Linebreeding?

[IROC]

Oh wise PPOT... My girlfriend and I just bought two AKC registered Golden Retriever pups and when going thru all the paperwork, we found out that they are a product of "linebreeding". My GF is very concerned as she is seeing this really as "inbreeding".

A quick google search says that linebreeding is a thing, but what - if any - are the real consequences? The puppies are beautiful, have had all sorts of genetic testing, etc. but she is very concerned. The breeder (who has been breeding Goldens for 47 years) says that this is a common practice and "nothing to be concerned about".

Thoughts?

[Billiam 911 2.8]

I am interested in what you find out. Six years ago our family lost a 7 year old golden to lymphoma. My niece works at a well known vet clinic here and she says it is heartbreaking how many goldens get put down from this. We are hoping our lab/mastiff mix (Mastador) has some hybrid vigor as labs are also one of the vulnerable breeds.

[masraum]

My gut says that you are probably fine. But then I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so my gut is worth what you're paying for my gut's opinion.

[oldE]

I recall a few decades ago when one of the concerns in GSDs hip displacia from breeders who were trying to keep up with the demand for the 'type'. So many breeds become a compromise in one way or another.
There is a lot to be said for hybrid vigor. ie: a mutt.

Full disclosure. The dog on the home page of my phone is our Border Collie, so I will shut up now.

Best
Les

[john70t]

Pugs from a hundred years ago had longer snouts and legs. More sporty like the 'new' breed of Puggle. Probably not the same breathing problems as they do today. We've breed bad things into some breeds of dogs. I've read that GSD's shouldn't be run because of the displasia issue but that's what they were bred for. Cruel irony.

[Jeff Higgins]

This has been going on with both hunting and show dogs for decades. Especially with breeders whose dogs have earned a "name". As a purchaser of one of their pups, it turns out that we have little to worry about. If they are deemed suitable for sale, the breeder also knows their reputation rides on that, and every other sale. They do not sell any dogs that are the least bit questionable.

The downside, however, that is very much suppressed by those engaging in this practice is pretty damn ugly. They kill a lot of puppies. A lot of puppies. I remember when the AKC spoke very loudly against this practice, for that very reason, and it seems like it kind of died down. I'm a little disheartened to learn that some may still be doing it. It's driven by pure greed on the part of these breeders. If, as it is said, "all dogs go to heaven", I hope the scum that continues this practice of line breeding doesn't get to join them there.

Don't worry about your pups. Unless they were "fixed" before you picked them up (many such breeders insist they are, so you don't wind up breeding with someone else and taking a piece of their action), the breeder may someday request one for breeding. Most of the time they have you sign some sort of a contract that covers this, so unless you did that, you are free and clear. But don't, under any circumstances, allow this breeder to use your pups for breeding. The only reason he would want to is so that he can continue this despicable practice. Enjoy your dogs, and understand that maybe you have broken that chain, at least with them.

Oh, and congrats on the Goldens. Fantastic choice. My all-time favorite breed.

[varmint]

We lost a puppy to a heart defect this summer. ****ing crackhead we got him from just let his dogs interbreed. Poor boy didn’t have a chance.

Every breed has different conditions that come up if someone lets this happen. Heart, hips, cancer, mental problems. Nothing good.

[Rot 911]

Our Axel came from a lady that just breeds on her farm. Not really a commercial breeder. She just loves Golden retrievers. He has turned out to be one of the best dogs ever! Golden’s are always happy, fun, loving dogs. I don’t think he has ever had a bad day.

[Chocaholic]

A quick search…

https://www.breederscompanion.com/blog/what-is-line-breeding

[IROC]

In the end, we are keeping the puppies (they are wonderful), but we are not completely pleased that the breeder did not disclose this up front. In fact, the husband of this 'husband and wife' breeder team even verbally told us one of the 'grandpa' sires to be one dog and the paperwork said differently. I don't think it was malicious, but we still have a bit of a bad taste.

We confronted them about this (line breeding and the lack of full disclosure) and they more or less blew it off.

I'm pretty sure everything will be fine, but this was a whole new world to me...

Thanks for the responses!

[KFC911]

It will all be just fine ... as long as you post a pic

[pwd72s]

I support these people. Local no kill shelter. It pains me that so many animals that could have been loved pets are put to death for the crime of having been born.

https://safehavenhumane.org/

[IROC]

Originally Posted by KC911

It will all be just fine ... as long as you post a pic

Not a great picture as these things are fur-covered perpetual motion machines.

[KFC911]

^^^^^ Awesome . Somewhere on here there might be a pic of my chocolate Lab "Moka" and the neighbor's Golden ... both at about 3-4 months old in my back yard. He captured them in the same frame.... I don't know how he did it!

Lucky Dawgs