co-efficients of inbreeding anyone? - Page 2

maybe we can get oli to add  them to the database.  then he can add linebreeding numbers that go back 10 years, 20 years?  wouldnt that look interesting.   data can be read and put out however you want it to.  add in the human factor and spin the results to fit your need. 

in the end it all boils down to the structure, conformation, and workability of the dog.

john

most if not all tools used for making breeding choices have their limitations but when they are used in conjunction with each other these tools can become real assets.  i would think coi could be very helpful, adding another dimension to this process if used with these other techniques; it may add a dimension that is very challenging to see otherwise.  
it seems obvious that some breeders have done excellent jobs with their breeding programs and that their "trade secrets" have really paid off for not only them but for the breed as a whole.  but often you will see these programs begin to fall apart after the "powerhouses" behind them dies.  this leads me to think that it has as much if not more to do with the talent of the individual than the techniques used. not to slight these techniques in anyway because they are essential but the key to making the most of them may lay squarely with the skill of the person implementing these "trade secrets" - the art and science of breeding. 
it is also clear the breed has suffered due to poor breeding choices. e.g. many good lines have been let to die off because their value was not readily recognized - so using coi might help pick up on these valuable genes that all too often go unnoticed; the converse has been also true many dogs have been breed for all the wrong reasons and perhaps adding coi to the decision making process might have shone a light on these unforeseen issues.   since genetics is not only complicated but it is virtually impossible to know just what genes will be passed on or just how they will be paired, and complete genetic mapping is not yet available; knowing coi might help shine a bit of light on an area of breeding that has proven to be challenging.  perhaps with tools like coi, patterns that only a select few very talented breeders are able to pick up on could be made more apparent to a far larger group of breeders.