Paradigm Shift – Evolution of Breeding Methods

by Dr. Carmen Battaglia

Throughout history there have been many patterns of change which Webster defines as a paradigm shift. Many such events have occurred in the breeding and development of dogs and breeds. These patterns of change can be noticed by looking for a lot of little experiments–some by breeders, others by either breed clubs or by research organizations. Some have failed and disappointed, others have been successful and were copied. This scenario demonstrates that no one method can be used to find them and, for the most part, progress does not occur at the same rate. What seems clear is that when small improvements are combined with the collective efforts of others who are determined, a large amount of progress can occur.

To better understand what influences a paradigm shift, we need to recognize the important events and the mitigating factors that push and pull on their occurrences such as the frequency and amount of a change involved, the discipline, and in many instances, the geographical location. Many paradigm shifts go unnoticed in part because they were small, but also because the improvement and pattern of change was not quickly passed on to others. The pace of these changes can also be influenced by the amount of time it takes to notice the change and the breed involved.

The first paradigm shift occurred about 14,000 years ago with the domestication of the wolf. It began when the wolf became the mechanism to warn nomadic tribes about hostile invaders or predators. Settlements that had these “dogs” that scavenged their garbage dumps were more likely to survive than those without them. This suggests that the wolf is likely to have influenced the development of Homo sapiens resulting in their becoming the dominant species on the planet.

The second shift occurred in the 1850s when a monk by the name of Gregory Mendel struggled with an idea that involved two heritable characteristics. His research explained how a recessive and a dominant trait could be inherited. Unfortunately, his brilliant idea was not easily understood. The drag on his discovery was that in the 1800s mathematics were not part of science and his audience could not grasp the mathematical calculations he used to explain his research.

The third paradigm shift occurred about 50 years after Mendel’s death when a scientist named Reginald Punnett, who was studying Mendel’s research, used a diagram to explain what Mendel had discovered.

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Posted by Alex on Nov 17 2017. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.