Dog breeds must be “rebooted” through careful cross-breeding to save them from ingrained health problems, a leading expert has said.
Clare Rusbridge, a professor in veterinary neurology at the University of Surrey, said many diseases arose from a complex array of genetic variants, while the gene pool of breeds was often so small that there were simply not enough unaffected individuals to breed from.
Crucially, Rusbridge added, such efforts must involve the formation of crossbreed registries, and a route by which later generations can be registered as pedigree members of the original breed.run by the Swedish Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, said: “Of course, there are some breeders who are sceptical and even negative. But overall, the consensus among breeders has been very high.
The UK Kennel Club said it had accepted outcrossing projects, similar to those in Finland, for various breeds over the years – although none have included French bulldogs or cavalier King Charles spaniels – and had a pathway back to pedigree status.
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