This is a depiction that appears in Stonehenge’s Dog in Health and Disease.
Gowan’s Billy and Minnie are often circulated in Italian greyhound literature.
However, Billy’s pedigree, which Stonehenge extols, is often left out.
He was quite an inbred little thing, but Stonehenge does little but talk about his wonderful conformation.
This little piece tells us that the early fancy was obsessed with Bakewell’s system of breeding in and in.
Contrary to the scoffers, Italian greyhounds did have a purpose. They were little rodent catchers and were often crossed into ratting terriers to increase their speed. The Manchester terriers and the English white terrier had some Italian greyhound or whippet ancestry.
It is often said that Italian greyhounds are Italian, but that’s mainly because they became very popular in the states that made up Renaissance Italy. These dogs were always quite common in the courts of various nobles throughout Europe.
I seriously doubt that Billy’s ancestors were involved in anything but being pets and show dogs.
And the quest for perfection meant that his ancestor named Bill would appear so many times in his pedigree.
As one might expect, modern Italian greyhounds do have inherited health problems.
I’m not singling out this breed for being inbred. I just found Billy’s pedigree in that old book and laughed. Here was perfect example of the worst kind of inbreeding we all denounce in the blogosphere, and it was there from the early days of the fancy.
It was axiomatic that one would breed in-and-in to win.
Our IGs are quite prey driven.
There is a woman on the a hunting forum I read occasionally who has Whippet/IGs, and they’ve proven to be handy little dogs on rabbits.
Yes– Billy’s pedigree is about as extreme inbreeding as can be done; however, I doubt that any of today’s breeders (in any breed) with any sense of responsibility would pursue such an extreme course.
What may have happened that far in the past probably is of not much relevance today; the intervening generations in most breeds have brought in considerable “outside blood”.
I agree.
But consolidation of a whole breed around a few sires will have a very similar effect as very close inbreeding.
Once the studbook has closed, there is no outside blood.