# Just figured out my puppy's parents share a grandparent



## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Not at all uncommon. It is called line-breeding and you will find it in most Goldens from show, performance and competitive field lines.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

It's pretty common. Linebreeding is used to confirm desired traits. Done properly, it's an accepted and arguably necessary practice. It's how most breeds were created in the first place.


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## Momx3 (Aug 18, 2010)

Phew! I don't think my husband would let me live it down if I did all those months of research and then screwed up!  It wouldn't have mattered to me other than a health standpoint anyway - my last dog was from a puppy mill before I knew what they were and she was a great dog besides her health problems. (I was in college and bought her at a craft fair - later found out that town had a big puppy mill for springers)

Thank you!


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## rubysdoghouse (Sep 27, 2010)

Very common in fact my new pup has the same Great Grandfather. At that point in the line it is considered line breeding. When issues arise is when you breed parent to children. This is a normal practice in dog breeding lines to carring on line traits.


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

Very common in horse breeding too. My horse has several ancestors appearing on both his sire's and dam's side. Inbreeding is when they breed sister/brother, parent/son or daughter. I've always stayed away from those nutjobs.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Check out Jax's pedigree if you want to see some careful linebreeding to bring out the characteristics of a couple of key dogs.

It's a common misconception that careful linebreeding is the same thing as 'inbreeding.' Purebred dogs are what they are because they have a relatively small gene pool. It makes for consistency in conformation, working ability, and temperament. Golden Retrievers wouldn't be gold (or retrievers!) without it.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

I have to admit when I saw the subject line I too thought "ewww...". Have never heard of line breeding.


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## Momx3 (Aug 18, 2010)

Oh well, no excuses for her craziness I guess!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

only if the linebred dog(s) were crazy! ;-)


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## Abby (Aug 17, 2010)

yeah I researched inbreeding extensively before I finally got my dog, it creeped me out so much, it is quite common, but if you go to any GR on k9data and click back as many generations as possible, you will find that most GR descend form a pool of less than a dozen or so dogs.


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## vixen (Jul 26, 2008)

My lads grandfather if his great grandfather on the other side (or something like that) as long as it not to close it's fine, though one the of the best bitches in the uk was a half brother sister mating.


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