22  Companion Animal Breeding

22.1 Overview

This chapter provides an overview of dog and cat breeding with emphasis on genetic health and breed standards.

22.2 Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

  1. Describe unique features of companion animal breeding
  2. Identify major genetic disorders in dogs and cats
  3. Explain the role of DNA testing in reducing disease prevalence
  4. Understand inbreeding concerns in closed breed populations
  5. Recognize ethical considerations in companion animal breeding

22.3 Companion Animal Breeding Context

Chapter Status

This chapter is currently under development.

Breeding objectives differ from livestock: - Aesthetics, behavior, health vs. production - Breed standards and kennel clubs - Show breeding vs. working/performance breeding

22.4 Dog Breeding

22.4.1 Breed Diversity

200+ recognized breeds

22.4.2 Breeding Objectives

  • Conformation to breed standard
  • Performance traits (working dogs)
  • Temperament and behavior
  • Health and longevity

22.4.3 Key Traits

  • Conformation: h² = 0.40-0.80
  • Behavior: h² = 0.10-0.40
  • Health: Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, eye disorders

22.4.4 Genetic Diseases

  • Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
  • Degenerative myelopathy (DM)
  • von Willebrand disease (vWD)
  • DNA testing available for many conditions

22.4.5 Inbreeding Concerns

  • Limited effective population size in many breeds
  • Inbreeding depression: reduced litter size, increased disease
  • Coefficient of inbreeding (COI) awareness

22.5 Cat Breeding

22.5.1 Breed Diversity

~70 recognized breeds

22.5.2 Key Health Issues

  • Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

22.6 Ethical and Welfare Considerations

  • Breeding for extreme conformation
  • Health vs. aesthetics trade-offs
  • Responsible breeding guidelines

22.7 Summary

Companion animal breeding emphasizes health, temperament, and conformation. Many breeds suffer from inbreeding and genetic disease burden.

22.8 Key Points

  • DNA testing enables elimination of single-gene disorders
  • Ethical breeding prioritizes health and welfare over extreme aesthetics
  • Modern genomic tools can improve health in companion animals