The Line, a second look into Line-breeding By Patricia Doescher In part one, AKC Gazette (Dec 2005) I defined the word “line” as follows: a path or direction of movement in the deliberate mating of related individuals in order to retain the select characteristics of a common ancestor. I will now give an example of one way to start a line. You may already own a nice bitch purchased from a good breeder. If your bitch is not at the top of the breed standard in quality or not clear of hereditary defects, keep in mind; breeding an inferior bitch in hopes of eliminating her faults will forever leave you behind those breeders who started with a better quality bitch. Put emotions aside and make her your pet. Find a bitch from a healthy background with health certified parents and grandparents and a history of good temperament to use as your foundation. Although Shibas are still a young breed in this country and finding information about their heritage can be difficult, it is important to study her pedigree and find her best ancestor, preferably one of her grandparents, that exemplifies those characteristics you admire about the breed. To avoid breeding too closely, breed your bitch to a son of your selected grandparent. Remember, we are line-breeding on one dog and one dog only to establish a bloodline, so if at all possible the stud you select should not be related in any way to your bitch other then through your selected grandparent. By doing so, you will define traits more clearly, and most importantly, identify where they originate. This is your first generation, and ideally you would keep the best bitch. She is line-bred on your favorite dog so therefore keep the ball rolling in that direction. Select a stud for her that is related to your “special” dog. Another grandson would be ideal and again try to keep the other dogs in the pedigree as unrelated as possible. It would be quite helpful if the unrelated part would just happen to be strong for the weaknesses your “line” may carry. After several generations you should start seeing pups with those individualities you admired in that “favorite” dog. As you continue, negative characteristics will need to be bred out. Where as breeding unrelated individuals gives you a “stew” of different dogs contributing many different traits, your line-bred dogs leave a path to where these traits originate. A strong outcross to eliminate faults is a must as you progress, but always at some point bring the “line” back to your beginning, or a close relative. Of course, establishing a bloodline isn’t as easy as writing it down on paper. It takes years of dedication and a lot of trial and error. It works best if several breeders work together with a common goal in mind. Each step is a learning experience and can mean heartbreak as well as the joy of watching a remarkable style of your own interpretation to the breed standard evolve.