This breeding goals worksheet turns the thinking in Setting breeding goals into a page you can actually fill in. Work through it once for your program, then revisit it each year. A downloadable, editable version accompanies this page.
The most important first
- Fill it in for your program as a whole, not one litter.
- Be specific enough that each line could decide a mating.
- Rank ruthlessly — the order matters more than the list.
- Keep it where you plan litters and update it yearly.
How to use this breeding goals worksheet
Complete each section below in order. Keep entries concrete and measurable, and force yourself to rank rather than list. When you’re done, you should be able to look at any proposed mating and say whether it serves your top priorities.
1 · Non-negotiables
- Health: which tests and results are required in both parents (list them). For recessive DNA tests, a carrier can be acceptable when bred to a clear mate.
- Genetic diversity: the limit you set for relatedness, for example “the coefficient of inbreeding (COI) of a planned mating is at or below the breed average” and “no single sire overused.”
- Temperament: the stable-temperament standard you will not breed below.
- Function/soundness: what a dog must be able to do to be bred.
Many breeders take the COI from their kennel club’s calculator and use the breed average as their ceiling. That is the Royal Kennel Club’s own guidance, and it reminds breeders that COI measures risk, not health. Record the actual health-test results here, not just “tested.” Under the OFA’s CHIC program, for example, a CHIC number shows that the breed’s recommended tests were done and made public. It does not show that the results were normal.
2 · Active priorities this generation
- The one or two traits you are actively trying to improve now.
- Where your line currently stands on each (your baseline).
- What “progress” would look like in the next one to two litters. For complex traits such as hips or temperament, judge progress over generations rather than single litters.
Keep this list short for a reason. Researchers have warned that selecting hard on a single trait, such as removing every dog that fails one test, can narrow a breed’s gene pool and let other problems rise. One or two priorities per generation, checked against your non-negotiables, is usually more sustainable than trying to fix everything at once.
3 · Preferences (room to trade)
- Finer points of type you’d like but will compromise on.
- Trade-offs you’re willing to make to protect the non-negotiables.
4 · Review
- Date completed, and the date you’ll next review it.
- What changed since last time, and why.
How to use it well
The value is in the why column. A worksheet that lists ten equal goals is no worksheet at all — the value is in deciding, in advance, what beats what when a real dog forces a choice.
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Do one thing
- Download the editable worksheet, fill it in today (even roughly), and put it where you plan litters.
Was this article helpful?
Anonymous. We do not store your name, email or IP address.
Sources & further reading
- Fédération Cynologique Internationale — International Breeding Strategies. fci.be
- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals — CHIC Program. ofa.org
- The Royal Kennel Club — Inbreeding calculators. royalkennelclub.com
- American Kennel Club — Responsible Breeding Practices. akc.org
- American Kennel Club — Bred with H.E.A.R.T. requirements. akc.org
- American Kennel Club — Health Testing for a Stronger Breed. akc.org
- Farrell LL et al. (2015), Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2:3 — The challenges of pedigree dog health: approaches to combating inherited disease. link.springer.com
- Oberbauer AM, Keller GG, Famula TR (2017), PLOS ONE — Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds. journals.plos.org
A practical aid; adapt it to your breed and situation.
Next steps
- Back to the guide: Setting breeding goals.
- Return to the area hub: Building a breeding program.