1. Purebred Breed Standards Vs. Health By Stephanie Tarlowe

2. What is a Purebred? Cultivated varietiy of an animal species, created by the process of selective breeding Selective breeding is the process of breeding animals for particular genetic traits This is documented on a pedigree

3. Purebred Benefits Know what the young animal will grow up to look and act like Will show same traits as parents

4. What's the Problem? In addition to getting the standard looks and behaviors, you get diseases and defects Too much selective breeding can lead to inbreeding depression, a reduced fitness in a given population as a result of breeding related individuals This results in inherited diseases occurring more often in purebred species

5. Examples Back problems in Dachshunds Bloat in deep-chested dogs Cherry eye in Burmese cats Junctional epidermolysis bullos in Belgians

6. Other Problems Certain breed standards may not be suited for your location – Some animals have thick coats meant for colder places – Sporting dogs are bred to run, and therefore need more exercise

7. Laws There are no laws ANYWHERE regarding inbreeding of animals However, 30 states have laws forbidding HUMAN first cousins to marry

8. How to Prevent Problems Adopt a mixed breed animal – More genetic diversity lowers the chances of a hereditary disease showing up Adopt from a certified breeder that has had the adults screened for genetic diseases