K9 Conservationists

Breeding Functional Working Dogs with Dr. Jessica Heckman

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In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla speaks with Dr. Jessica Heckman from Dog Zombie about Breeding Functional Dogs.

Science Highlight: Advancing Genetic Selection and Behavioral Genomics of Working Dogs Through Collaborative Science

What is functional breeding?

  • The population is no more at risk of X disease than the dog population as a whole.
  • Also prioritizing behavioral wellness over looks or closed stud books. No elevated risk of separation anxiety, etc.

    • What are common pitfalls breeding programs can run into?

    • Not bringing in dogs from outside of the population
    • You aren’t going to get to the goal and sit there - you have to keep working at it while you have it
    • “It's not about the first generation, it’s about the population and the direction you are moving the population towards” - Dr. Jessica Heckman

      • What tests are mission critical?

      • It depends on the breed/mix
      • The very first step would go to the breed club and see what tests they recommends
      • Then start talking to other breeders in the breed and learn about what issues the breed has
      • For mixed breeds, you should test for everything each purebred parent should be tested for, but it’s hard to say

        • Links Mentioned in the Episode:

        Pet genomics medicine runs wild

        Where Do Good Dogs Come From

        Where to find Dr. Jessica Heckman: Website | Functional Dog Collaborative

        You can support the K9 Conservationists Podcast by joining our Patreon at patreon.com/k9conservationists.

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        K9 ConservationistsBy Kayla Fratt
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