JRS & B wrote:
Very Interesting.
There is another avenue to deepen the gene pool. That is to involve dogs of the same breed, but from other countries.
Out-crossing has its own set of problems, but that's another thread.
Assuming that a dog won't have disease X because it's from another "stock" is not effective.
What is effective, is doing the necessary health checks before even considering breeding an animal. Depending on the breed, this might include X-rays for hips and/or elbows, eye exams, or any number of DNA tests.
The Orthapedic Foundation for Animals has a fairly decent guide to what tests each breed should have.
Tests by Breeda guide to DNA tests suggested by breed can be found here. This is only a guide, not an authoritative absolute.
DNA by breed
