Can You Breed a Mother Dog with her Son?
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Unfortunately, the question of whether you can breed a dog with its parent isn't straightforward. If you want to be technical, then yes you can. The two dogs can mate and even conceive. Whether you should cross a mother dog with her son, this is a different question. It is not recommended that dogs be crossbred with their children or siblings. The reason for this is the affect this has on their health, but it's not quite as simple as that. It is also complicated by the fact that many breeders still engage in this practice despite the risks involved. AnimalWised answers can you breed a mother dog with her son by going into what happens when this type of crossbreeding occurs. In doing so, we'll show you that although it it possible, it is not recommended.
How do wolves reproduce?
You may question why we are bringing up wolves, but the links between dogs and wolves are well known. It is the wild animal closest in comparison to the domestic canine in terms of both behavior and genetic structure. For this reason, it is helpful to observe whether crossbreeding parents with their offspring is positive or negative. In packs of wolves, males and females of the same family will coexist, but only the alpha males and females will mate (in the absolute majority of cases). The alpha female and alpha male mates are also monogamous and will not change mates unless one of them dies.
Male offspring when reaching adulthood can choose to stay within the family nucleus where they will not reproduce or leave the group. When they leave their family group they will walk long distances and cover territory erratically. On this journey, they may meet a female wolf in heat who cannot mate thanks to the social rank she occupies in her own wolf pack. This female may decide to leave her own group and form her own family with the male.
In the case of wolves, the social structure is very important and it essentially impedes any reproduction among relatives. Without any human interference, there is very little incest in wolf communities. A 1997 study confirms this trend by suggesting that ‘incest avoidance is an important constraint on gray wold behavioral ecology’[1].
Why would dogs want to mount other dogs in the same family?
Dogs have changed a lot since they created an evolutionary distance between themselves and their wolf ancestry. now they no longer live in packs of the same species in which they have clearly marked roles and social order. Even pack dogs live with their human caretakers and are rarely given the opportunity to reproduce. This means that, when the opportunity arises, their reproductive instinct is stronger and more concrete than the social ranks within their group. These social ranks are mostly lost. What is left is the knowledge that they are two animals of the same species and are of the opposite sex.
There are few animals with a social structure as firmly demarcated as those in a wolf pack. Groups of dogs tend to lack this social structuring due to their domestication and dependency on humans.
The importance of genetic variability
Two individuals from different families have different genetic codes. This means that these animals may perform the same genetic function, but do so differently. Here is an example to illustrate this point:
- The genetic code of one dog tells its body that it must grow a thicker coat in winter to protect itself from the cold. The genetic code of another dog also tells it to create a denser coat, but does it in a different way. Here, to different genetic paths end up with the same result.
When these two different specimens reproduce, the offspring will have the genetic information to grow denser fur in two different ways. This means that in the event of one of these two modalities is negated by a genetic mutation or is unable to sustain it in a particular ecosystem, it still has the other genetic information to better adapt.
This is certainly a simplification of what is a very complicated process, but the importance of genetic variability means the survival of some species. It is difficult to overestimate how fundamental it is to life on this planet.
What happens if a dog crosses a parent with their child?
Animals in the same family share most of the same genetic information, when they cross each other, the information is repeated and this makes their DNA poorer. Returning to the example of how animals may get thicker hair in winter, in this case they would have two identical copies. This means the animal will be much less adaptable to whatever life throws at them. You may think since these animals won't need protection in the winter if they are domesticated, but this is only an example. A lack of genetic diversity can affect malformations, allergies, vitamin synthesis, bone growth and much more.
When crossbreeding a mother dog with her son or father with his daughter, we reduce the genetic variability of the offspring. This, generally, makes the individuals weaker and maladjusted. It causes their genetic code to have fewer resources for adaptation and, therefore, they will become impoverished.
The immediate consequence of inbreeding amongst dogs is reduction of their life expectancy. Incestuous breeding can also lead to more pronounced hereditary diseases and an increased susceptibility to many conditions including allergies and cancer. This will lead to a lesser quality of life for the dog as well as greater cost to the owner in terms of maintenance costs.
Why do some dog breeders practice inbreeding?
The diversification of so many different breed types in existence today is due to artificial selection by humans. For thousands of years, specimens have been selected to mingle certain characteristics.
Many of these traits are either physical or in terms of behavior. To do this, there are different types of breeding carried out to ensure these desired breed standards are met. These can lead inbreeding among canine siblings and parents. The types of breeding are:
- Breeding: controlled breeding where the two parents are selected.
- Inbreeding: breeding of animals with direct kinship used to fix certain traits shared by both parents.
- Line-breeding: breeding of animals on the same genetic line, but not of direct kinship (i.e. siblings)
- Out-cross breeding: breeding of two animals from different family groups who do not share genetics.
Professional breeders select individuals for more reasons than simply physical traits. They have to assess visible diseases, quality of life, mental traits, aggressive behaviors and many other factors need to be taken into account.
It must be noted that when an animal has been commercialized to this extent, these considerations are often either not made or neglected. This is because many dogs are bred for their desirable qualities has objects and their health is given the backseat treatment. Teacup dogs are one example of breeders creating a dog which is adorable and physically desirous among pet owners. However, they have notorious health problems which can significantly impair their overall health. Unscrupulous breeders are one of the many reasons adoption should be the decision many new pet owners make to acquire their new canine family member.
Conclusion
In short, you must never crossbreed parent dogs with their offspring. While you may end up with a relatively healthy dog, the chances of having a dog with serious health problems are too great. Many breeders still continue this practice of selling animals with a low quality of life for their own financial gain. If you want to know more about the advantages of having a mongrel dog or adopting a dog, we have more information on this site.
Remember, you should visit the shelters closest to your place of residence. If you do have many dogs and the resources to consider breeding, remember that the health and life of the dogs should be your priority. You need to have the necessary space and understand the cost of pregnant dogs. Inbreeding should be avoided, especially if you have no prior knowledge of all the complicated aspects of successful dog breeding.
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Can You Breed a Mother Dog with her Son?, we recommend you visit our Hereditary diseases category.
