Outcrossing project for German Pinscher by the Finnish Kennel Club (+The difference between outcrossing and designer mixes)

The photo of a German Pinscher

In fact, the Finnish Kennel Club had previously conducted an outcrossing project targeting German Pinschers, which are one of the foundation breeds of Dobermans.

Their gene pool narrowed due to the sharp decline in the number of German Pinschers caused by the two World Wars. In the 1950s, the breed was restored through a female that survived in East Germany, which was bred with four Miniature Pinschers.

Their problems are the high frequency of hereditary cataracts, which was 16.5% at last, and adverse reactions to vaccinations, which were 20 to 25%. 

So they started an outcrossing project in 1996; the donor breed was the Standard Schnauzer.

The result was:

The long and rough coat was partially left out already in F2-generation and mostly also in F3-generation. So it has not been any real problem. 

The HC situation in crossbred lines (first 3 generations) was: 13 dogs were healthy, 2 dogs (10,5%) got HC, 3 dogs were suspected to have HC, and 1 dog got PHTVL/PHPV 2-6. Although they examined 19 dogs from crossbred lines, which is a very small sample for reliable statistics, the situation with crossbred lines hasn't at least gone worse than in purebred German Pinschers. Still, they mentioned they must keep following the situation in future, so that statistics can be improved.

Some of the crossbred dogs have had vaccination reactions, but they mentioned those have been very mild, with short duration and could be treated with cortisone tablets only. They assume that widening of the gene pool has somewhat helped, as there haven't been any severe reactions, and they mention that vaccination reactions are generally considered to be an autoimmune problem caused by long-lasting inbreeding, so the mildness of reactions in crossbreds could perhaps be a sign in this direction. 

My thoughts

I like that they recognize the importance of personality.

"Today the Pinscher is mostly a companion, often also a family pet, that lives in cities with children and this is the position this breed needs to be adjusted to, otherwise there is no place for it."

I think the reason some dogs from crossbred lines got HC was that the project was started in the 1990s. Now that this disease has been identified as a single-gene disease, I personally expect that if this project had been conducted at a time when genetic testing like Embark was widely available, it might have shown a lower incidence rate.

And I think about Dobermans... In fact, the current health situation of Dobermans is more severe than that of German Pinschers. More than half of the Doberman population gets DCM, which is higher than the rate of German Pinschers contracting HC or showing vaccination reactions. And official outcrossing for Dobermans was started much later. Fortunately, our understanding of genetics has improved, which means the process will be implemented more precisely.

Bonus: How outcrossing is different from "designer" mixes

People mix two different dog breeds for various reasons. For example, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are sometimes mixed in guide dog breeding programs. And there are also cases that different breeds are mixed to combine specific working qualities inherent in the parent breeds. Plus, there are outcrossing projects to improve a breed's health and genetic diversity.

The most controversial form of artificial mixing currently is designer mixed dogs. This trend began in earnest when Wally Conron created Labradoodles to develop hypoallergenic guide dogs, and currently includes various breeds such as Maltipoo (Maltese + Poodle), Cavachon (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel + Bichon Frise), Pomsky (Pomeranian + Siberian Husky), and Puggle (Pug + Beagle). About Dobermans, there is also the Doberdoodle (Doberman + Poodle), which is uncommon.

I think the reason this trend is controversial is that it mixes two dog breeds with conflicting characteristics for the sake of convenience ("low shedding," "hypoallergenic") and profit, causing the dogs to lead a confused and unstable life. In a new study from the Royal Veterinary College, designer mixed dogs showed a higher incidence of behavioural problems. In fact, Wally Conron even regretted starting the designer mixed-breed dog trend.

But the important thing is, the outcrossing project is different from designer mixed dogs. Donor breeds are carefully selected.

Here are the personality traits of the four breeds used in the official outcrossing project for Doberman by the Finnish Kennel Club.

Hovawart - They have been bred to guard livestock and the home. 

Gordon Setter - They are high-energy breeds with a bold personality.

Finnish Lapponian Herder - They are an independent herding breed that is aloof with strangers.

German Shorthaired Pointer - They are an active, intelligent breed.

None of them are chosen for profit or convenience; In fact, these four are not low-maintenance breeds. But the reason is that they combine a low risk of DCM and similar personality traits (ex., high-energy needs, high intelligence) as Dobermans.

Clare Rusbridge, a professor in veterinary neurology at the University of Surrey, said: "There needs to be an acceptance of allowing new genetic material in." She also mentioned the approach doesn't mean creating designer breeds, but saving them. Although she didn't mention Doberman directly at this time, her point is very important.