Countless numbers of people have asked me if I'm hoping for a male or female pup from Mattie and Orin. I honestly don't mind, I have room in my home and heart for either, but there will be some things to consider at the time.
We often say about stud dogs, 'Oh, he produces better males than females,' or vice versa, of course! I have only ever really seen adult female puppies by Orin, so I can't really judge the quality of his male progeny. As we've said before, it takes two to tango, but it is interesting that some stud dogs do seem to produce more quality offspring of one sex.
Coincidentally we had this conversation about Reno recently; his female progeny seem to be exceptional, yet I've not yet seen males in the ring by him. Thankfully my hope is for a Reno x Siska daughter, someone to continue the Blanik line through the "L" and "J" litters as well as the bitch line going back from Sammi. We've heard so many times, "The strength of the sire is the power of the dam." The statement suggests that if you want to know how powerful a stud dog will be as a producer, don't just look at him—look at his mother. In breeding circles, it is believed that a prepotent stud (one who consistently stamps his look and quality on his puppies) usually comes from a very strong, high-quality mother.
"Why the "Sire's Mother" is the Key:
The Genetic "Anchor": A stud dog might look incredible himself, but if his mother was poor quality, he is more likely to pass on "hidden" faults from her line.
Consistency: If the stud's mother was a "powerhouse" (physically correct, healthy, and a great mover), the stud is "backed" by her strength. He is more likely to pass on his own good traits because they are deeply rooted in the strong female line behind him.
The X Chromosome: Since a male dog (XY) gets his only X chromosome from his mother, a large portion of the "blueprint" for his daughters and his overall quality is dictated by her."
When considering a stud dog, one thing I look at is the progeny already on the ground, so to speak. In my opinion Reno is without doubt a "bitch-maker," I can only hope that coupled with my bitch line we'd get something special, but the reason I am hoping for an Orin x Mattie pup is that I really don't want to put all my eggs in one basket!
Reno, and Orin to a degree, have proved themselves as sires, not just show dogs, there is a huge difference. It's not always the top winners that are the best "sires," as we know, and not all the top winning females produce the best litters. Often the siblings of the top winners produce better offspring.
I love the headshot that I took of Reno at WELKS, (Above) such a beautifully correct head and melting expression.
