Assessing Risks Related To Genomic Estimation of Inbreeding

Since most purebred dogs are descended from a handful of ancestors, the degree of relatedness between mating pairs is often unknown but likely. Researchers will genetically identify the breeding closeness present in the dogs enrolled in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and study whether this relatedness is associated with adult body size or litter size among female dogs used for breeding. This information will help breeders to plan matings to optimize the preservation of desirable traits while keeping dogs healthy.