The Functional Dog Collaborative’s Breeder Curriculum is intended to cover all the topics a highly qualified, responsible breeder should be comfortable with. As this curriculum evolves, new versions will be released. We hope to also release a list of resources for use in learning about the variety of topics mentioned here. If you have any suggestions for how this curriculum might be improved, we encourage you to contact us.
The curriculum is in the process of being filled out with details and links to outside resources. The outline below contains links to more details when they exist. If an outline entry is not a live link, those details have not yet been written. (We are always looking for volunteers to help!)
FDC Breeder Curriculum, v1.0.
Deciding to Breed
Responsibility
Time commitment
Daily requirements
Keeping puppies until appropriate homes found
Financial considerations
Summary: how much will you pay overall? Expect to make money?
Costs of health testing
Costs of prenatal, postnatal & neonatal care
Cost of emergency cesarean delivery
Set-up considerations
Supplies needed (whelping box, puppy pen, etc.)
Access to socialization opportunities
Legal considerations
American Welfare Association and local/state laws about breeding
Evaluating stock
Basic genetics
How simple traits are passed on
How complex traits are passed on (behavioral genetics, genetics/environment interactions)
Alleles, homo/heterozygosity
Dominance/recessiveness, incomplete dominance/penetrance, epistasis, polygenicity
Basics of animal breeding as a scientific field
Heritability
Breeding values
Using pedigree to assess breeding values
Using genetics to assess breeding values
Inbreeding: vs linebreeding; consequences of; balancing genetic diversity with predictability
Considerations when evaluating potential bitches from another breeder
All of the below, plus strong maternal traits (ease of whelping, puppy care, etc)
Health testing
How to determine which tests to do
Best places to go to get tests done (e.g. radiographs at specialist vs private practice; health screenings at dog shows)
Genetic testing
Selecting the right tests for your planned breeding
Evaluating the results of those tests
Basics of how genetic tests work
Coefficient of inbreeding, runs of homozygosity
Interpreting test results in mixed-breed dogs
Making a population plan
Setting goals
Mate selection for attaining goals
Prioritizing different goals
Assessing/prioritizing genetic diversity
Replacement breeder selection
Evaluating structure
Evaluating health
Evaluating performance
Evaluating genetic testing results, and not breeding to the test
Breeding Logistics
Guardian homes
Working with guardian homes: social aspects
Working with guardian homes: legal aspects
Veterinary theriogenologists