She wouldn't just be "considered" a backyard breeder, she would be the epitome of one :mad: A highly irresponsible one at that. And you don't get to be a responsible breeder by first practising at being an irresponsible one.
One thing that is patently clear here is that this person has nowhere
near adequate knowledge of boxers, and genetics in general, to be even considering breeding dogs. Knowledge can be obtained, of course, but for goodness sake start the learning process
before you leap into breeding.
There is no way in the world you can ever be a responsible breeder breeding a white boxer. That is unethical in the extreme.
Why? Because white boxers carry two copies of the Sw (extreme white spotting) gene - that is why they're white. White is not a colour, as such, it is extreme lack of pigmentation. And that lack of pigmentation is what causes around 20% of white boxers to be bilaterally deaf (probably another 20% is unilaterally deaf, but that would only be picked up by BAER testing). More specifically, it is lack of pigment cells (melanocytes) in the inner ear that cause the hair follicles there to die off. And without those hair follicles, the dog cannot hear. Where this becomes important from a breeding perspective is that lack of pigment is hereditary, as is the resultant deafness. So if you breed a white dog, any offspring will have diluted pigment (even if they're coloured) and consequently a higher risk of being deaf. And if they in turn are bred, then you begin the slippery slope of diluting pigment throughout the breed.
In short, this person would be deliberately breeding a
known health defect into the breed. Just what the boxer breed needs - another health problem for responsible breeders to try to reverse :rolleyes:
I'd also hazard a guess that she's never even heard of the genetically inherited health defects that the boxer breed is prone to, and that *must* be tested for prior to breeding. Does she know, for example, whether the dogs are clear of Aortic/sub-aortic stenosis and boxer-cardiomyopathy? If not, you're playing russian roulette with whether or not you'd produce a litter of pups that's going to drop dead at age 3, 4 or 5 from heart disease. How about hip dysplasia - had the x-rays done yet? Surely you don't want to produce a litter of puppies that will be crippled at an early age. Hypothyroidism? Corneal dystrophy? These are all common conditions, they're genetically inherited, and they will seriously impact upon the length and quality of life of any affected individuals.
Breeding dogs is not something to be taken lightly. It is a responsibility, not a right. And in order to breed responsibly, you need to be aware of what makes a potential breeding dog - the correct construction and temperament for the breed (which means you need to show, because that's how potential breeding stock gets assessed), the dog needs to be pigmented, and it needs to be free of the serious genetic conditions that, sadly, affect the boxer breed in large numbers.
As I stated as the beginning of this post, knowledge is something that can be obtained. Nobody *has* to be an irresponsible breeder. And *anyone* can become a responsible one. It's purely a matter of which you choose to be.
Here are a few links for you:
Why white boxers must *never* be bred from (includes advice from leading canine geneticists):
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34760
Basic knowledge required before even considering breeding dogs:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11396
The consequences of backyard breeding:
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76541
Health testing:
http://www.boxerworld.com/health_testing/
Unacceptable reasons to breed, and how to learn to be a responsible breeder:
http://www.boxerworld.com/rescue/top6/
http://www.boxerworld.com/rescue/byb/
Excuses:
http://www.boxerworld.com/rescue/excuses/
Basic boxer FAQ:
http://www.boxerworld.com/faq/
Lastly, I'll remind you of the rules for participating on this website. We at Boxerworld support and promote wholeheartedly responsible breeding practices only, and will not allow irresponsible breeding to be promoted on this board. From the rules:
Topics inappropriate for discussion on this site include:
- Discussion of breeding practices that would be deemed by most to be unethical or irresponsible. This includes, but is not limited to:
breeding white boxers; breeding young dogs;
breeding untested dogs;
breeding for any purpose other than to improve the breed and/or your line). If you wish to post about your breeding program on this site, you need to be prepared to provide evidence of the health testing undertaken.
- Only breeders doing health tests and participating on BW can mention their site and/or breeding program on the board". Send email to if you fit these conditions and only after approval you are authorized to post your link.
Back yard breeders and commercial breeders are not welcome. You can check the rescue section at
http://boxerworld.com/rescue to see who they are.
The links posted provide you with plenty of information to enable you to go about learning what consitutes responsible breeding practices. We will not have "breeding white boxers" threads on this forum, and in accordance with the rules, this thread is now closed.
