The effect of inbreeding on human aversion in pointer dogs

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Abstract
The pedigrees of 294 E strain dogs exhibiting traits of human aversion and 309 A strain dogs with normal behavior were examined to determine the inbreeding of each individual and litter. In strain E animals multiple regression techniques were used to show the effects of inbreed ing of litter and dam and independent variables on seven behavior traits related to human aversion and two cardiovascular traits known to be characteristic of strain E. A small significant increase in morbidity scores at 9 and 12 months was associated with increased levels of inbreed ing. Neither inbreeding of litter nor dam significantly influenced other behavior traits or heart rate. Increased inbreeding of litter increased the number of atrioventricu lar blocks while increased inbreeding of dam lowered the number of atrioventricular blocks. Repeatability of mor bidity scores in strain E and strain A were similar. The relatively small effects that increased levels of inbreed ing had on the traits related to human aversion and the similarity in the repeatability values in the inbred and noninbred strains suggest that most of the variability in traits associated with human aversion in this strain of pointer dogs was the result of additive gene action.

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