Have you lost track?
- Karin Dix
- Nov 12
- 5 min read
Me too. DSG breeding is booming in Germany. Breeders are popping up everywhere. The VDH studbook for 2024 listed 25 litters, meaning a total of 138 puppies. I estimate there are just as many puppies outside the VDH. This shows how popular the breed is in our country.
Everyone is familiar with the term "overbreeding." Usually, it's sick dogs exhibiting certain symptoms that prompt the casual statement, "Oh, they're overbred." But how does such overbreeding develop?
The AI says: " Overbreeding in dogs has two main causes:
Selective breeding for specific external traits and the resulting low genetic diversity .
So, what's the situation with DSG transmissions in Germany? The good news is that DSG transmissions remain a highly diverse breed! Nevertheless, there are trends we shouldn't ignore.
Looking at the 25 litters from 2024, 7 litters are sired by Nydningen's Torkild (a son of the matador stud dog Nydningen's Dirck); 5 litters include the B litter from Newark, and 3 litters include the C litter from Newark, who is a half-brother to the Newark B litter (same mother). 5 litters trace back to Dogbuns Superior Strauss. 9 litters were sired by breeders who used other stud dogs. 2 of these litters have Pompe de Lux in their pedigree (including us).
Don't get me wrong. Genetically, it's not a disaster, but it is very limited to certain lines. Greater diversity within the breed would be desirable, at least for the future of the breed in Germany.
What is the reason that breeders apparently do not respond to this?
Firstly, it's simply attractive for a breeder to win an award at shows. The pretty dog wins, not the healthy one. So, what has been successful is used.
Another argument is that the travel distance to the stud dog and practicality (time management) are paramount when selecting a stud dog.
Furthermore, it is natural that a breeder will use his own male dog more often.
It could also be that, especially among smaller breeders who don't breed as frequently, too few dogs are known. Studying pedigrees is a complex and time-consuming undertaking. All dogs are cute, especially the puppies, and selling the puppies is the priority. It's arduous and expensive to travel a long distance to visit a stud dog from abroad. I understand that very well. Furthermore, it's difficult to be allowed to integrate good stud dogs into one's breeding program! But shouldn't we, for the sake of the breed, approach this topic with more awareness?
Taking a critical look at the male dogs I have used for breeding at Grac'n Kelly, I find the following selection:
I had three litters in 2024. This makes me one of the larger breeders in 2024. Two of the stud dogs I used come from Denmark. Astor (Kikkis Kennel) is a frequently used stud dog abroad (77 offspring), though not so many in Germany. It's not exactly common to find a x-rayed stud dog in Denmark. Astor has hip dysplasia grade A and, on his sire's side, he brings new blood (0% inbreeding) since his pedigree isn't registered. Stallbackas Zmak af Dumle (hip dysplasia grade B) is a lovely stud dog from Jenni Kochen, though also not exactly a sire (58 offspring), but he has been x-rayed! His diversity is rated medium (orange) in the Dogsglobal database. Änglarnas Pompe de Lux is a Swedish stud dog (hip dysplasia grade B) who has also been used quite often (46 offspring) and is rated yellow in the database.
So, even with us, despite the distance, males aren't exactly rare in terms of diversity, but in combination with Bubblan (who has a nice pedigree with Bernmarkens Sigge Hubbeson/green/very diverse) and Kotten (who traces back to Bubblan x Russla Vaengas I Gud Demeter/green/very diverse), they are two sure candidates to guarantee diversity. It's a different story with Hilde. Hilde is a purebred Danish, meaning closer relatives appear (like Dumle orange in the database), and paired with a Danish male whose diversity isn't that high either, it doesn't improve things.
It should be emphasized again that this is about breeding strategy. The puppies from these combinations are sweet, lovable, beautiful, and usually healthy. The focus is on the perspective and the desire to avoid repeating flaws that characterize other breeds and to keep hereditary diseases under control through a low inbreeding coefficient.
The examples discussed here only apply to dogs belonging to the FCI! Dogs bred outside of the FCI do not have access to this data.
To clarify: There are two terms used in breeding: diversity and inbreeding coefficient. However, the methods used to calculate these differ!
In Scandinavia, all dogs are registered in the databases of the SKK, DKK, or NKK. This provides a good overview. These databases allow you to fictitiously breed two dogs. An inbreeding coefficient is then calculated. This is usually based on six generations and determines the kinship of the selected combination.
A new database called dogsglobal has recently been launched.
Dogsglobal is based on the principles of meankinship. The database uses its own algorithm to calculate the inbreeding coefficient for the entire population. To simplify things for the user, the results are color-coded, similar to the Nutri-Score: green, yellow, orange, and red. However, this only works if all breeders entered their dogs into the database. Unfortunately, this isn't happening yet.
And then there's the genetic method. This involves calculating genetic variability based on the individual dog's DNA and the repetition of its DNA sequences. This is probably the most accurate way to see what genes a dog carries. Unfortunately, many breeders skip this test, and therefore, the necessary data is often missing.
It also depends on which laboratory is used, as laboratories have different ways of calculating diversity/inbreeding.
Like many Scandinavians, I used to use mydog DNA, but I switched to Ferragen because of its accuracy. This lab is comparable to the German lab Laboklin.
The currently available data is not yet conclusively proven in breeding. Perhaps that's why there's so much controversy surrounding it. More belief than knowledge. The information we have is more of a guideline for developing a progressive and animal-friendly breeding program.
Grac'n Kelly's outlook for 2026:
I wanted to list here again the female dogs we will be breeding with in the near future.
Grac'n Kellys Asta Nielsen will be bred to the Danish stud dog Gårdbanditten Eventyrlige Eico. The litter is expected in February, if all goes well. The inbreeding coefficient of this combination is very low and the diversity rate is high, according to the Dogsglobal Database (green).
I've already mentioned that we've taken in two female dogs from the Adorados kennel. Lotte is from our breeding program and has come home. She passed her breeding suitability test in Dortmund and is now allowed to be bred according to German regulations. Lotte has an HD A rating and is green on dogsglobal, meaning low inbreeding. Her DNA profile is fine. She also has a high degree of diversity and an average inbreeding coefficient according to Ferragen.
The little headstrong clown of the group is Mitalee's Bedårende Blizz. She comes from the Norwegian Mitalee kennel and was Lotte's friend, so she came along. Blizz also passed her breeding suitability test in Dortmund. I would very much like to have a litter from her. Blizz has a hip dysplasia rating of B, is green on dogsglobal, and her DNA profile shows she is free of all hereditary diseases. Ferragen's genetic diversity rate is the same as Lotte's.
Berta (11 years old) (Ørestaden åh Susan Himmelblå), Bubblan (6 years old) (Adorados Bubblan) and soon Hilde (5 years old) have retired. They live with friends nearby.
Helena has also found a new family. It was a very difficult decision for us, but Helena was missing teeth. Therefore, she was not suitable for breeding, and we found a wonderful new home for her.
Our darling Kotten (Grac'n Kellys Cornelia Froboess), sister of Lotte, will not be bred again until 2027.
It's unclear what will happen to Gigi. She's still very young mentally, playful, and full of energy. We'll wait and see.
Comments