ARF’S CLOCKWISE BREEDING PROGRAM

Originated by Tom D. Stodghill, ARF Founder & Genealogist

 By Al Walker, ARF Genealogist & Registrar

  

The HUB SIRE [or DAM] should be a dog perfect in every way, e.g., perfect type, perfect color, with a true style of work for the breed. The more females bred to the same HUB SIRE, and bred CLOCK-WISE and blended together, the more alike the CLOCK-WISE bred family will be. 

NOTE: The first-time breeding to the HUB SIRE [or DAM], the pups are not CLOCK-WISE bred, but are bred so they can produce CLOCK-WISE pups. The more generations the pups are bred CLOCK-WISE, the more the pups will be like the HUB SIRE [or DAM].    

Also, when breeding a number of females to the same HUB SIRE, if any female has a weakness in type such as being too large or too small, breed these pups from the large female to the pups of the small female. This will help get pups to a standard size quicker; but remember, if you breed as many as eight females to the same HUB SIRE, and keep breeding CLOCK-WISE, that is breeding away from the HUB SIRE, and breeding his pups together. All pups should look like they are litter mates, that is, as to size, type, and style of work.  However, MAKING A STANDARD FOR A BREED takes a lot of experience and a lot of good judgment; type and size alone are not enough. A canine should have good judgment, temperament, and true working instinct. For example, the Catahoula Leopard is a breed that was not ever registered until the ARF registered them. They were registered strictly on their style of work. They had to be silent trailers and bay dogs, holding cattle and wild hogs at bay. Voice is also very important so they can be heard from a long way off. 

The 4-tone blue leopard can be spotted with black and white spots and many have tan trim. Catahoulas can have quite a bit of white or just a touch between the front legs. Solid-colored Catahoulas can be of any of the colors found on a spotted dog. 

The Australian Shepherd is another breed the ARF was first to register, and they come in the same colors as the Catahoula Leopard. The Australian Shepherd is long-haired, whereas a Catahoula Leopard’s hair is short and slick. An Australian Shepherd works cattle from behind, and a Catahoula Leopard works from the front. The terms that are most commonly used for these dogs are heel or head dogs. 

Today’s registered dogs and cattle were developed from cross-breeding; therefore, to make a breed alike in every way, you must have a controlling gene from one animal in both Sire and Dam.

 

THE “HOW TO” OF CLOCK-WISE BREEDING

 

First and most important is to select a “Foundation Hub Sire” with all the qualities we want in a good dog [stockdog, etc.]. This is important, as we will see later that through all generations in the “Clock-Wise Breeding” program, we’ll hold 50% of the HUB SIRE. Next we’ll want to select eight good females, unrelated to each other, and unrelated to the HUB SIRE. For all practical purposes, we’ll use “Captain Shep” as the “Foundation Hub Sire” and eight unrelated females which we will call “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Dolly”, “Sally”, “Babe”, “Love” and “Kelly”.  Let us consider - 

The 1st Generation of Offspring: 

By breeding the HUB SIRE to each of the eight females, the litter will hold 50 % of each of the female’s genes, and 50 % of the HUB SIRE’s genes. 

The 2nd Generation of Offspring: 

Now we’ll take the best male of “Lady’s” litter, and the best female of “Angel’s” litter [each holding 50 % of their mother’s genes, and 50 % of  “Captain Shep’s” genes]; we will do the same with the litters from “Judy”, “Babe”, and litters from “Sally”, “Love”, “Dolly” and “Kelly”. By breeding pups from “Lady’s” and “Angel’s” litters together and pups from “Judy’s” litter and “Babe’s” litter, we’ll now have pups holding 25 % of “Lady”,      25 % of “Angel” and 50 % of “Captain Shep”; 25 % of “Judy”, 25 % of “Babe” and 50 % of “Captain Shep”. 

The 3rd Generation of Offspring: 

By taking the best male holding 25% of “Lady” and 25% of “Angel” and    50 % of “Captain Shep”, and breeding him to the best female holding 25% of “Judy”, 25% of  “Babe” and 50 % of “Captain Shep”, we will get puppies holding   now   12 ½ % of “Lady”,  12 ½ % of “Angel”,   12 ½ % of “Judy”,

12 ½ % of “Babe” and holding 50 % of “Captain Shep”, the original HUB SIRE. 

The 4th Generation of Offspring: 

We’ll now bring in the puppies holding 12 ½ % of  “Sally”, “Dolly”, “Love”, “Kelly” and 50 % of “Captain Shep”. Again, we will take the best male from this litter, and a female out of “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Babe” and “Captain Shep” This cross will produce a litter holding 6 ¼ % of “Sally”, “Dolly”, “Love”, “Kelly”, “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Babe”, and still retain 50 % of “Captain Shep”. 

By starting with 16 unrelated females, we  could go to a 5th generation which would provide us with an even lesser percent [3 1/8 %] of each original female, but still holding 50 % of the original HUB SIRE. 

However, to increase the percentile of the  original HUB SIRE, “Captain Shep” can be bred back into his 3rd generation offspring. Therefore, using the best female out of 12 ½ % “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Babe” and  50 %  “Captain Shep”; this will produce a litter of pups holding 6 1/4 % “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Babe” and 75 % “Captain Shep”. Taking the best male out of this litter and crossing it with the best 4th generation female holding   6 ¼ %  of “Lady”, “Angel”, “Judy”, “Babe”, “Sally”, “Love”, “Dolly”, “Kelly” and 50 % of “Captain Shep”; this will produce a litter of pups holding 37.5 % of the total female gene pool, and 62.5 % of  “Captain Shep”. 

Moving another step closer to producing offspring like the original HUB SIRE; select the best female from the 37.5 % female gene pool and 62.5 % “Captain Shep”, and cross her with the HUB SIRE, “Captain Shep”. The result of this breeding will have offspring holding 18.25 % of  all the females and 81.25 % of  “Captain Shep. 

As you can tell, this is the only system of breeding which makes it possible to go and on forever and know how to breed.  By keeping up your ARF RECORD BOOK, and studying your  ARF EXTENDED PEDIGREES, you can chart your way to breeding superior dogs and success.

 

  

For information on genetic realignment, see ARF’s solution to this problem. Titled:  ARF’S SOLUTION TO GENETIC REALIGNMENT   

If you do not have an ARF RECORD BOOK, it can be purchased for $15.00, from the Animal Research Foundation. 

If you do not have an ARF 5-GENERATION EXTENDED PEDIGREE for your dog, it can be obtained at the time of registration, or you can order it by sending us a copy of your ARF Certificate of Registration, and a $35.00 administrative processing fee. [U.S. Postal Money Orders only.] 

If you need assistance in developing your breeding program, contact the Foundation for assistance. To become an ARF CERTIFIED BREEDER, please request an ARF APPLICATION FOR CERTIFIED BREEDER MEMBERSHIP. [All ARF Certified Breeder Membership applications are reviewed prior to acceptance. If the applicant does not qualify, his/her membership fee will be returned within 30 days.] ARF RECORD BOOKS are provided to those who qualify for membership. 

Al Walker, ARF Genealogist & Registrar

ANIMAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

 ARF / Common Law Copy right