Question

If different breeds of dogs are considered the same species then why can't they reproduce to produce fertile offspring??
I know they can reproduce but progeny is infertile in many cases whereas species are those which can interbreed to produce fertile offsprings.

Answer 1

Dear Student,

A breed is a group of animals which have desirable and distinctive characteristics that can produce a fertile offspring by mating, whereas the species is the main unit of the biological classification of organisms. Various breeds can be identified under the same species and particular species. A breed specifically undergoes selective breeding whereas the species undergoes natural breeding. The difference between the breed and species is that is the size of each group of organism. So, dogs of different breeds are considered as same species and can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.

Thank You!

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