Our Philosophy
We believe that every breeding program needs to have a vision or goal of where they are going and what they hope to accomplish. Here at Redwood Ranch we have several. We believe it is important for us to share that vision with you so that you can understand what shapes our breeding choices and see what our vision is of the future of the breed.
Our focus is two-fold:
First, we want to breed for versatility. We want our dogs to be easy to live with, have an 'off switch', be beautiful to look at, and have drive when it comes to dog sports or work. To reach this goal, we strive to breed dogs with a moderate structure, avoiding heavy-boned dogs or dogs with too much coat. To be competitive in dog sports or herding, the dog must be correctly proportionned for endurance and speed, and have a good, stable temperament. This not only gives them drive but also the ability to turn off when at home. We look for intelligence, will to please, and stability.
Second, we want to breed for genetic health. Titles are not as important to us as overall health in the pedigree. We only do outcrosses, meaning no common relatives for at least 4 generations, to promote genetic diversity. We also are very focused on genetic testing. Each breeding will include extensive research into the test results over several generations and careful pedigree analyses will be undertaken to assure that our puppies are genetically sound. Our ultimate goal is to produce dogs with very low risk factors for the major genetic diseases affecting the breed. Each breeding will be researched and decided upon with that ultimate goal in mind.
To summarize, we will breed for quality rather than quantity.
Each of our reproducing dogs will be tested for hip and elbow dysplasia, as well as for every genetic disease which has a DNA test available. For heritable eye diseases, all our dogs will be tested annually starting at 12 months old and yearly until 5 years of age, at which time they will be tested every 2 years until 9 years of age. All puppies will have an eye exam at the age of 8 weeks old. If necessary, based on the DNA test results of the parents, the puppies will also be DNA tested to give the new owners a maximum guarantee of health for their new puppy.
We hope that this helps you understand the very difficult and time consuming process that we undertake when choosing our future breedings. By being so rigorous in our selection process, we endeavor to reach our breeding goals and ultimately ensure the health of future generations.
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