Hello,

I’m new to this group, and hoping someone can answer a question for me. For ages, (and I’m sure that I’ve “read it somewhere&rdquo I have believed that the temperament of a brood bitch is far more inheritable by her pups than the temperament of the sire. For example, spooky bitch = a good chance of spooky pups, vs. confident bitch = a better chance at confident pups. Has anyone else heard of this? I think I recall one of the judges talking about this at the Canadian Seiger show a couple of years ago. So, if anyone happens to know where I might find further information on this I would really appreciate the direction.

Thanks very much!

it seems very logical that the pups would inherit their temperment from the bitch because she is the one with direct contact with the pups and teachs them how to act, keeps them in line, etc... the sire isnt hanging out with them. i guess you could compare it to a child raised by one parent, they are more likely to act like that parent because that is what their environment was when they were learning the most (childhood).

The bitches own temperment would also have a big influence on the pups while she was carrying them. IMHO!

Thanks for the replies! I was thinking more specifically of "genetically inheriting" as opposed to "learning or imprinting" the behavioral traits of a bitch.

Much stock is put into obtaining titles on one's dogs in order to prove their courage, athleticism, intelligence and correct structure prior to being deemed acceptable for breeding. If these traits were "not" genetically inheritable then what would be the point? AND...I do remember the SV judge talking about his disappointment at the competition I attended in the very few female dogs entered, and how he thought it was more important to have rock solid bitches for the future of the breed.

It's "this" info I'm hoping someone can help me find in writing. Surely there has been some research and documentation to this effect, one way or the other. I want to learn more about this, if not than to clarify what I've been "accepting" as truth for years.

Any leads???
Thanks again, very much.

Just remember one thing. No matter how good the bitch is, it's the stud that gets credit or blame for the pup's outcome. :rolleyes:

I was wondering about that too...

It must be some breeding TOP SECRET just waiting for some Katz or someone to reveal it to public. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

No seriously, i know nothing about breeding. But what i have been told is like 60% from dam and 40% from sire. Somewhere even like 80% - 20%. People that told me that were working dog trainers not show breeders...which do not care about temperament (why care about shy dog when its got a nice coat). Maybe many of wannabe working breeders have same problem. (but this was written elsewhere on this board - about top scoring dogs being overused as studs and bred to anything and everything).

Again, i know nothing about breeding, but it is really strange to me that something this obvious is missed by so many people...
Or am i wrong?

Temperment and emotional stability and in my opinion and in alot of scientific studies I've read on both dogs and horses 50% genetic and 50% environmental(life experiences and how they are raised etc etc) Obviously the genetic part is a 50/50 split between sire and dam. The difference is the dam has that crucial in my case 5 week period of time to help raise the puppy. She imparts her own behaviors, beliefs, standards and opinions on the puppies. The puppies learn their first dog behaviors from their mother. I myself try to jump in and be as involved in the "parenting" of the pups early on as the mother is. By the time the pups are two weeks old the whine for me when they smell me or hear my voice. When they can get around a little they will leave their mother and run to me when I enter the room-the exceptions are sleeping and starving puppies of course. By 5 weeks of age there is no weaning stress as the puppies would rather be with humans anyway and only go to Mom for nursing which by this time has became very limited and only for comfort really anyway. It is interesting though to see a group of puppies who have the same genes and who are raised the exact same way start to show their own personalities and individual traits. Just like human siblings I think they each get a slightly different mix of genes of something as some are braver than others, some are more curious etc etc. They are all different personalities in their own right. Derek