| Various contentions have been put forward in the | | | | (eg Poodle). And may even deliberately continue |
| dog world by some, (eg those against mixed dog | | | | this practice, in attempts to 'strengthen' a desired |
| breeds), that 'hybrid vigor' is allegedly not possible | | | | characteristic in the offspring or progeny (eg the |
| (for example) when breeding mixed breeds such | | | | soft curly coat of the Poodle).However, not only |
| as Labradoodles (ie mixed breeding of purebred | | | | would this significantly reduce and/or remove the |
| Labradors and Poodles) as it is alleged that hybrid | | | | hybrid vigour or heterosis (which is one of the |
| vigor is only possible with mixed breeding of | | | | main advantages of mixed dog breeds such as |
| unrelated animals (eg horse and donkey). | | | | Labradoodles), but it would be producing offpsring |
| However, that is not correct, and the benefits | | | | or progeny which are basically just more and |
| and nature of hybrid vigour or heterosis in mixed | | | | more Poodle, and less and less Labrador |
| breeds such as Labradoodles has been known of | | | | Retriever. And if that is what is truly desired, then |
| some some time.It should be noted that it is well | | | | why not just breed Poodles in the first instance? |
| regarded and recognised that hybrid vigour or | | | | Rather than creating a mixed breed (eg |
| heterosis effect is 'strongest' or 'highest' in the | | | | Labradoodles), which initially has significant benefits |
| first generation of progeny produced from the | | | | from the hybrid vigour or heterosis, but which is |
| crossing of the two purebred breeds, such as in | | | | gradually reduced or removed through the |
| Labradoodles. That is, when the two parents are | | | | back-breeding etc?I have provided various |
| purebred (eg Labrador Retriever and Poodle) and | | | | extracts, links etc below that relate to hybrids, |
| are crossbred, their progeny or offspring have | | | | and to hybrid vigour or heterosis. And hope that |
| the most hybrid vigour or heterosis effect. And | | | | these may assist with the understanding etc of |
| this first generation of progeny or offspring are | | | | hybrid vigour or heterosis.Firstly, in a New Zealand |
| commonly referred to as the F1. And the next | | | | government publication(1):"What is a hybrid?A |
| generation F2, etc, etc.If, for example, you were | | | | hybrid is an organism resulting from a cross |
| to then breed an F1 progeny to another F1 | | | | between genetically different parents. Hybrids can |
| progeny, then the hybrid vigour or heterosis in | | | | arise from crosses between closely related |
| the progency or offpsring produced would be | | | | species (interspecific hybrids) or by crosses |
| significantly lower than in the F1 generation. And | | | | between different types (subspecies, varieties, |
| the further down the generations you continue | | | | cultivars) within a species (intraspecific |
| (eg F2, F3, etc), the hybrid vigour or heterosis | | | | hybrids).Hybridisation occurs naturally, but it is also |
| continues to diminish to the extent that it is | | | | widely used in selective breeding programmes for |
| insignificant.Some breeders, for example, of mixed | | | | both plants and animals. The mule is an |
| dog breeds such as Labradoodles, even further | | | | interspecific hybrid between the horse and the |
| minimise hybrid vigour or heterosis by 'back | | | | donkey, bred to combine some of the favourable |
| breeding'. For example, they may breed an F1, F2, | | | | characteristics of each parent. |
| etc back to one of the original purebred breeds | | | | |