Pedigree Analysis – George C. Spradling
Download this page in PDF formatPEDIGREE ANALYSIS
by George C. Spradling
George C. Spradling awarding RWD to Brandon’s Rich Return II at DCA 1967 in Cleveland, Ohio. Breeder-owners Martha and Frank Brandon; handler Martha Brandon
(This article was originally written by George Spradling (Hainheim Kennels) for the publication, “Teckeltalk” by Don Hohenthaner. The article was quite lengthy, with several dogs and their pedigrees discussed. I have selected several paragraphs describing Mr. Spradling’s understanding of practical genetics and its role in breeding practices. Four dogs were selected which I felt had particularly interesting insights. Please keep in mind that this article was written in 1950, so some facts are incomplete such as the number of a sire’s get and dam’s produce.)
It might be helpful to define some of the genetical terms used in the comments. The definitions given are not in all respects scientifically accurate, but are sufficient for the purposes intended.
“Character” is a feature (such as color, size, form, length of bones, etc.) possessed by an individual dog. It is, therefore, the observable effect of a gene or genes.
“Gene” is an element of the germ plasm; the part that determines characters.
“Phenotype” is the sum total of each character or characteristics. That is, the way a character or characters look to the eye.
“Genotype” refers to the characters carried by the individual in his genes, which may (almost always do) vary from the characters of the particular dog.
“Homozygous” refers to the ability of a dog to breed true to one or more characters; that is, he possesses genes capable of producing ONLY the character or characters for which he is homozygous.
“Heterozygous” is the inability to breed true to one or more characters; thus, a hybrid with respect to the specified character or characters.
VALUE OF A PEDIGREE
A pedigree without supporting data about the ancestors, with emphasis on the genotypes thereof, is of no value to a breeder of show dogs. To a commercial breeder it is of value only because it negatives crossbreeding and thus assures the transmittal of the average heredity make-up of the ancestors; or scientifically state, such a pedigree guarantees purity of the valuable recessive qualities and absence of the undesirable dominants.
To be sure a championship is a poor gauge of quality, but it is the only, more or less, standardized measuring stick of quality available. It is, of course no gauge at all of the particular dog’s capacity to produce, but has some value in determining the genotype of its parents.
INBRED OR LINEBRED?
There is reluctance of the part of some breeders to use the term “inbred,” probably because of the repugnance to the practice among people, but these same breeders have no aversion to the term “linebred.” The noted Geneticist, Dr. A. L. Hagedoorn, tells a story aptly reflecting a common use of the terms. A young man asked an old fancier the difference between inbreeding and linebreeding. The old fancier answered: “Well, son, it’s this way. If you keep on breeding your own stock, and you are successful, you speak of linebreeding. But if your results are bad you blame it on inbreeding.” Genetically, inbreeding means the mating of animals in the group to which they belong. Linebred should properly apply to an animal descending form an inbred line. Since remote ancestors have scant influence, we will arbitrarily in these comments, unless otherwise explained, refer to a dog as inbred only in a case where there is a close breeding within the first three generations.
Pedigree of CH Tressie Huetner Gardner
Schnapps is a litter sister of CH Otto XX. Evral is a grandson of CH Achat v Werderhavelstrand, whose litter brother, Axel, sired his [Evral] mother. Zoa is the mother of Amber of Badger Hill, who, in turn, produced CH Albion’s Own Penelope and Albion’s Own Black Prince. Ajax was sired by CH Herman Rinkton. Herman , by CH Achat v Werderhavelstrand out of CH Anny Rinkton, was a god of infinite beauty whose siring ability was poor. Another of the many examples of the phenotype failing to square with the genotype. Some breeders have tried to attribute his failure to produce on the poor phenotype of his mother, who, although a champion, was indeed not of championship quality. That superficial reason is grounded in the same old fallacious theory, “like begets like.” Anny had good ancestry and many bitches of no better individual quality or background have proven splendid producers. It is hard for us to realize that only a few dogs of even the finest breeding turn out to be prepotent breeders. Being an outcross there was greater likelihood Herman would be heterozygous for desirable characters than if he had been closely bred. He sired several champions, which, in a dog with less opportunity than he had, would have indicated a fine breeder, but he was put to a goodly number of prepotent bitches with mediocre results; hence, the conclusion as to his siring ability.
Pedigree of CH Dalton's Favorite Starlet
Starlet is the 18th champion sired by Favorite – a remarkable record especially considering his youthful age. It is not uncommon for two red parents to produce black and tan issue since the latter is recessive to the former. Favorite should produce a large percentage of red pups out of red bitches who are heterozygous for red color, but only black and tans out of black and tan bitches. He is of the Marienlust strain and is an outcross altho the great sire Leutnant appears twice in the third generation. Leutnant is the result of a quite similar breeding pattern. He is an outcross with one dog, Erwin v Luitpoldsheim, appearing twice in the third generation, but in Leutnant’s fourth generation the famous sire Ingo v Luitpoldsheim appears four times (also in subsequent generations) and Ingo’s famous sister, Erna, once. Favorite’s prepotency has been demonstrated by producing champion children, out of bitches of various blood lines. It would be worthwhile to analyze the anatomical structure, type, etc., of his get and their ancestors and then inbreed on him. He has proven he has something worthwhile to pass on and is and will continue to be a great force in the breed.
Pedigree of CH Badger Hill Mr. Chips
Mr. Chips is a longhaired dog out of solid, smooth breeding; he has 11 smooth full brothers and sisters. Both parents carried recessive genes for longhaired coat. Genetically he is as pure a longhair as if he descended from continuous longhaired ancestors and is especially valuable for use in longhair breeding because of the possibility of transmitting desirable characters from his smooth parents. His prepotent mother is noted for her impeccable front and stance. Mr. Chips’ genotype with respect to these characters should be watched with a great deal of interest by breeders of longhaired dogs.
Pedigree of CH Kleetal's Enchantress
Prince’s 4th champion. Onyx is another black and tan out of red parents – it would seem a black and tan produced by reds is almost inevitably a dog of quality. Grandma Mehitabel is the dam of 7 champion children, which is a record for a bitch, so far as we know. Her record is particularly unique inasmuch as only 10 of her issue lived to show age, consequently 70% of her mature issue finished. She possesses a good phenotype; not large but has plenty of bone and substance for a bitch her size. Her remarkable genotype is of more interest to breeders. She is inbred on Cid v Werderhavelstrand and is homozygous for abundance of good characters. Her father sired 15 champions; her paternal grandfather “about 30;” her maternal grandfather 12; and her mother produced 5. We do not have a record of her champion grandchildren, but one of her sons, CH White Gables Basil, just now in his prime as a sire, has 10 champion children.
submitted by Bob Bray – March 28, 2012
from The American Dachshund Twentieth Anniversary Edition, September 1959, pages 132-138