When is a line a LINE

What would you consider the criteria giving a designation of a 'line'?

 

If the animals were recognizable as a "line type" both in appearance and consistency of performance. JMHO

 

I would say at least 3 generations of consistant proven stock.

HSUS proven could mean show dog, or Hog Hunters....

 

When its on the end of a fishing pole :p

I'ts a good question. often thought bout this myself.

 

Thats funny!!!

 

I would think it would be having enough consistancy and distinction that stands out in the dog but also in the breeder. The breeder would, or at least should, be known for practices that ensure the dogs he selects for breeding are of the standard he is known for.

 

........bump

 

I was just speaking to some of the members about this earlier in a thread I started about breeding practices.

There's a lot of variation, in the APBT's looks, from line to line. But some stand out... Colby, Sorells, to name a few. At least, certain of them stand out to me, I'm still new at this. Other guys might be able to get real detailed.

Anyway, we were talking, and a lot of folks said that, in terms of game dogs, it was a "best to best" type of breeding program. Gameness and performance was, most of the time as I gather, the priority and not much else mattered. Along the way, I guess the dogs that got bred just happened to have that medium sized, "long of leg", sturdy, bulldog physical form that eventually became the standard. But there is "room to move", or play fast and loose, in the standard as I see it. Other folks might differ.

Anyway, if you look at the job these dogs were bred to do, it makes sense that the muscular, athletic, medium-sized form (and associated details) would come to be the standard, because, well, that physicality makes for a strong dog with good wind and a good bite. So you have dogs that more or less fit into that, which are Hella-game, and you breed for that, then they'll fit the standard pretty well, but each line might differ a bit in over-all appearance, giving each one a slightly different physical phenotype (some which are more or less distinguishable from others) and which also carry their own set of genetic "gotchyas"...

Or something.

 

3 or 4 gen back

 

in the history books.