Most big time breeders that want to win in the ring breed by either inbreeding or line breeding. Inbreeding is exactly that. Breeding a brother/sister, father/daughter,Son/mother and so on. Line breeding is similar but not as closely related, say an uncle to a niece, or a half brother to a half sister. This is done to lock in the positive traits of a certain line. A litter of puppies from this way of breeding is more predictable as to what you’ll end up with as far as confirmation. It also may lock in negative aspects as well such as poor health and temperament, not to mention limiting the gene pool of a breed. Outcrossing is breeding two different dogs that have no genetic relationship to one another. This is what I choose for my breeding program. Although I might not get all show quality puppies from a single litter, I feel they will be healthier, stronger, more genetically sound mentally and physically.

i did some research on inbreeding in the wild. Chimpanzees, who they say are most closely related to humans do not inbreed. The females leave the group to search for a mate in another community. Wolves also do not inbreed, but leave the group to mate with an unrelated wolf. There was a pack of wolves on an island off Michigan . Because they were isolated from other wolf packs they were forced to inbreed. Eventually the pack became weaker and more susceptible to disease and health issues. Today there are 2 wolves left that are brother and sister. If Mother Nature gives wild animals the instinct not to breed with relatives, there must be a good reason why!

The Amish community is also afflicted with more health issues than the general public. They are limited to choosing their mates from a small community and so are often related in some way. Limiting their gene pool has caused various issues in their health from their limited genetic make up. There are actually hospitals dedicated for Amish children because of these genetic health issues.

When looking for a breeder  to buy a puppy from you might want to research the pedigrees of the parents. This can be done on a bouvier data base called jenerae. This site will give you the coefficient of the breeding. The coefficient tells you how closely related the parents are to each other. The higher the coefficient % is , the closer related the parents are. That is if you want to avoid inbreeding or line breeding. The choice is yours.

In conclusion it is my opinion that the soundness of the breed--- health,temperment, confirmation,and natural herding instincts,can only be authentically achieved through solid responsible breeding practices. This means breeding the soundest males with the soundest females from unrelated gene pools.Outcrossing sustains genetic diversity,decreases negative outcomes,and promotes the core purpose of breeding purebreds......to better the breed.