No matter what size dog you have, if it is a cross (unique!) breed, it is always a good idea to find out about what crosses make up your dog. Very often there is a lot more than just the current sire and dam involved - DNA testing covers 7 levels, ranging from trace amounts, right up to 99%, and your 'unique' pooch can have different percentages! If the match is 100% this category recognizes a single breed match. There was only 1 breed found at a high level in the DNA of your dog. No other breeds were present. Many dogs will not have a breed in this category unless one or both parents were purebred or had 50% of this breed. It's fascinating stuff! Simple to do and in the comfort of your own home - non-invasive. www.muttmix.co.za
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Peas impacting on breeding!
Keef Whiteman – BA (English & Psychology), Canine Behaviourist student at FOTD
Gregor Mendel was the first to understand and bring to light the basic laws of hereditary a long time ago in 1866.
An enthralling man with dazzling reasoning, who sadly was overlooked, well at least initially, by the leading Biologists of his age....
It seems that his brilliance, in its amazing simplicity worked against him!
Then, in 1900 as more modern scholars assessed his work, it was acclaimed by three Biologists independently, and....just about at the same time!
The art of selection is the success of breeding. Careful choice of breeding stock results in superior offspring for future generations.
Traditional breeding of animals has been around for a long time, but animal improvement was simple - based on the theory of general selection, and in-breeding and crossbreeding.
Ideas, indeed, were aplenty but most of these were little more than firmly held opinion and lacked rational basis.
Mendel’s insight changed all this! It can now be asked ‘if I do this and this, can this be expected’ or 'maybe not'.
Now consider this - the unit of inheritance was termed a ‘factor’ by the man himself and for many a year they were referred to as ‘Unit carriers or ‘Mendelian factors'.
Then, in 1906 it was proposed by William Bateson that the study of the laws of hereditary (which up to this point had been known as Mendelism) should be called ‘genetics and a brand-new science was born!
Genes are indeed too small to be seen individually but they can be seen en masse as part of the chromosome through a powerful microscope. How cool it is to look and say, ‘those are the determinants of the hereditary!’
Genetics has grown from the most simplex of origins, to the greatest of heights.
Now at such a level of elevation that no branch of Biology, medicine, or science plant or science can deny it’s impact!
Why is this relevant to us dog lovers?
Well, in the modern world today there is an abundance of ‘rescue dogs'.
Many of these, although much loved, are of unknown origin.
Secondly in the world of pure-bred dogs today, most of them are inbred.
In both cases above, genetic testing is indispensable.
Tests allow us to discover the genetic make-up and breeds of origin for our ‘rescues’, as to be able to better understand them by gaining knowledge of their various parts i.e. the ‘breed tendencies’ of the founding breeds that our dogs are made up of.
In addition, for pure-bred dogs genetic testing gives us a warning of possible disease and illness predisposition due to inbreeding.
In fact, such testing is invaluable to any dog, pure-bred or not, in this same regard!
The modern world does have its issues but I for one am thankful for the gift of modern science and Mr Mendel, for providing us with the tools and understanding to improve the lives of dogs!
An enthralling man with dazzling reasoning, who sadly was overlooked, well at least initially, by the leading Biologists of his age....
It seems that his brilliance, in its amazing simplicity worked against him!
Then, in 1900 as more modern scholars assessed his work, it was acclaimed by three Biologists independently, and....just about at the same time!
The art of selection is the success of breeding. Careful choice of breeding stock results in superior offspring for future generations.
Traditional breeding of animals has been around for a long time, but animal improvement was simple - based on the theory of general selection, and in-breeding and crossbreeding.
Ideas, indeed, were aplenty but most of these were little more than firmly held opinion and lacked rational basis.
Mendel’s insight changed all this! It can now be asked ‘if I do this and this, can this be expected’ or 'maybe not'.
Now consider this - the unit of inheritance was termed a ‘factor’ by the man himself and for many a year they were referred to as ‘Unit carriers or ‘Mendelian factors'.
Then, in 1906 it was proposed by William Bateson that the study of the laws of hereditary (which up to this point had been known as Mendelism) should be called ‘genetics and a brand-new science was born!
Genes are indeed too small to be seen individually but they can be seen en masse as part of the chromosome through a powerful microscope. How cool it is to look and say, ‘those are the determinants of the hereditary!’
Genetics has grown from the most simplex of origins, to the greatest of heights.
Now at such a level of elevation that no branch of Biology, medicine, or science plant or science can deny it’s impact!
Why is this relevant to us dog lovers?
Well, in the modern world today there is an abundance of ‘rescue dogs'.
Many of these, although much loved, are of unknown origin.
Secondly in the world of pure-bred dogs today, most of them are inbred.
In both cases above, genetic testing is indispensable.
Tests allow us to discover the genetic make-up and breeds of origin for our ‘rescues’, as to be able to better understand them by gaining knowledge of their various parts i.e. the ‘breed tendencies’ of the founding breeds that our dogs are made up of.
In addition, for pure-bred dogs genetic testing gives us a warning of possible disease and illness predisposition due to inbreeding.
In fact, such testing is invaluable to any dog, pure-bred or not, in this same regard!
The modern world does have its issues but I for one am thankful for the gift of modern science and Mr Mendel, for providing us with the tools and understanding to improve the lives of dogs!