Every year Dog World magazine and Royal Canin dog food sponsor a competition that tallies how many points the progeny of male dogs accumulate over one year at Kennel Club conformation dog shows. The male dog that has produced the most “winning” progeny wins. The list is also broken down by best male dog by breed. If you want to see 2012′s list, as well as how points are tallied, you can see it here.
The Kennel Club has a nifty search engine called Mate Select, which among other things, gives the coefficient of inbreeding of any KC registered dog.
A Quick Genetics Lesson
So what is a Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI)? It is a parameter used to express common shared ancestors (or pedigree collapse) of an individual. The higher the percentage COI, the greater the probability that two copies of the same gene have been inherited an ancestor shared by both parents.
Inbreeding is commonly used by breeders to increase desirable traits and eliminate undesirable traits. Unfortunately, inbreeding leads to loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding depression.
Inbreeding depression is the result of poor genetic diversity in individuals. Inbred individuals are more likely to live shorter lives, have immune system disorders, have reproductive problems (small litter sizes, higher incidences of infant mortality & reduced sperm motility) and an increased risk of having genetic disorders.
Typical inbreeding coefficients percentages are as follows:
Father/daughter, mother/son or brother/sister → 25%
Grandfather/granddaughter or grandmother/grandson → 12.5%
Half-brother/half-sister → 12.5%
Uncle/niece or aunt/nephew → 12.5%
Great-grandfather/great-granddaughter or great-grandmother/great-grandson → 6.25%
Half-uncle/niece or half-aunt/nephew → 6.25%
First cousins → 6.25%
An acceptable COI for dogs, so the dog will be healthy and have low risk for inheriting genetic disorders, is 3% counted from a five generation pedigree. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recommends a COI of no greater than 6% for common breeds and no more than 10% for rare breeds.
So now that the genetics lesson is out of the way, let’s see how genetically fit the 2012 KC top stud dogs are. I broke the list into 4 sections, Dogs that have a zero or near zero COI, Dogs that have 3% or less COI, dogs that have over 12% COI and dogs that have 20% or more COI. The number after the dog’s name is the number of points accumulated over the year. COI is the coefficient of inbreeding for the dog in question. BA is the overall average coefficient of inbreeding for all dogs of that breed that are registered by the Kennel Club.
Dogs With Zero or Near Zero COI
Afghan Hound
Ch Saxonmill Rum Tum Rio 37
COI 0.0% BA 2.3%
Australian Terrier
*Ch/Int/Fin/Norw/Dan/Est/Sw Ch Jaskarin Peperoncino 13
COI 0.1% BA 8.6%
Basenji
Ch/Am Ch Kazor’s Make Way For Riley 57
COI 0.0% BA 4.8%
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Hibeck Bert Bordeaux at Idoru 13
COI 0.0% BA 6.8%
Basset Griffon Vendeen, Petit
Ch/Am Ch Gebeba Texas True Grit 18
COI 0.0% BA 10.7%
Belgian Shepherd Dog, Laekenois
*Bonvivant Vos for Brighu 10
COI 0.0% BA 0.6%
Belgian Shepherd Dog, Malinois
Ch Bonvivant des Iles Fidji 24
COI 0.0% BA 1.3%
Border Collie
Sh Ch Pikkupaimenen Great Pretender at Locheil 37
COI 0.1% BA 3.3%
Borzoi
*Ch Nebula Kalinow of Albaneiler 18
COI 0.0% BA 3.8%
Bracco Italiano
Int/Rus/Svk/Lat Ch Galantuomo di Cacciola 20
COI 0.0% BA 3.1%
Coton de Tulear
It Ch Bar-Ken’s Cowboy Tango 28
COI 0.0% BA 2.8%
Dachshund, Wirehaired
Ch/Am Ch Treis Pinheiros Zucchini SW 31
COI 0.0% BA 6.6%
Dalmatian
Ch/Int/Dan/Norw/Fin/Sw/Pol/Cro/Bos Ch Bell-A-Mir’s Elegant Envoy 15
COI 0.9% BA 6.0%
Finnish Lapphund
Int/Fin Ch Lecibsin Macce 13
COI 0.0% BA 2.3%
Finnish Spitz
Toveri Seppo from Santasepon 17
COI 0.0% BA 2.2%
French Bulldog
Ch Friend de la Parure of Kingfriend 26
COI 0.0% BA 4.8%
German Longhaired Pointer
Arthur vom Munsterschlag mit Arany 18
COI 0.0% BA 2.8%
German Spitz, Klein
*Stormavon Special To Me 13
COI 0.0% BA 5.8%
Havanese
Happy Friends What A Guy 13
COI 0.0% BA 1.9%
Hovawart
Ubaye des Leus Altiers 10
COI 0.0% BA 0.5%
Hungarian Puli
Ch Moonshadows Moving On to Zaydah 20
COI 0.0% BA 3.6%
Italian Greyhound
Ch/Am Ch Artmeis Simone di La Scala 25
COI 0.2% BA 10.6%
Japanese Shiba Inu
Morningstar Waka Chouseisou 16
COI 0.0% BA 4.7%
Large Munsterlander
Sh Ch Raycris Rather Special 17
COI 0.1% BA 6.3%
Leonberger
Baltizar Iz Poselka Sokol for Lionslord 28
COI 0.0% BA 3.6%
Old English Sheepdog
Ch Brinkley Sir Jonny 13
COI 0.7% BA 9.3%
Retriever, Flat-coated
Sh Ch Covenstead Ambassador 22
COI 0.6% BA 6.5%
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Kiromol Its Now Or Never 15
COI 0.1% BA 5.2%
Saluki
Ch Fernlark Alsace 28
COI 0.0% BA 6.5%
Schnauzer
Miccosukees Hasta Manyana 13
COI 0.1% BA 5.7%
Shar-Pei
Ch/Am Ch Asias Red Marsh Whip It Good 19
COI 0.0% BA 2.9%
Shih Tzu
Ch Popeye’s Quick On The Trigger at Huxlor 24
COI 0.8% BA 5.6%
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Keridown In City Dreams 34
COI 0.3% BA 6.1%
Spaniel, American Cocker
Truly Yours Been Waiting For You Fielgar 15
COI 0.0% BA 3.2%
St Bernard
Chandlimore Pure Of Spirit at Samhaven 19
COI 0.0% BA 5.0%
Welsh Corgi, Cardigan
Ch/Dan Ch Gowerston Jazz Singer for Pemcader 13
COI 0.2% BA 6.2%
Dogs With COI of 3% Or Less
Boston Terrier
Am Ch Kennedy’s Pucker Up for Donmar 24
COI 3.1% BA 10.9%
Bouvier des Flandres
Ch Chepam Ojay at Nikolaev 18
COI 2.3% BA 3.3%
Bull Terrier, Miniature
Ch Bullypins Kaimos 12
COI 3.1% BA 9.9%
Dobermann
Ch Amazon El Torro 39
COI 3.7% BA 5.6%
Fox Terrier, Smooth
Ch Glendraterra Sunset Strip 35
COI 1.5% BA 7.2%
German Shepherd Dog
Floro degli Achei 16
COI 2.4% BA 3.4%
German Wirehaired Pointer
Ch/Dutch Ch Freddy vom Kapellenhof at Bareve 24
COI 2.7% BA 3.6%
Gordon Setter
Sh Ch Dunfionn Inverkip 19
COI 2.3% BA 9.1%
Hungarian Vizsla
Sh Ch/Aus Ch Hungargunn Bear It’n Mind 44
COI 1.8% BA 6.3%
Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla
Gibarmenti Guba of Rotherfalke 11
COI 2.3% BA 6.0%
Ibizan Hound
Ch Catorce Verde 11
COI 2.4% BA 2.0%
Irish Wolfhound
Solstrand Arthur Ardfhuil 23
COI 1.4 BA 7.3%
Kerry Blue Terrier
Ch Kebulak Willie Nelson 23
COI 3.6% BA 11.7%
Kooikerhondje
Unosta Kaspar 24
COI 1.6% BA 1.5%
Pharaoh Hound
Ch/Am Ch Hallam’s Busiris Ra Qena 17
COI 3.5% BA 12.8%
Poodle, Standard
Ch Del Zarzoso Salveme from Afterglow 20
COI 2.2% BA 3.4%
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Ch/Am Ch Rivergroves Murphy-Goode 30
COI 3.1% BA 5.5%
Sealyham Terrier
Am/Can/Sw Ch Efbe’s Hidalgo at Goodspice 21
COI 3.3% BA 3.1%
Sloughi
Falconcrag Shakir at Papyrus 17
COI 1.1% BA 2.2%
Retriever, Chesapeake Bay
Cheslook Onslow 14
COI 2.7% BA 3.7%
Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling
Narod The Impossible Dream 23
COI 2.7% BA 1.6%
Russian Black Terrier
Robroyd Lukomor 32
COI 2.9% BA 3.0%
Dogs With COI of 12% Or More
Basset Hound
Ch Dereheath Marcus Aurelius 24
COI 15.9% BA 8.8%
Bearded Collie
Ch Merrythorpe Mulberry 23
COI 15.7% BA 15.3%
Bichon Frise
Ch Pamplona Bring Me Sunshine 39
COI 12.6% BA 10.6
Border Terrier
Ch Benattivo Rock Robin 16
COI 12.0% BA 8.6%
Bull Terrier
Ch Emred Huntsman 28
COI 14.8% BA 14.5%
Chihuahua, Longcoat
Ch Tampico Addicted To Love 15
COI 14.9% BA 4.2%
Collie, Rough
Ch Elsamos Star Traveller 21
COI 16.7% BA 12.3%
Dachshund, Longhaired
Ch Bronia Salvador of Darsoms 26
COI 15.3% BA 12.2%
Dachshund, Mini Longhaired
Ch Halunke Just Jervis 35
COI 14.3% BA 7.1%
Dachshund, Min Smooth
On The Double D’Arisca 14
COI 16.3% BA 8.0%
English Toy Terrier
Randallcarr Dream Lover 24
COI 15.6% BA 11.9%
Estrela Mountain Dog
Asterel Sir Launcealot 37
COI 19.6% BA 5.6%
Foxhound
Duke of Beauforts Milton 15
COI 19.1% BA 0.0%
German Spitz, Mittel
Ch Runfold Full Frottle with Spellcast 25
COI 18.3% BA 14.6%
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Ch Jeonty Rock On Tommy 13
COI 15.3% BA 7.8%
Greenland Dog
Seacourt Star Dust at Sledog 22
COI 14.7% BA 1.9%
Hamiltonstovare
Zanjadan Caught In The Act at Sufayre 49
COI 14.1% BA 4.6%
Irish Setter
Sh Ch Caskeys Concept at Aoibheanne 71
COI 13.8% BA 13.5%
Japanese Spitz
*Ch Indradanush Prashanti at Alkola 13
COI 16.3% BA 11.9%
Lancashire Heeler
Ch Doddsline Kristen 26
COI 14.2% BA 11.7%
Lowchen
*Ch Cleeview Unspoilt By Time 13
COI 13.4% BA 14.5%
Miniature Pinscher
Ch Hawksflight Seal Wiv A Kiss 19
COI 18.7% BA 8.1%
Norfolk Terrier
Ch Kinsridge Top Gun 22
COI 16.3% BA 13.5%
Norwegian Buhund
Ch Olpenden Malachy at Parvodene 16
COI 17.8% BA 4.4%
Otterhound
Kingstree Rambler at Ottaryx 13
COI 13.3% BA 15.6%
Papillon
Can Ch Keanda Mantogas Alex The Great 11
COI 13.5% BA 4.8%
Pekingese
Ch Livanda Santana 23
COI 19.5% BA 6.9%
Pointer
Crookrise Floyd 16
COI 16.4% BA 8.6%
Pug
Ch Yorlander Ronaldo at Tidemill 26
COI 18.2% BA 6.2%
Retriever, Golden
Sh Ch Shardanell Talk O’The Town at Ipcress 23
COI 13.2% BA 9.5%
Shetland Sheepdog
Ch Milesend Night Force 29
COI 13.8% BA 5.9%
Spaniel, Cocker
Sh Ch Asquanne Gillespie 38
COI 16.3% BA 9.2%
Spaniel, Irish Water
Sh Ch Zanfi Ego 16
COI 13.8% BA 6.6%
Tibetan Spaniel
Ch Andor Del Boy 22
COI 12.4% BA 14.9%
Weimaraner
Sh Ch Gunalt Unstoppable from Mianja 35
COI 12.7% BA 8.4%
Whippet
Ch/Ir/Int Ch Collooney He’s The One 22
COI 13.0% BA 9.7%
Dogs With COI of 20% Or More
Akita
Ch Rossimon Norfolk And Chance with Minioso 21
COI 22.5% BA 11.7%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Rossimon Norfolk And Chance with Minioso
Bedlington Terrier
Ch Rathsrigg One Misty Morning 26
COI 29.7% BA 11.4%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Rathsrigg One Misty Morning
Bolognese
Quirino with Devonia 25
COI 22.7% BA 4.1%
Boxer
Ch Walkon Made ‘N Issue 23
COI 23.6% BA 7.3%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Walkon Made ‘N Issue
Bullmastiff
Ardhub Here Comes Trubble 14
COI 24.8% BA 7.0%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Ardhub Here Comes Trubble
Cesky Terrier
Lastarean Dufek 20
COI 22.8% BA 12.1%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Lastarean Dufek
Chinese Crested
Ch Habiba Shake Wiggle Wiggle 13
COI 20.6% BA 8.8%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Habiba Shake Wiggle Wiggle
Collie, Smooth
Ch Moon Walker from Misstoff 21
COI 23.7% BA 8.3%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree of Moon Walker from Misstoff
Dachshund, Mini Wirehaired
Ch Drakesleat Otto Bahn 24
COI 20.1% BA 10.8%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Drakesleat Otto Bahn
Fox Terrier, Wire
Ch Travella Starlord 20
COI 44.5% BA 12.4%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Travella Starlord
Griffon Bruxellois
Ch Donzeata Royal Vintage 19
COI 22.4% BA 4.4%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Donzeata Royal Vintage
Italian Spinone
Sh Ch Fernando Laerzio by Inostricani 34
COI 22.4% BA 4.3%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Fernando Laerzio by Inostricani
Lhasa Apso
Ch Kutani Rogue Trader 23
COI 21.7% BA 11.2%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Kutani Rogue Trader
Maltese
Am Ch Angels Blue Moonbeam at Delcost 14
COI 25.0% BA 5.5%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Angels Blue Moonbeam at Delcost
Manchester Terrier
Ch Newtonian Slim Shady 31
COI 30.2% BA 12.7%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Newtonian Slim Shady
Parson Russell Terrier
Ch Rymshott Uno-Able 22
COI 27.5% BA 9.6%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Rymshott Uno-Able
Retriever, Labrador
Sh Ch Lindall Redemption 22
COI 20.0% BA 6.4%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Lindall Redemption
Schipperke
Ch Franhowil Romeo 11
COI 31.3% BA 5.7%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Franhowil Romeo
Spaniel, English Springer
Sh Ch Mompesson Royal Destiny 30
COI 20.2% BA 9.0%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Mompesson Royal Destiny
Spaniel, Sussex
Sh Ch Bardings Brown Bear 16
COI 20.8% BA 18.8%
Click To Enlarge Pedigree Of Bardings Brown Bear
Yorkshire Terrier
Ch Ozmilion Illustration 12
COI 51.5% BA 8.9%
Click To Enlagre Pedigree of Ozmilion Illustration
The breeder of this dog is Osman Adam Sameja, a world renown breeder of Yorkshire Terriers, a dog show judge and Vice Chairman of the UK Yorkshire Terrier Club. On his website, which is really just one page, he reveals the “secrets” of his suck-cess. Letting naïve friends do all the heavy lifting, dumping the dogs back onto the naïve friends when the dog is no longer useful, kissing major ass and securing a position at the Yorkshire Terrier Club to manipulate opinions of other judges is what one needs to do to have “unlimited power in Yorkie Land” and be wildly suck-cessful. You can view the website page here in PDF format Ozmilion PDF File
Other example of Ozmilion Kennel suck-cess;
Ozmilion Mystification COI 39.4% – Crufts BIS Winner 1997
Ozmilion Love In Your Eyes COI 47.1% – Multiple BIS Winner
Ozmilion Addiction COI 39.7% – Top Yorkie Stud 2009 & 2008
Ozmilion Reputation COI 50.8% – Top Yorkie Stud Dog 2007 & 2006
Ozmilion Sophistication COI 38.2% – Top Yorkie Stud Dog 2004
According to the Canine Inherited Disorders Database, inherited medical disorders common to Yorkshire Terriers are; Patellar luxation, Portosystemic shunt, Retinal dysplasia, Tracheal collapse, Cataracts, Colour dilution alopecia, Cryptorchidism, Entropion, Hydrocephalus, Hyperadrenocorticism, Hypotrichosis, Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, Patent ductus arteriosus, Progressive retinal atrophy, Shaker dog disease, Urolithiasis.
That’s a big list of diseases for such a little dog. Breeding dogs with such flagrant disregard for genetic health is not about the dogs anymore, it’s about ego. It’s about breeding a winner and to hell with everything else. Thankfully, with the new breeding standards adopted by the KC in 2012, dogs with a COI of 25% or more, which I still consider unacceptable, are not eligible for registration.
Anything Else?
Yup. Mate Select also lists any health tests, submitted by owners, of dogs registered with the KC.
The Norweigan Elkhound is a carrier of the Progressive Retinal Atrophy gene. See test results here.
The Otterhound has an elbow dysplasia score of 2 out of a possible 3. the KC recommends breeding dogs that have scores of 0 or 1. This dog also has a hip dysplasia score of 37 out of 108. See these results here.
The Gordon Setter is a carrier of the Progressive Retinal Atrophy gene. See test results here.
The Clumber Spaniel has a hip dysplasia score of 44 out of 108. See test results here.
The Boston Terrier tested negative for the one of hereditary cataract genes, it still developed a hereditary cataract 3 1/2 years later. See the test results here.
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a carrier of the Progressive Retinal Atrophy gene. See the test results here.
The Dogue de Bordeaux has an elbow dysplasia score of 2 out of a possible 3. the KC recommends breeding dogs that have scores of 0 or 1. See the test results here.
The Russian Black Terrier is a carrier of the Hyperuricosuria gene. This genetic mutation causes the formation of bladder stones. See the test results here.
This is just barely scratching the surface of genetic testing. Since all health tests are not mandatory, a lot of breeders don’t do them or don’t publish unfavorable test results. Health testing is supposed to be a method for de-selecting breeding stock and not some weird sort of caveat emptor for other breeders. Making excuses as to why a dog is too special to be passed over for breeding when a health test has been failed is unacceptable. Any dog that is a genetic carrier for a disease, or is affected by a disease should not be bred.
The Dog Fancy are supposed to serve as guardians for their respective breeds, ensuring that future generations of dogs will be healthy. A breeder may have to produce several litters before getting that special “winner” and where do the rest of the puppies go? To pet homes where uninitiated public put their faith in a “good” breeder giving them a healthy puppy.
I’m not saying that all breeders are crap, but it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the bunch. Boxers, Golden Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Scottish Terriers have staggeringly high incidences of cancer. In the UK 42% of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels die of heart failure and 90% of dogs have brain malformations that can lead to the disease Syringomyelia. The average age a of Dogue de Bordeaux in the US is five years old with the common cause of death being heart failure. Giant breeds like Great Danes, Blood hounds, Irish Wolf Hounds and Bull Mastiffs that don’t live past 8 years old because their hearts give out.
In the PR industry this is called “bad optics” and decades of irresponsible breeding for pretty and NOT healthily are coming home to roost. Some of the Dog Fancy wants to blame animal welfare organizations with their “don’t shop, adopt” campaigns for the declining interest in purebred dogs. No, that’s not it. Turn the eye inward, my friends, and start breeding healthier dogs.
Tomorrow we’ll have fun with the bitches..
Read This Before You Post A Comment
- I am not anti-purebred. I have 2 Vizslas and I will be showing my male in the Spring.
- I write posts like these because I really, really, really love purebred dogs and I am concerned with the health of purebred dogs.
- anonymous comments or rude/defamatory comments posted from shady looking Hotmail or Gmail accounts will not be published.
I really appreciate these kinds of posts. I was completely unaware of the level of inbreeding going on in these “top dogs” before you started sharing what you’d found. Honestly, I find it really disappointing. These people are supposed to be the stewards of their breeds. And by bestowing this “award” on the top producing dog, it’s like Dog World and Royal Canin are giving their breeders free advertising! It seems to me that if the dog’s COI is higher than the BA for that breed, that dog should be ineligible for the award. Thanks for your research, Karen.
Amy@GoPetFriendly recently posted..Sponsored Post: Choosing a Kennel or Cattery
What is even more disturbing is that a lot of breeds have extremely high COIs. Clumber Spaniels have the worst breed average at 20.1%. Airedales, Field Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels & Polish Lowland Sheepdogs follow closley behind with 18%.
I always love your posts like this. I agree, I love purebred dogs, but I hate seeing them ruined, There’s nothing like seeing a dog do what it was born to do. It’s just sad when they’re bred so poorly that they can’t any more!
houndstooth recently posted..An Adventure Through The Memory Garden
Heavy stuff. When I read about people doing things to manipulate the appearance of a dog in order to win titles, I just shake my head. Is not breeding the whole point of showing a dog? Why go to great lengths to obscure a dog’s flaws, aesthetic or health-wise, when it means that dog probably isn’t a great representative of the breed and in fact, should probably not be bred? It’s all so selfish, really. People who do this don’t care about their dogs or even about the survival of the breed. Their greed for status and fame is going to wipe the dogs they purportedly love out of existence.
I hope it’s worth it.
Kristine recently posted..Is Your Dog a Reflection of Your Life? Sherlock Holmes Thinks So