Brackett's Principle #9: Always Select the Best Bitch Puppies!

Ch. Orpha of Edgetowne

“As soon as the litter is sufficiently grown so enough can be told about them to make a fairly safe selection (and this varies amongst different breeds), we try to pick the best bitch puppy.  Let us presume that we find one resembling her sire more than the dam, as we have planned and hoped for.”[i]

Hopefully that bitch puppy resembles her outstanding sire more than the dam.  If she resembles the bitch that has weaknesses; when she has puppies, she may pass on those similar weaknesses to her offspring.

Limit one’s interest in keeping male puppies!  They take up space, time and resources.  You can always breed to the outstanding studs outside your kennel.  Mediocre males are just as expensive to keep and maintain as outstanding males.  In fact, one could argue that they are more expense since the mediocre male will generate little or no income to the kennel through stud fees.

It should further be mentioned, the Brackett encouraged “culling relentlessly” the average, ordinary bitches in one’s kennel as more correctly structured ones are bred into one’s own program.  Culling simply means to remove the average, ordinary bitch from one’s kennel by selling her or placing her into a good, nurturing pet/companion environment.

It is best to keep two bitch puppies (if they are close in structure, temperament and movement) until the breeder can be certain that the pick bitch puppy has matured properly with good ears, full dentition, etc.

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[i] Ibid., page 30.

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.

Brackett's Principle #7: Know Faults for Correction through Physical Compensation!

BIF CH Lyloak's Fresca

“…we must center our attention on several faults in type or structure possessed by this bitch, so we can go about breeding her for correction and over-all improvement.”[i]

“Paper breeding”, as Brackett called it, alone can be very dangerous.  Start with the pedigree as you consider linebreeding, but avoid if both the bitch and the prospective stud dog carry a common fault.  Or if a weakness or fault is observed in the bitch.  Then be sure that the stud dog and his ancestors do not carry that same fault.  Carmen Battaglia stresses that “it is safe in study of pedigrees to assume that the recurrence of certain traits for more than four generations is genetically stable and not likely to be easily lost.”[ii]

“We must also try to find one who not only possesses these correct attributes himself but comes from dogs who had them.”[iii]

If possible, the sire should further be prepotent in the attributes in which the bitch is weakest.

“If we DO know that either the sire or dam, or any others amongst her ancestors, did have one or more faults mentioned, then we most certainly do not want that dog or dogs in the pedigree of the mate we select for her—if we can possibly avoid it.  Should such be unavoidable, then that animal should be so far back in the pedigree as to make its influence negligible.”[iv]

It is critical to properly undertake an evaluation, particularly of the breeding pair and their sire and dam and their littermates, if at all possible.  Above all, know the genotype traits of both the bitch's and potential stud's back a minimal of three generations.

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[i] Ibid., page 29.

[ii] Battaglia, Carmelo L.  Breeding Better Dogs., Atlanta, GA:  Susan hunter Publishing Co., 1986, page 43.

[iii] Ibid., page 29.

[iv] Ibid., page 29.

Brackett Principle #6: Know What to Expect through Inheritance!

RFB Lyloak's Isn't She Lovely  (Love)

(Sel. Ex. CH Good to the Last Drop of Edan X Lyloak's Sugar Maple TC,PT)

“…ONLY those breeders knowledgeable in what constitutes a near-perfect specimen of the breed, as well as those having information on what to hope for, and look out for, through inheritance factors, should even THINK of doing closed-up breeding on them.”[i]

Mr.Brackett employed a three-step procedure for this component of visualizing what a proposed breeding might bring forth.  First, the breeder must know what constitutes a good GSD according to the breed standard.  Next, the breeder must be knowledgeable of the pedigrees of the potential mates.  This naturally leads into the third step of knowing the characteristics (attributes and faults) of as many of the dogs in the pedigree as possible.

It is imperative to be certain to select near faultless dogs as foundation stock!  It will be very difficult, if not impossible; to implement planned breeding using mediocre stock.  Brackett was adamant that if a beginner, or any breeder for that matter, discovers (obviously through gained knowledge and experience) that they possess mediocre stock; then there is only one course of action—“Cull relentlessly!”

Even when the proposed mating matches very good dogs, never mate two dogs with similar faults.  This action would only heighten the probability of reproducing that very fault.

This principle rests upon knowing both the “phenotype” and the “genotype” of the dogs being used in your breeding program.   Phenotype can be defined as the “outward, physical manifestation of the organism. These are the physical parts, . . .anything that is part of the observable structure, function or behavior of a living organism.”[ii]

Genotype can be defined as the "internally coded, inheritable information carried by all living organisms. This stored information is used as a ‘blueprint’ or set of instructions for building and maintaining a living creature. These instructions are found within almost all cells (the ‘internal’ part), they are written in a coded language (the genetic code), they are copied at the time of cell division or reproduction and are passed from one generation to the next ("inheritable").”[iii]

Brackett goes so far as to suggest that many beginners are “stuck” and have little hope of moving away from mediocrity.  He wrote that “few indeed are those who have more than one bitch and, more often than not, that one not such a specimen as a knowledgeable fancier of the breed would select as a foundation brood matron.”[iv]  They are “stuck” with the stock they have and therefore are determined to make use of what they have.  The reasons for breeding from such mediocre stock may be the result of affection for the bitch, insufficient financial ability to purchase something better, the lack of knowledge to be aware of what constitutes a good GSD and the inability to set a vision in regards to developing a breeding program or planned breeding.  Brackett advocated beginning with something much better than an ordinary, run-of-the-mill specimen.

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[i] Brackett, Lloyd C.  Planned Breeding.  Westchester, IL:  Dog World Magazine, 1961, page 20.

[ii] Blamire, Professor John.  Accessed from:  http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/ahp/BioInfo/GP/Definition.html     on July 16, 2008.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Brackett,  page 28.

Brackett Principle #5: Outcross--But Only for Definite Purposes!

Ch. Drum of Long Worth

“I will state unequivocally that ‘nobody but nobody’ amongst them is going to do constructive animal breeding or produce a satisfactory percentage of top specimens, and most certainly they WILL NOT build a strain within the breed.  This having been proved to be true innumerable times by geneticists and all successful animal breeders, regardless of variety, what follows can be of value or interest to those now doing such outcross breeding only for one reason:  to demonstrate why they are not getting the desired results.”[i]

Brackett emphatically stated that one must outcross only for a definite purpose!  In doing so, one may find that the first generation of outcross generally will prove successful.  However, the offspring of succeeding generations of outcross breeding will be a “heterogenous lot” which displays any lack of uniformity.  Breeders face the danger of losing any breed type they desire to retain.  This has the potential of being very notable in differing type in both size and proportion.

Furthermore, Brackett advocated outcrossing only for specific purpose.  This could be employed “to correct a fault or faults which may have shown up in his inbred strain.”[ii]  The more distant breeding undertaken, one can expect less uniformity.  Brackett rests this premise on the authority of Onstott who stated that “any virtues which may be added to a strain through outcrossing. . . . .cannot be looked upon as inherit in that strain until they have been purified and fixed within that strain through inbreeding.”

The Art of Breeding Better Dogs

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[i] Ibid., pages 14-15.

[ii] Ibid., page 15.

Brackett Principle #4: Linebreed & Inbreed Wisely!

Ch. Vol of Long-Worth ROM

“The subject of inbreeding and linebreeding might be summed up this way:  Probably no great epoch or step forward in any breed has ever been achieved without the constant and unhesitating use of consanguinity; at the same time we must realize that its use is full of dangers and pitfalls for those novice breeders who fail to recognize the imperative need for using only stock which is sound in constitution, organs and structure—and which also possesses points of merit, with NO SINGLE FAULT COMMON TO THE TWO ORIGINAL PARENTS.”[i]

As a preface to even the consideration to linebreed or inbreed, there are a number of foundational principles that must be firmly in place:

1.      Be able to recognize shortcomings and merits of dogs to be bred.

2.      Study the pedigrees of the breeding pair and learn the shortcomings and merits of the breeding pair’s ancestors.

3.      Make certain to select near faultless foundation stock.

4.      Cull relentlessly.

5.      Never mate together two dogs with similar faults.

6.      AND remember that “Physical compensation is the foundation rock upon which all enduring worth must be built.”

Brackett used the terminology of “family breeding” to denote the mating of closely related animals which would incorporate both linebreeding and inbreeding.  He described linebreeding as “mating animals who are closely related to the same ancestor.”[ii]  It should be noted, however, that the animals are “bred in line” to a common ancestor normally involving the second, third or even more distant generations. Inbreeding denotes an even closer association between the mating pair involving son to mother, father to daughter, brother to sister, half-brother to half-sister.

A valid question to ask is:  why would any responsible breeder linebreed or inbreed?  Brackett emphatically stated that its purpose is to improve the breed, get the best results possible, and to upgrade one’s stock.  The advantage of linebreeding is simply to get predictable results—if the selection has been good, the “pulls” are all in the same direction.  One 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.

The greatest danger or disadvantage associated with linebreeding according to Brackett is that the breeder who employs selection by pedigree alone without consideration given to physical traits of the pair is the chief danger. Linebreeding does not replace proper selection.  Under no circumstance should a breeder “abandon individual selection” to undertake linebreeding.  Therefore, it becomes an absolute that the responsible breeder develops a system of linebreeding which combines animals similar in characteristics but narrows the pedigree to a few closely related line of descent.

In a similar manner, the advantages of inbreeding are that the highest percentage of blood of an exceptional dog can be kept.  Furthermore, inbreeding holds and makes the greatest use of excellence by doubling up and intensifying good characteristics of the truly exceptional dog.  The tool is likewise double-edged because the bad characteristics are doubled up and intensified. 

Ch. Nyx of Long-Worth ROM

Brackett offered several keys to correctly undertake inbreeding.  The first prerequisite is to start with superior animals.  Never use mediocre breeding stock.  When poor or mediocre specimens are used, expect poor and mediocre results.  When superior specimens are used, expect superior results.  Learn what inherited traits you are working with.  Bracket himself recognized that “any characteristic can be bred up or down, strengthened or weakened, by this method of breeding.”[iii]  His writings indicate his belief that when superior animals are used VIGOR and FERTILITY as well as other attributes will result.

“To those for whom it is written, however, a summation of the total effects of inbreeding, and to a modified degree that of linebreeding, follows:  All characteristics both good and bad exist in various degrees in different dogs. . . Results are entirely dependent upon SELECTION, remembering that ‘Physical compensation is the foundation rock upon which all enduring worth must be built.’”[iv]

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[i] Ibid., page 20.

[ii] Ibid., page 3.

[iii] Ibid., page 5.

[iv] Ibid., page 6.

Brackett Principle #3: Build Your Kennel on the Selection of Bitches!

1937 German Seiger Ch. Odin v Busecker-Schloss

Brackett next moved forward to find the right bitches on which to move his plan to the point of strategy implementation.  The acquisition of worthy bitches is a difficult proposition for any generation.  Breeders are reluctant to part with quality potential bitches!

“Mr. German Shepherd,” as he was affectionately known, stated that “it is a much used aphorism that no stable is better than its mares, and no kennel better than its bitches.  That, of course, is true.  The most valuable acquisition a would-be dog breeder can make is that of a good bitch or bitches.  Without one or more of these, the tasks of breeding superior specimens in any breed is a long, if not indeed, a hopeless one.”[i]

As difficult as this seems, Brackett added an additional precondition into the formula:  the bitches must be daughters of certain studs.  It took him two additional years to purchase bitches who were in fact daughters to the three outstanding foundation studs (Pfeffer v. Bern, Odin v. Busecker-Schloss and Arras a.d. Stadt-Verbert).

1936 German Seiger Ch. Arras a.d. Stadt-Berbert

In addition to the stipulation that these three bitches must be related closely to the three outstanding studs, each bitch had to possess the attribution of a show specimen with the proper genetic background!

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[i] Ibid., page 11.

Planned breeding