[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: showgsd-l Digest V4 #566
- From: culzeans1@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:23:18 -0400
Taken from Carman Battaglia's article on Early Neurological Stimulation
In many animal-breeding programs the entire process of selection and management
is founded on the belief that performance is inherited. Attempts to analyze the
genetics of performance in a systematic way have involved some distinguished
names such as Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. But it has only been in recent
decades that good estimates of heritability of performance have been based on
adequate data. But it has only been in recent decades that good estimates of
heritability of performance have been based on adequate data. Cunningham (1991)
in his study of horses found that only by using Timeform data, and measuring
groups of half brothers and half sisters could good estimates of performance be
determined. His data shows that performance for speed is about 35% heritable.
In other words only about 35% of all the variation that is observed in track
performance is controlled by heritable factors, the remaining 65% are
attributable to other influences, such as training, management and nutrition.
Cunningham's work while limited to horses provides a good basis for
understanding how much breeders can attribute to the genetics and the pedigrees.
Researchers have studied this phenomena and have looked for new ways to
stimulate individuals in order to improve their natural abilities. Some of the
methods discovered have produced life long lasting effects. Today, many of the
differences between individuals can now be explained by the use of early
stimulation methods.
So I guess that they are both saying one without the other is not good for
anyone's breeding program, or at least I think that is what Mr. Battaglia is
saying, I have not read the article so I am not sure what Mr.Brackett is
saying. I have a bitch who does not like guns, thunderstorms or fireworks. She
has had a litter of 8 and a litter of 2. None of those pups are afraid of
thunder, guns or fireworks. I used the early neurological stimulation program
on all 10 and am thrilled thrilled and thrilled with the results so far. So I
have only my own results to go by, but I am sticking with what works for me.
Pedigrees, siblings and progeny all have to be considered but I think you need
more than that to make a total dog. I agree that breeding an unsound female or
male does not make for a good breeding program, but I don't consider not liking
thunder or fireworks necessarily an unsound female, Reese hates those things
but if I say sit/stay she will do it, she is an excellent mother, great soccer
player, fantastic kid watcher and she will go anywhere I ask her to, even
during that which she does not like. As I said, I have not read the article,
but I wonder if he had done the super dog program on this bitch or her kids
would he still be of the same opinion? I am just asking questions and saying
what I see in my dogs. Temperament,structure and brains are the beauty of a
German Shepherd. even the soundest dog needs socializing,training and
enrichement to be all it can be. I believe if you swing the pendulum too far in
either direction you lose the best of both sides. Is a spook a spook because of
bad genetics or because it has had no socilazing, training, enrichment? I guess
that is kind of like say half a dozen or six. Depends on where your boundries
fall. Mine fall in the middle and I want the best of both. I get the impression
he is saying the same thing, don't give up temperament for beauty, which I
would hope we all strive for.
great post Penny, thanks, I can't wait to read the article!
Pam
Msg: #7 in digest
From: Penny Kroh <Ketchy@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Temperament: according to Lloyd Brackett
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2010 16:34:16 -0400
I just finished looking at the April Review. IMHO I feel that the
best thing in it is an article by Lloyd Brackett, reprinted from the
May 1932 Shepherd Dog Review. The article was fantastic. Part of it
concerns Brackett's feelings on breeding and temperament. He said
that "blood will always tell" and relates the story of buying a
beautiful bitch puppy that was afraid of fireworks; he later believed
that to be congenital. He bred this bitch and the progeny were shy
just like the dam, afraid of not only fireworks but thunderstorms. He
said "Had I known in that early day of my animal breeding what I have
since learned, I would have destroyed her then and there." He
continued, "I had not considered that the blood of the dam would tell
as much as the sire." And then, the best part of what he said--"Just
so long as it is believed that environment alone will influence the
behavior of our dogs, and that heredity is not the main influence,
just that long will we have timid and uncertain temperaments in the
breed." And: . . ."while attempting to hold the physical perfections
we have acquired, we should give nearly all our thought to stabilizing
the mentality and nervous systems of our dogs."
AMEN!!! Socialize all you want folks--spooks are spooks and rock-
solid temperament is just that--as Ellen always said, it's in the
genetic make-up of the dogs.
Penny in NY
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