoodle)

Predicted Breed outcome of the litter= 100% Goldendoodle.

When a purebred Golden Retriever is bred to a purebred Poodle, the entire litter of puppies produced is composed of first generation Goldendoodles (GD). They become adult dogs whose physical appearance can be much different than either parent including a variance of physical traits that neither parent dog has, itself. For example, neither Golden Retriever or Poodle has a full facial beard trait that their children, the Goldendoodle, has itself. Neither the Golden Retriever or the Poodle has a shaggy coat that the Goldendoodle child has. But the Goldendoodle dog DOES carry some physical traits and attributes as that of their parental dogs.

The Goldendoodle does have almond shaped eyes similar to its Golden Retriever parent. The Goldendoodle may have either a Poodle temperament or a Golden Retriever temperament, depending upon which gene was more dominant. One of two of the pups may have a curly coat that is similar to its Poodle parent. Some of the offspring may have very long, slender legs that is similar to its Poodle parent and some may have shorter legs that are more similar to its Golden Retriever parent. Sometimes the coat type or length of coat is determined by the Golden Retriever. Again, we have come to know by experience that it all depends upon the dominating gene.

Although most Goldendoodles exhibit a favorable combination of their traits and characteristics from both of their parental breeds, they will still retain those alleles (meaning variations) from their parents that were NOT expressed within their first generation. These hidden variations/recessive alleles are analogous to the "buff" coat color discussed up above regarding coat coloring. This is why you may see Goldendoodles that come out of the same litter, have different colored eyes or different coat colors or who have different characteristics amongst each other such as a variance in sizes. While some Goldendoodle breeders believe they can "purify" the Goldendoodle by creating multi-generations or by backbreeding and inbreeding, it doesn't seem statistically possible to "purify" the outcome of further generational breeding beyond 50% Goldendoodle. Applying the three "unique" gene pairs (GR, PP, GD) created in the Punnett Square which predicted the second generations....it just doesn't all add up when you go beyond that range.

The Punnett Square can not take into account the selective breeding methods being used by Goldendoodle breeders who are involved in attempting to establish this hybrid as a "recognized purebred dog". It could technically require up to 15 generations (or more) of very fine selective breeding of unrelated Goldendoodles to guarantee ALL subsequent generations of the puppies the same "statistical/genetic purity" as the first generation litter that come from a Golden Retriever/Poodle mixture.Although the Goldendoodle dog IS recognized as a registered hybrid with many kennel clubs, we older breeders may never see this hybrid as an AKC recognized purebred dog, in our lifetime because it will require an extensive amount of breeding from a select few breeders who then create their own kennel club to create their own Goldendoodle standards just as the breeders did for the purebred dog back in the very early days of man.I can't think of too many breeders who desire to keep 15 generations or more, of Goldendoodles, just so they can attempt to "purify" this hybrid.

The Goldendoodle dog is quite a unique dog as it is now and I don't see why we as breeders need to change this. Those who desire to argue what makes a first generation doodle, a first generation, can argue all they want. Genetics determines what a first generation is, whether plant, animal or human and this fact can not be removed, despite the arguments.

Resources:

Genetics

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/anthro/bioanth/ch2/chap2.htm
http://www.mulberryfarm.com/canine-genetics_explanation.htm#cockapoo-genetics

About the Author: Dee Gerrish is a Searchwarp.com winning, founding, top 100, featured Goldendoodle author. She has been a private, professional, registered and certified breeder for 12 years as of Jan. 2008. Her extensive, comprehensive, educational research about the Goldendoodle dog has helped numerous people across the world. More information can be located upon her doodle website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/ On a doodle quest? Check out her website and give her a call.

Should I micro-chip my Goldendoodle?

Should I micro-chip my Goldendoodle?

Many pet owners are encouraged to micro-chip their pet to help recover them in the event they become lost or stolen. As a breeder for 11+ years, we always encourage pet owners to have their puppies micro-chipped. However, some states are now mandating mandatory micro-chipping. I had never heard of this until the other day when I came across a website that seemed to be written by a canine activist. Their website seemed to be geared towards canine politics, if you will, but I found it interesting all the same. The site goes on to say they believed that mandatory microchipping was an invasion to the privacy and civil liberties of all dog owners and that such laws would have a great impact on the lives of everyday pet owners, especially those with targeted breeds like the Pitbull, Rottweiler, Doberman, etc. The article goes on to say they believed that mandatory microchipping laws would force dog owners to chip their dogs. That this would allow the local government to track and monitor dogs and their owners. Honestly, I don't see what the problem is but maybe I'm just not a very political person and I have nothing to hide. Personally speaking, it seems that every time one hears about a child or person being attacked by a dog, nine times out of ten, it was caused by a Pitbull.

Too many people are using Pitbulls and Rottweilers as fighting dogs and it's a known fact gangs use such dogs to protect their property because they also have illegal things going on. Of course the issue isn't just a problem with the dogs mentioned. It is the violence and the type of people who own these dogs that are causing the problems. The other issue politically charged animal rights activists say are problems with the micro-chip is that the chips themselves cause cancer in the dogs who have been chipped. I don't know if they are only basing this theory on one article but supposedly a 9-year-old male French Bulldog was examined by a veterinarian for a subcutaneous mass located at the site of a microchip implant. Cytologic examination of the mass was suggestive of a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm. The lymphoid cells were positive for CD18 and CD3. No aluminum deposits were detected by the aurintricarboxylic acid method. A diagnosis of fibrosarcoma morphologically similar to feline postinjection sarcomas was made after conducting many tests. Fibrosarcomas at the site of injections have been reported in dogs and ferrets. Furthermore, neoplastic growth at the site of microchip implant in dog and laboratory rodents has been described. But who is to say that indeed this cancer was caused by the chip? Sure it seems suspicious, but how many other dogs and cats were found to have the same type of cancer after having a micro-chip implanted?

Enough to convince me that we should now stop micro-chipping our pets? Should we all have to worry that micro-chipping our family pets will somehow give the government more access into our lives? Or are these fears just suggested by paranoid activists who believe we should be concerned about why states are now making it a law to micro-chip our family pets? Is there a difference between a sex offender and a dog owner? Not according to those rallying a petition to stop states from making micro-chipping your pet mandatory! While I disagree with this notion, many have the same beliefs that its nothing more than the government stepping further into our lives by keeping pet owner information stored in their government databases. Called "spy chips" by most activists, mandatory micro-chipping of breeding dogs and family pets have been passed by Florida and Texas. Other states are proposing the same laws be passed, including New York. Over all, I have to say that I believe having your family pet as well as breeding dogs micro-chipped is a good thing. For one, its helps the breeder identify their breeding dogs if they have dogs who are nearly identical in appearance and size, to include the same gender. It helps identify the dog if a pet owner's dog should be lost or stolen.

A micro-chip will help the pet find its way back home if he or she somehow gets away from its home and is picked up by animal control or a humane society or some other service that has micro-chip scanning devices. I personally own a micro-chip scanning device and use it if I find a dog wandering the streets. Collars can be removed but a micro-chip is forever! A micro-chip will actually outlast the life of the dog and the capsule is very, very small. About the size of a grain of rice. Many breeders and dog owners micro-chip their dogs and cats voluntarily. I don't think we should become so paranoid as to believe that the government is now going to watch over us through our pets. Micro-chipping is becoming very popular not only with animals, but for credit cards and humans alike. The following article was written about the plans of American Express: " The top brass at American Express, chagrined at the discovery of its people tracking plans, met with CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) last week to discuss the issue. One outcome of the meeting was a promise by American Express to review its entire patent portfolio and ensure that any people-tracking plans be accompanied by language requiring consumer notice and consent.

The meeting was organized after CASPIAN called attention to one of the company's more troublesome patent applications. That patent application, titled "Method and System for Facilitating a Shopping Experience," describes a Minority Report style blueprint for monitoring consumers through RFID-enabled objects, like the American Express Blue Card. According to the patent, RFID readers called "consumer trackers" would be placed in store shelving to pick up "consumer identification signals" emitted by RFID-embedded objects carried by shoppers. These would be used to identify people, track their movements, and observe their behavior." The article goes on to discuss further about the issues of using such tracking devices and while some were indifferent to the idea, some were greatly opposed. Just another method of big brother stepping in? The VeriChip implant is a glass encapsulated RFID tag that is injected into the flesh to uniquely number and identify individuals, or pets for that matter. The tag can be read by radio waves (scanners) from a few inches away. The highly controversial device is being marketed as a way to access secure areas, link to medical records, and serve as a payment instrument when associated with a credit card or pre-paid account. But is this all hyped up worry like what we saw when the "bar code" was introduced? Many people opposed the bar code on items we purchase in supermarkets and stores, but we seem to have now embraced the bar codes, not giving them a second thought any more. I think after all the fuss dies down, the same will be said about the micro-chip implant. Once something of the future, the micro-chip is finding its way into the market for all sorts of useful reasons.

Author/breeder: Dee Gerrish 2007. Goldendoodle World

Creating the Ultimate Designer Dog

Creating the ultimate Designer dog

Is is possible to create designer dogs through DNA selective testing? With modern technology right at our finger tips...you bet your sweet DOODLE, it is!
Faster? Stronger? Keener sense of smell? More muscles? Shorter? Thicker coat? The list could go on. But is this playing God, with dogs? We have already seen animals being cloned. Genes determine who we are as humans. They also determine what the animal will become too. But, what if we could create our Own special dog? Create pets that are designed for individual families? Is this possible?

Located in Ithaca, NY, the Baker Institute is a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Today, the Institute serves society through discoveries that will have both an immediate affect and long term implications. Along with their historical strength in the study of infectious disease and immunology, the Institute's medical geneticists have gained prominence in recent years through the development of practical tests for detecting carriers of defective genes and strategies for control of genetic diseases. These researchers also investigate a variety of diseases affecting both animals and humans, including osteoarthritis, diseases of the eye, and reproductive disorders. In 2006, the Baker Institute Mapped out the canine rod cone dysplasia type 2 (rcd2) to a region of dog chromosome 7. Their achievements are numerous where the canine is concerned. But who will be the first in achieving a true Designer dog? A dog that is simply created by mixing a variety of specific genes to give someone seeking such a dog, something unique...only to them? Do you think this could become a reality?

Canine geneticists have come a very long way, especially since our modern technology is getting better and better. Our environment being what it is, may be the driving force for those seeking "designer" dogs. When I think of a "designer dog"...this is essentially the reality of what comes to mind. A dog that has been put together by a canine geneticist according to my desires and wishes. Dogs created to specifics. Yes. Now we are talking about "playing God". We already have hybrid dogs that have become wildly much more popular than the purebred, which angers many purebred breeders. But, it is what it is. A new fact of life. Man's best friend, the dog, is proving that it has, yet again, figured out a way to lend a helping paw. The identification of canine genes is not only improving the health of dogs, but is also helping researchers identify genes controlling human diseases and develop treatments. Yes, as much as I hate to say it, dogs are used greatly in many experiments and tests. Some agree it is for the betterment of human kind...some disagree completely.

Dr. Dennis O'Brien, a professor of neurology at the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine and an expert on neurodegenerative diseases, says he is thrilled about the recent identification of genes that cause two types of rare epilepsy in dogs and humans. "It's very exciting. I think it shows the power of canine genomics to (be able) to start answering some of these questions," Dr. O'Brien said. Berge Minassian, MD, and other scientists at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, turned to the dog in their hunt for genes that cause Lafora disease in humans. With Lafora, seizures begin in the teenage years and increase in frequency until they cause death, usually within five years after the onset of the first symptoms. The researchers had identified one gene in humans but knew there was at least a second gene, because some families couldn't be linked to the first gene. "I knew that Lafora is, relatively, frequently reported in dogs," Dr. Minassian said. "I thought perhaps if we found families of dogs (that) have this disease, it may help us find the gene and, from there, the human gene."

While dogs and cats are used for testing and experiments, they are also man's best friend. Dog and cat alike. Goldendoodles are called, by some, designer dogs but I beg to differ. Goldendoodles have not been created from test tubes or by Canine geneticists. They are selectively created by designer breeders. The dog itself is not a designer dog, but I do consider the breeder who only creates hybrids, a designer breeder. That's not a bad thing. I myself am a "designer" breeder.

Sometime in our future, REAL designer dogs will occur. We will be able to select and design our family pets in a very real specific way. As time goes by and scientists collect more and more DNA of family pets and varying breeds, they will soon have an entire collection to choose from. They can mix and match and perhaps, you'll even be able to check off a list what it is you desire in your own personal, designer dog. ALready breeders can know before their litters are born, what colors to expect through DNA testing. Canine DNA holds more keys than we realize, to knowing what to expect with offspring. Mark my words! Canine DNA is going to go to places they've never known before!

*AUTHOR/BREEDER: Dee Gerrish of Goldendoodle World. http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/