Is it a "line?"

[Marc Gray]

Everyone:

There is always a lot of throwing around of the word "line" these days to kennels that are making breedings but are in my opinion simply crossing up dogs. Sometimes they are crossing established lines, other times not. In a growing number of instances a person may be breeding their first litter off a dog they bought from someone else and now it is referred to as "John Does' Line."

I will tell you that every line needs outside blood eventually and outcrossing (infusing new blood) should not be confused with outbreeding (no real method to the madness). Even if someone is just breeding best to best, they are likely seeing similar traits in the parents because they have common ancestry.

I am glazing over a lot of details, obviously, because I want to see other's opinions. Y'all know what I'm talking about. At what point do you consider what a breeder is doing to be a "line." Shouldn't there be some coupling of related individuals in there somewhere up close? How many generations, if you were to put a number on it, does it take for someone to establish a line?



-Marc Gray

[Paul]

I believe that if you breed someones line of dogs in your program such as just starting out you would be breeding ther line. As time goes you have to outcross if you do that to a different line then you are starting to create your own line. I would say at least 3 generations to have your own line started.

[Luther's Feist]

Marc I have started breeding feist here lately myself. I am going to try to breed some baldwin dogs but other than that I am just going to breed the best dogs I can. I will be crossing several different lines. Hazel river, swampmusic, cauley, riverun, baldwin, and probably a few others. They all should be good tree dogs because all I will breed is tree dogs. They must be proven and of proven bloodlines before I will breed them. I call my dogs Luther's because they are mine. I by no means am trying to start a line or want a line named after me but just want to have good hunting dogs and help others to have the same. I already had a few people call them Luther feist but they aint they are just a few lines crossed together but were called that because they have my name on them.


As far as how long it takes to develop your own line I have no idea, it seems all of your offspring would have to share lots of common traits and have lots of common ancestors. When you get that far into breeding and genetics you have gone way over my head. Lol. I do think it would take many breedings and many years to establish a line but that is only my opinion.

[Marc Gray]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies, y'all. It's just a topic you see a lot. Someone buys a dog or pup and immediately begin promoting "their line." Like you said, sometimes other people do the labeling for a breeder/kennel. I agree it takes time but more than that...There is a thought process involved, in my opinion. You should be thinking about what you want out of a cross and what impact it will have in your dogs down the line. I often think about breedings several years in advance but am not one of those folks that automatically assume a pup will enter a breeding program based on papers. A dog has to prove itself in the timber here.

[Marc Gray]

Anyone else have any thoughts? I'd love to hear 'em!

[Marc Gray]

Here's a look at the 6th generation Gray Feist pedigree! www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=5789