Half siblings like parent/offspring is considered line breeding and these two methods are the the most employed and considered the best way to try and recreate an animal.
But rednose, I agree with you 100%, breeding related animals is a a form of inbreeding period. Some just tighter than others. But if done long and strong enough the end result is the same. An inbred dog.
The purpose of line/inbreeding is to recreate something worth while. Yes recessive genes will pop up as hopefully in some good perceived traits we look for will in individual animals as well.
It tells you what genetic problems you are facing and of course you cull those and are aware when outcrossing to choose another line bred tight known to not throw this. And you breed on the good offspring of course.
There is always a wall to hit tho...the point is to hit it so you can tweak it for an even better result by outcrossing judiciously.
Here is a thread from half year back that somewhat reverses the points that both Reuben and I make somewhat from this thread.
In this thread Reuben exhaults line breeding somewhat and I come off to sort of put it down....guess we are both hypocrites but I still defend what I wrote as not being that much dif from this thread. I think one breeding then well thought out outcrosses is the true way to breed domestic animals as has been the way since domestication.
http://www.easttexashogdoggers.com/forum/index.php?topic=92298.0
