Survival is a very important matter on this planet. Through centuries, animals and plants evolved in order to survive the changing environment. Perhaps you’re familiar with Charles Darwin and his natural selection ideas. With human intervention, artificial selection is possible, and a good example is selective breeding.

In selective breeding, there is the intervention of people in the natural reproduction process. The desired criteria are set, and the male and female dogs are carefully selected to produce offspring. It is believed that domestic dogs came from the Gray Wolf ancestry 12,000 years ago.

In 1959, Dmitry Bekyaev, a Russian geneticist hypothesized that selective breeding of dogs is a result of one character trait that humans want – tamability. Over the years, people were able to selectively breed dogs according to different character traits like temperament, looks, extreme, body structure, and many others.

Selective breeding is seen as an art and science. There are standards that must be followed when breeding dogs, especially in terms of temperament and health. Those who are in charge of selective breeding should be persistent and patient. The strict monitoring of temperament and health of dogs ensures that only the best breeds are created.

If you are interested in selective breeding, you need to check with the National American Breeders Association to determine the breeding rules. There are regulations that must be followed to maintain the uniqueness of each breed. Read eXtreme Dog Fence blog for more specific information.

The fate of dog evolution is now in the hands of humans. Many years ago, people bred dogs to produce the best eaters, guards, and herders. In the recent years, people bred dogs for leisure so you can now see attractive dogs. In Western Europe and China, dogs were bred for hunting. The royal courts loved hunting as a pastime. For instance, the spaniels that we know today were bred to scare away birds from their cover while the larger breeds were bred to find animals that are hiding. check out ebay electric dog fence wire as well.

Later on, women kept companion dogs for fashion accessories. Such dogs were bred for their color, texture, personality, diminutive size, and affection. By 1980s, most dogs were bred primarily for looks especially in Europe. Dog shows became very popular.

Selective breeding can also have drawbacks. An example is that of the English bulldog. This breed was designed to attack a bull and hold its neck. Such sport was considered offensive and was banned. However, the Bulldog Club decided to retain the breed’s body shape, large heads, and powerful jaws. Dog Shows preferred bulldogs with the largest heads, and so over the years, people bred bulldogs to have larger heads. This made it impossible for the mother to give birth normally, and mostly was born by c-section.

Other dog breeds were based on character traits like texture and coat length. Before, poodles were bred to have mixed colors. However, these days, the standards require that poodles must have solid colors only.

The genetic variability of dogs was diminished through selective breeding, but it guarantees familiarity. Through this process, the modern bulldogs are gentle companions, which are very different from its ancestors.

The dogs were the very first ones to be domesticated, and most of the popular breeds that we know today have been around for centuries. Puppies are bred using diverse methods. Until today, selective breeding plays a large role in the life of animals.

Dogs from all over the world are unique in their own way. You can find breeds that have mixed colors, wool-like skins, coarse bodies, and many others. Though cross-breeding and in-breeding are acceptable in societies, most people still prefer selective breeding.

The various breeds of dogs can be categorized based on characteristics and genetics. Qualified vets help in making these things possible. Some dogs are able to grow very big while others stay small for the rest of their lives.

The Chihuahua is a very good example of selective breeding. In fact, many celebrities own this breed. If you don’t get the pup from a reputed breeder, it can suffer from different health issues. Proper breeding is very important to ensure the health of the dog.

Owning a dog is a huge responsibility. As the owner, you have to take care of your pet, give proper nutrition, and regular exercise. If you can do these things, you will find dog ownership as fulfilling and enjoyable.

Some of the popular dog breeds are the hounds, gundog, terrier, and other groups like working dogs, pastoral dogs, utility dogs, toy dogs, etc. You have to gather vital information about these dog breeds before making the final decision. Hound dogs have keen eyesight and are agile, swift, aloof, graceful and the fastest/tallest dogs. Such dog breed exhibits great stamina, solid built and sound temperament. You will enjoy this breed if you have Innotek stuff. Some people use a wireless pet fence type fence for containment while others consider this method cruel. Use of these types of fence have been criticized greatly amongst liberals and conservatives.

Selective breeding is a very interesting subject, and as a dog owner, you need to be familiar with the basics.

Photo by Ryan Klaus on Unsplash.