Pedigree or Dog

[martemchik]

Just a quick question that came up after seeing a lot of the "mating test" questions pop up. To the more experienced people, that do work their dogs, or the breeders, and even the GSD lifers, do you care more about the pedigree when deciding on a litter or do you prefer to know the sire and dam?Now, I know this is hard to put into black and white. And at the total extremes I think I would lean towards the pedigree. Total extremes being, meet mom and dad great dogs, no pedigrees to see liniage and health information, and the other being never meet any of the dogs, but just have papers in front of you. Also lets assume that the parents are health tested and have great hips when you meet them, you just don't know what kind of hips the prior generations had.Actually, now that I think about it, I'd probably go with the parents I know. I'm just figuring that 10 puppies might have the same liniage, and who knows which ones are being bred or not, you could be ending up with the driviest, or the most timid dogs.

[Chris Wild]

Both. The sire and dam must be good, or else I wouldn't even consider the litter.

But the pedigree provides vital information regarding what to expect. First, it gives a chance to see if the parents are representative of their pedigree. Some dogs are not, and turn out the opposite of what the pedigree would indicate. Pedigree says A, but dog is B. When that happens, is the dog going to produce A or B in his offspring? That's a big question, especially if you like A, but not B. The dog and pedigree must go together somewhat. Then of course the pedigree gives insight into what other genes are floating around in the dog's gene pool, which may not be observable in the individual parents themselves, but could certainly come out in the progeny.

Such as the hip example you gave. If the parents have great hips, but the pedigree indicates the opposite and the parents are not representative of their pedigree but rather their great hips are the exception, not the norm, there's a good chance that the pups are not going to take after their parents in that case.

[martemchik]

Way to take the easy way out Chris! I understand its both, but if you only had the two extreme options, what would you go with?

Should've put that in the original post, no both!

[Liesje]

I don't have the experience you describe but if I HAD to choose one, I'd choose pedigree. I say that because I nearly bought a puppy from oversees without the chance to meet either of the parents, so that would have basically been buying based on pedigree. I'd never buy a dog just because I met the parents and liked them, without knowing the lines.

[cliffson1]

Pedigree....do it all the time.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by martemchik

and the other being never meet any of the dogs, but just have papers in front of you.

Isn't this done sometimes when people import a bitch in whelp? I didn't think people flew to Germany to meet the parents every time they imported a pregnant female.

[codmaster]

Sounds like the discussion of Genotype versus Phenotype that was a real b&^%^ to understand in an advanced Genetics course I took way back in college!

Unless someone has ferreted out the way GSD traits (both mental and physical) are passed along from parent to offspring, including if any are sex related; the discussion and debate is nothing but some opinions! Single versus multi gene traits are also involved somewhere as well!

[Konotashi]

I'd go with pedigree. Then I'd come on here and ask about it, since I know pretty much nothing about reading pedigrees. lol

[cliffson1]

Regardless of which way you choose, I think in the end you have to look at results over a period of time to support opinions. Luck only happens so long....ask the casinos!

[doggiedad]

i pick a reputable breeder and my worries are taken
care of.

Originally Posted by martemchik

Just a quick question that came up after seeing a lot of the "mating test" questions pop up. To the more experienced people, that do work their dogs, or the breeders, and even the GSD lifers,

>>>>>do you care more about the pedigree when deciding on a litter or do you prefer to know the sire and dam?<<<<<