Brackett's Principle #8: Use Only Outstanding Studs!!

1937 & 1938 Grand VictorCh. Pfeffer v Bern



“We should also select a stud who is preferably inbred, or at least quite strongly linebred, so that the strength such breeding gives to his prepotency will most likely insure his dominance in the mating pair.”[i]

This is stated by Brackett knowing that an inbred or strongly linebred male’s virtues and fault will be overt—clearly seen in the dog and his progeny.  Remember that perhaps the greatest advantage of family breeding is simply to get predictable results—if the selection has been good, the “pulls” are all in the same direction.  As stated in the foundational principle #4 (Linebred/Inbred Wisely), a breeder ought to be able to move from hoping for a good result to having the power of the hereditary influence pull these factors into a favorable direction.   Therefore, using an inbred or strongly linebred stud dog should insure some degree of prepotency.  Of course, you as the breeder must know the dominant virtues of the stud you select. 

“…in selecting a mate for a faulty bitch whose wide-open pedigree offers no individual in it free of her faults, and dominant in correcting them, one must select as her mate a dog not only himself CORRECT where she is failing, but through some intensity of corrective blood is dominant.”[ii]

Decisions must be based upon information carefully collected.  Obviously, this data must be objective, measurable (and not given to hearsay and rumor), and factual.  Selection of studs must be based upon the excellence of both the phenotype and genotype and the proper match and compensation with the bitch.

What is an outstanding stud?

1.  Dogs without phenotype faults. These are faults which can be seen with the eye—obvious faults.
2. Dogs without genotype faults.  These are faults which cannot be seen with the eye.  However, these faults are nonetheless possessed by the dog and can be passed on genetically to the dog’s progeny.  Discovering genotype faults can only be accomplished by knowing the virtues and faults of the ancestors back through at least three generations and preferably more.
3. Dogs that have a proven track record for producing very good (fault free) progeny.
4. Dogs that possess proper temperament.  An outstanding stud will be dominant in producing proper temperament for several generations.  Brackett stated that “any dog which is not mentally sound should not be used as a breeder.”[iii]
5. Dogs that possess compensating factors when you consider and measure the bitch against the stud.

When Brackett selected his foundation stock, he chose three males as foundation stones that had overall type, noble appearance, iron backs, properly angulated fore-assemblies, excellent rear angulation and good pigmentation.

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[i] Ibid., page 29.

[ii] Ibid., page 30.

[iii] Ibid., page 6.