Evan you made some good points, however I would want to increase the gene pool not just for the purpose of creating more options, but to lesson the risk of serious health issues from the same supply of current genes, resulting in perhaps a better overall dog.....now you are right, the consistency of our conformation dogs would be at risk..(.the consistency, not the dogs)...but that may not be a bad thing...the look of the conformation dog has changed over the years...Sara was correct in pointing this out.....I doubt that few on this list breed "Robins"...the little bird with the bright red chest......well, they have looked the same to me throughout my life-time....and yes Evan the goal of breeding should be to improve the breed ( but that's another myth for another day)......but if our breed has outstanding character and form, but poor longevity with overwhelming genetic/health issues...what do we really have?....I want it all!....Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: ELG440@xxxxxxx To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 7:57:25 AM Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Swim in the pool you have In a message dated 12/15/11 7:33:05 AM Pacific Standard Time,  tanksr@xxxxxxxxx writes:  I think  you're on the right track, Ed. Google "Inbreeding Depression" and you'll  find a lot of information. While I have no objection to a larger gene pool, remember that it means  less predictability in the breeding results.   If you increase the gene pool for no other reason than to have more  options, it is like breeding more litters to get more puppies.  You should  only bring additional genes into the breed, if it will improve the breed.  Those who for years have successfully bred German shepherds have done so  with the current gene pool selecting for breedings that will improve the  subsequent litters.  So far I have not seen anyone say that they can't find  a male to breed to because everything is tainted.  In fact the quality of  our dogs improves year by year.  We could open the gene pool by breeding to outcrosses all the time. That is  a pattern for disaster, or at least an inability to know what you will  get.  You might get a dog of quality, but will that animal ever produce  itself?  Breeding is not an exact science, but it is something that will allow the  intelligent breeder to predict with some degree of possibility what they will  get from the choices.  If you bring in new lines, you need the knowledge of  what they have produced both good and bad.  It is unfortunate but true, that no matter where you go, the only reliable  information you can have is what you yourself have observed.  No  country has a monopoly on honesty.  You do not know what is in the rest of  the litter from that great male from Germany, unless you yourself were  there to see those not shown.  Increasing the gene pool is more of a "feel good" thing, than an actual  boon to the breed.  You have to understand that you get the good with the  bad.  Or, you may get just the bad, and that can be a real problem  with our breed.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  Evan  Ginsburg Asgard German Shepherds  http://www.asgardgsd.com/ Where Type Movement and Temperament  come together ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2011.  All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post.  This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org  SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================ ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2011. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in any post. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/ ============================================================================