The Symbol/Genetic Pedigree that is used to track inherited disease and conditions is what I would like to discuss with this group. How to make and maintain these pedigree's.

I have kept and maintained the Symbol Pedigree according to Dr. C Battgalia for 20+ years now. I have records of every Ridgeback that was breed from my kennel, litters and their prodigy. I have used these pedigrees to track certain genetic traits, the good and the bad ones. By having this information in front of you in a Composition Graph Notebook you will have the knowledge to know wether to breed a certain dog/line or not to breed.

If you are interested in keeping records to track genetic disease in this breed, pleased consider joining this informal group. You should have bred at least 3 to 4 litters and have kept information on the prodigy.
It is a simple matter to transfer this information over to a graph so that you can study and track infoirmation for years.
The insight you will gain from keeping this type of record will help you as a breeder to track certain diseases or traits of your breedings with the ultimate goal of eliminating certain gentic disease from a line of dogs.
I am very interested in the escalated % of RR that have Thyroid HTD 11% and the astounding rates of cancer seen in the breed.
Being able to identify carriers and recessive genes is of the utmost importance in a line of dogs.

This is an educational group and you will be asked to draw and keep symbol pedigree's of your breeding. It is a learning process that you can take forward with your particular line. I will put examples up in the photo section and refer you to "Breeding Better Dogs" by C Battaglia.
As the moderator I will ask for your name and an opportunity to talk personally to you.
Again this is an informal personal group started for the benefit of the Dogs we love, the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Perhaps we can meet in 2008 at the Specialty in PA.
Kimma Hefner
The Lion Hounds of Kushinda