The question of which animals should be involved in breeding can be a tricky one for breeders and pet owners alike. Ideally, you want dogs that are not related to mate with one another and produce offspring. But what happens if a case of inbreeding occurs?
For example, is it okay if a father dog mates with his daughter or is that something you need to worry about? The answer may not be apparent right away for pet owners.
In this article, I address that question along with other matters related to inbreeding. Please read on to learn more about this important matter.
Can You Breed Father and Daughter Dogs Together?
Let’s answer the question about father-daughter inbreeding right away. That kind of practice is something you want to avoid.
There are different reasons why inbreeding among dogs is frowned upon.
First off, you must consider the potential ramifications of inbreeding from a health standpoint. Inbred dogs are more susceptible to certain diseases. They may also develop physical abnormalities that affect their quality of life.
The lineage of that particular dog breed may also be compromised by the practice of inbreeding.
On top of all that, there are also ethical concerns that come to the forefront whenever father and daughter dogs are encouraged to mate.
The bottom line is you do not want a father and daughter dog mating for any reason. It’s a practice you must avoid and behavior that you must actively discourage.
We’ve established that father and daughter dogs mating is not something that should be practiced or encouraged. But what about other types of inbreeding among dogs? Will they cause problems too?
It’s fair to wonder if breeding dogs that are siblings can be problematic. Once again, science says that inbreeding among dog siblings must be avoided.
Puppies conceived through inbreeding are more exposed to health issues. The negative traits that remained recessive in the siblings/parents may rise to the surface in puppies born through inbreeding. You probably don’t want to see those negative traits in your puppies, so avoid sibling inbreeding at all costs.
Can Mother and Son Dogs Breed Together?
Dogs reach sexual maturity way earlier than people do. More often than not, dogs develop that instinct to mate before they turn one calendar year old.
That’s why you may sometimes find a young male dog trying to mate with its mother. Dogs don’t understand what they’re doing in that situation. They are simply following their instincts.
Allowing them to follow that instinct is not something you should do as a responsible pet owner. The mother and son dogs that are mating are not at risk of suffering any health issues. They will ultimately turn out fine from the encounter.
However, you cannot say the same thing for any potential offspring that may be born as a result of that occurrence of inbreeding. Similar to puppies that are born from father-daughter inbreeding and sibling inbreeding, those that come from mother-son inbreeding are more susceptible to various health issues.
Caring for inbred puppies can feel like an uphill battle due to the many health complications they’re facing. Even if some of the conditions they develop are not fatal, they can still have a significant impact on their quality of life.
Inbreeding in dogs must be avoided at all costs. There is simply too much risk involved in that type of behavior and there’s no reason why you should expose any puppies to it.
Can Dogs from the Same Litter Breed with Each Other?
Puppies that come from the same litter can develop close bonds with one another. They can become inseparable as they continue to mature. You may even notice a change in their behavior whenever they have to be apart.
Dogs from the same litter growing close to one another is one thing. There is nothing wrong with that. You cannot say the same thing if those dogs start to mate.
In that scenario, you are again exposing the puppies to the harmful effects of inbreeding. Instead of getting healthy pups that you can care for or give to others who want pets, they may end up sickly and weak. The puppies may not have a good life and you may find yourself overwhelmed by vet bills due to their health issues.
What Are the Problems with Inbreeding?
The issues that can arise from inbreeding cannot be overstated. If you want to understand why that practice must be avoided, go ahead and check out the reasons detailed below.
Weakened Immune System
Inbreeding can cause a wide array of congenital defects. Those defects can lead to the inbred puppies becoming sickly.
Becoming sickly is already concerning. It’s even more troubling when those illnesses are capable of weakening the pup’s immune system. Diseases that other dogs can ward off are more likely to affect inbred puppies.
Fighting off disease can be a life-long struggle for inbred puppies and that will be tough on them. Shield puppies from a troublesome fate by avoiding inbreeding.
Physical Abnormalities
Inbred puppies are also known to have physical abnormalities of some kind. Those abnormalities could take the form of an enlarged head or defects that affect other parts of the body.
If those abnormalities only affected the puppy’s physical appearance, that would be one thing. We can look past that as pet owners.
The real issue is that those physical abnormalities can impact the puppy’s quality of life. Simple tasks like eating, playing around, or expelling waste could become significantly harder for them. Subjecting a puppy to that kind of life is not something you want as a pet owner.
Behavioral Issues
Studies have found that inbred dogs tend to display more behavioral issues. Common behavioral issues observed in inbred dogs include increased aggression and depression.
Some inbred dogs are even known to be less affectionate. They have a tough time bonding with other dogs and people.
Infertility
Inbreeding can also be problematic for the future of dog breeds. When closely related dogs mate, they are more likely to produce infertile offspring.
Infertility among inbred dogs is a problem that affects both males and females. You could end up putting a stop to your dog’s bloodline because you allowed them to engage in inbreeding.
Can There Be Advantages to Inbreeding?
Given the many drawbacks of inbreeding, you may be curious if there are any advantages to the practice at all. The negatives of inbreeding outweigh the positives, but there are still benefits that some breeders and pet owners are interested in.
Carrying Over Specific Traits
Probably the main reason why inbreeding dogs is still practiced by some breeders is due to their desire to maintain certain traits. They may like a dog’s physical traits and they want to see them inherited by that animal’s offspring. Inbreeding increases the chances of those target traits being passed down.
Convenience
Inbreeding is also still practiced by some today because it’s inconvenient. If you’re seeking out a potential mate for your pet, you have to partake in a lot of due diligence. You have to research the potential mate’s background to see if any issues could emerge with their offspring.
With inbreeding, many assume that they know how the puppies will turn out. Since the dogs that are mating are related, they think that their puppies will be very similar to them. Of course, recessive genes can upend those projections.