EFFECT OF THE POPULAR SIRE 



A Statistical Study of Three Varieties of Terriers — Over Forty Per Cent, of the 



Puppies Sired by Approximately Twenty Per Cent, of the Stud Dogs — 



Popularity and Prepotency — A Cause of Variation 



Williams Haynes 

 Author of ''Practical Dog Breeding,'' etc. 



WHEN the cattle breeder says litter numbers about 5.25 puppies, 



"the bull is half the herd" a considerable number of the entire 



he expresses one of the ]jopulation for the year must be included 



fundamental differences be- in these figures. The results, which are 



tween natural selection and the artificial from the American Kennel Club Stud 



selection practiced by animal breeders. Book, Vol. XXIX (1912). can, I believe, 



Even with sheep, cattle, horses and be taken as thoroughly representative. 



other gregarious animals, among which, (See table at bottom of page.) 



in a wild state, the stronger and more In other words, 15.5^-^ of the Irish 



vigorous males certainly beget more terrier sires whose get was registered 



offspring than their weaker rivals, during 1912 sired 33.96% of the puppies; 



artificial selection undoubtedly gives 22.77% of the vSeottish terriers got 



increased opportunities to the selected 45.00% of the pups; and 24% of the 



sires. No wild male, however superior fox terriers got 46.73%. For the three 



physically to his rivals, ever sired so breeds, 19.49% of the sires got 43.20% 



large a proportion of the succeeding of the puppies, or to express the totals in 



generation as does the popular sire figures (assuming 5.25 pups to the litter) 



chosen by breeders. In the case of we have 81cS individuals out of 1,874 



animals which, in a natural state, mate sired by but 54 out of the 277 stud dogs, 



in i)airs or in small groui)s, obviously Since to sire two litters can hardly be 



this effect is very much more marked, considered a mark of any particular 



In order to arrive at a definite expres- popularit}-, we probably get a truer 



sion of this important factor in artificial expression of the factor of popularity 



selection, I have made a statistical as such, by omitting the two litter dogs, 



study of three breeds of terriers, dogs This gives 7.94% of the stud dogs 



offering a peculiarly good field for a (twenty-one individuals) sireing 22.91% 



study of this kind. That the results of the pup])ies (451 individuals), 



might be as typical as pos.sible, I have The practice of dog breeders is liberal 



selected three breeds of the same in the choice of a stud dog to which to 



general family: all well established as to mate their bitches. The majority do 



tyjje and all generally ])opular all over not keep a stud dog, and even those 



the country. Registrations of different who do so, though subjected to the 



individuals of the .same litter have been usual temptation to breed to their 



discarded, so that each unit represents own dog (convenience, expense, and 



an entire litter. Obviously all thorough- increasing his re]:>utation as a sire), are 



bred litters are not rejiresentcd in the able to enjoy wide latilude in choice. 



Stud Bofik, but I have cho.sen breeds Stud fees are cjuite uniform and com- 



in which a great numl)er of the breeders paratively low. ranging from sSl5 to S25. 



register, and, as the average terrier Transportation charges on so small an 



1 Litter 2 Litters 3 Litters 4 Litters S Litters 7 Litters Breed Total 



p:aeh Each Each Each Each Each 

 Sires Litters Sires Litters Sires Litters Sires Litters Sires Litters Sires Litters Sires Litters 



Irish terriers 70 70 <> IK 1 3 2 « .. 1 7 «.< 106 



Scottish terriers 78 7« l.< 26 .S 15 2 8 2 10 1 7 101 144 



Fox terriers 7.S 7.S 11 11 3 ') .< 12 1 7 <)3 12.S 



Total 22.1 223 33 66 9 27 7 28 2 10 J 21 277 375 



494 



