GRADING UP IN DOG BREEDING.

GRADING UP IN DOG BREEDING. In dog breeding, grading up is a strategy where the breeder invests in a very high quality dog in order to be bred with a more average partner, drastically improving the next litter. When the same great specimen is constantly being bred to the best progeny from each litter, the overall quality of each upcoming litter becomes homogeneous and high. Grading up is the practice of investing in an exceptional dog, and then mating it with an average bitch usually a daughter or other closely related female. Many times, specific traits are bred for and the bloodline is continued to being improved upon by using inbreeding or linebreeding at each generation.After just a few generations of grading up, the overall quality of the progenies drastically increases However, grading up dogs is most definitely considered a type of inbreeding. Therefore, it is a double-edged sword that could be disastrous for all the upcoming litters. Linebreeding, including grading up, are very powerful tools that can make or break a bloodline. The advantage of grading up is also how cost-effective it is. Indeed, you are investing into one quality specimen, generally a stud, when the alternative would require you to always organize the mating of one of your dog to a champion, setting you back from thousands of dollars each time. Add on to that the initial cost of the high-quality specimen you would need to purchase, too.GRADING UP IN DOG BREEDING.