Is it possible to explain the advantages of purebred dogs to the average person?

Question

Let's see...

Say you're at the grocery store. You're looking for Campbel's Chicken Noodle soup. What you find is aisle after aisle of cans w/ NO labels. You can buy 6 different cans(spending MONEY-lol),haul them home & open each for supper.
One is pumpkin. One is beans. One is soup but it's beef. One is peaches(& you happen to like peaches). One is mackerel(& you HATE it). One IS chicken soup but NOT Campbell's & NOT w/noodles.
So,you back to the store & HOPE to find another can of peaches....HOW?

With me so far?

With purebred dogs from reputable/ethical/responsible breeders(Yes,we're out there)every time you go for a particular breed,that's what you'll get. Those traits you're looking for have been locked in by long hard work,centuries of hard work by dedicated people...to get that recipe right & ALWAYS coming out the same.
Did I manage to get that across?
Probably not...folks don't want their fallicies pointed out to them.

LMAO!! I *KNEW* IT!!
Don't want you little fantasy world-view shaken by FACTS.

Mutts are NOT healthier!

You can NEVER reproduce a MUTT,even if you happen to like that individual dog.

You don't have a CLUE about the art & science of dog breeding.
"Inbreeding" & "cruel" snort..snicker...SO immature & un-informed.

MUTTS ARE NOT HEALTHIER!!! MUTTS **DO TO**have dysplasia,cryptorchidism,luxating pattelas,entropism,diabeties,allergies...on & on...EVERYTHING else congenital & genetic.

Hey "Surfer"....THEY ARE!!! Spending TONS of $$$ & years of effort. Aand on "wobblers" & cardio myopathy & hip dyplasia & EVERY other ailment dogs are subject to...All dogs,whichever breed.
Where've *you* been?

Answer 1

LOL! GitEmGang you just crack me up!!

This board is filled with misinformation and ARlites! People just believe whatever crap they are fed from the AR groups, the "mutts are healthier" or "purebreds are inbred" are just a couple of the lies fed to the pet owning public.

Might as well add in the "all big breeders are puppy mills who keep their dogs in filth" one as well!

Yet more untruths and outright lies from HSUS, Peta, etc. Just repeat the same lies over and over until the sheep believe it.


To whatdoiknow - the public SHOULD care! Maybe if they spent the same amount of time researching a puppy purchase that they do a car purchase they would learn how to buy a healthy puppy from a good breeder. There are plenty of good breeders in every breed and they are not that hard to find. I hate it when people cannot be bothered to educate themselves, and then go out and buy the first one they find from a crappy breeder, and then complain about how unhealthy PBs are, just because they made a bad choice. Would people buy the first car they looked at just because it was cheap??? I see so many people on here looking for a cheap puppy. Cheap does NOT mean quality, and often the cheap is not cheap at all in the long run.



Great post doldagga - something! I wish everyone here could comprehend your post and we could be done discussing this same topic over and over again.

Answer 2

Oh so sad you are a typical close minded mean spirited dog person. You think you know it all.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both sides of the coin, did ya get that.

You speak in such a superior way, and all you do is alienate, what good does that do?

I have owned and bred pure bred dogs, I have owned mixed breed dogs as well.
I have over 30 yrs experience with all kinds of different breeds both mixed and pure bred. I have shown pure bred dogs.

Lets take the cocker spaniel as an example. They have been so messed up as a breed. You have fat ones, you have skinny ones, you have ones with horrible physical traits, horrible temperaments etc. You have ones that are wonderful. And you say you know what comes out in the mix. Excuse me but you dont.
Maybe statistically it is more probable, but there is no guarantee.

Get off the high horse and come down to earth.

Personally I like Rat terriers, they are not AKC recognized, so what, the breed does need to be improved but dont all breeds.

I also happen to like min pin and Chihuahua mixes, I have and own one now. I also have Yorkie rat terrier mix. They are both healthy as horses, and as lovable and trainable as any AKC recognized breed.

I would advise anyone who is thinking about getting a dog to do alot of research about the breed or type of dog they want. Talk to owners of those kinds of dogs.
But also consider a rescue dog, one from a shelter.

This argument has gone on since the beginning of time.
And it is people like you that turn others off with your attitude, so even if you were correct in your thinking they wouldnt believe you.

Get a life, grow up, you need a major attitude adjustment.

Answer 3

I'm sure their is an art and science to dog breeding, but I don't think the general public cares. I also think that their must not be a lot of reputable breeder out there, because I have bought a dog from breeder. My Lhasa has terrible allergies, and sheds and stinks, even though the breeder said he wouldn't. The vet says nothing can be done. Next time I'm going to get a mutt.

Answer 4

Wow! GetEm, I agree with you! (Though your delivery is still harsh, you nailed it this time! At least you did it in your own thread this time...)

"whatdoiknow", how many breeders did you talk to before you made your purchase? Just the one? Did you check the background of that breeder's dogs? Did the breeder tell you about genetic problems that might rise up in his/her dogs? Did you ask? Just wondering. It is up to you to do those things...

"Dogtrainer", you are right, too. It's really sad. I feel obligated to sit down with potential "clients" and reeducate them on the training process and other things so that I know they are not going to "rub their noses in it" or hit them with newspapers.

I get so frustrated when trying to explain to people what good breeding practices are, and why the puppies cost so much, and why they have to sign a blankety-blank contract... *sigh* None of them believe how much work goes into this... None of them know how difficult, back breaking, heart-breaking, and wallet-breaking this job is.

And people, take Dog X (a mutt) with a certain gene for a disorder, and breed it to Dog X (also a mutt) with the same gene floating around... and you still get puppies with *that* genetic disorder, whether they have a pedigree or not. As breeders, we research the dogs that we add to our breeding programs, and we research them hard. We don't add dogs that have been irresponsibly inbred and mutated, for crying out loud. If line breeding takes place, it is done professionally and with all regard put toward avoiding genetic complications. That is why pedigrees are kept, and why they are so important! So breeders know who's who! We can trace the lineage of our dogs back for generations upon generations, and we know who's related to who. That is one thing you cannot do with a mutt...

Mutts can be wonderful dogs, yes. But they are a wild-card. You might get a healthy dog with a great temperament... Or you might not. If you go through a reputable breeder, and ask questions like you would if you were adopting a child, about health, temperament, special needs, possible health problems, etc., you will have a really good idea of what you're getting! And a good breeder will always be there to answer your questions, through the entire life of your dog... I still have people call me about my first litter and all of them since, asking me training questions or health questions. I welcome them, and I do everything I can to help. Can you do that with your mutts?

We put so much of ourselves into this, and it is really hard when we realize that the reputation of breeders as a whole has been so damaged by irresponsible people that we have to sit here and defend ourselves day in and day out just to keep a tidbit of dignity intact. It's no wonder we sometimes get a little "snippy" and grumpy about the stereotypes.

Thanks, Get Em... I was needing to say that. I feel better.

Answer 5

I read your reply to my question about White Dobermans, and I felt I needed to comment on your "With purebred dogs from reputable/ethical/responsible breeders(Yes,we're out there)every time you go for a particular breed,that's what you'll get" comment.

I know the Doberman standard. I was at one time very active with DPCA and a particular rescue group. However, how can one breeder seen as ethical be up in arms about the White Doberman, yet be spreading vWd like wildfire through the breed?

One disqualifying trait is apparent an apparent fault. The other causes your dog to potentially bleed to death in surgery -- or worse -- if they have an accident and cut themselves.

"Reputable/ethical/responsible breeders" should be working to rid the breed of BOTH faults.

Answer 6

I own 3 dogs.
And this is my personal experience with my own dogs and dogs of friends and neighbors.
One of my dogs is a bonified MUTT. We really have know idea what she is. She's about 14 years old this year and behaves like she is 3 or 4 with no ailments except sore joints when the weather is cool.
Another dog of mine is a Catahoula x Australian Shepard. She's about 8 this year with no physical ailments at all. She also is a better cow dog than most of my friends' pure bred Border Collies that are supposed to be world renowned for their herding ability and brains.
My neighbors owned 2 Sharp Peis' that both died when they were around 10 years old of what the vet said was just old age.

In the past my family owned a registered Wire Hair Fox Terrier. She developed what I believe to have been inherited disorders, like hip problems and blindness when she was about 8 years old. She died of a stroke when she was only 11 years old.

Some friends of mine own a cattle ranch and have owned up to 10 dogs at one time. They would be happy to tell you that the best dogs they ever owned were mixed breeds. One of the very best was an Airdale x Australian Shepard named Curly. This dog worked cattle into his late teens with no physical ailments except a bad leg from being kicked by a cow. Another great dog was a Black and Tan Coon Hound x who knows what. 'Bess' worked cattle with no problem until she was also in her mid to late teens and died when she was over 20 years old.

I do own one purebred dog though and she is really spectacular. Her name is Dotty. She is a little Jack Russel Terrier. I bought her knowing what her temperment would most likely be and knowing about how big she would be. She is only 1 year old so its to soon to tell if she will also develop problems and die an early death like the other purebred dogs Ive known.

This is just my short history with dogs and the trends that Ive seen between purebred and mixed breed dogs.
So when I give advice to people about finding the right dog... I tell them this - Dont find one breed that you love. Find two breeds that you love and seek out a mix of them.

Answer 7

I went for a pure bred akc registered yorkie this time because i wanted a smaller dog. I have physical problems that make it hard for me to pick up or carry a larger dog. I researched and found a full grown yorkie had a better chance of staying smaller. While some will get big, it depends on the genetics of the dog. With a purebred, you have a better chance of getting the attributes you are looking for.

Answer 8

Hi, again! There's no way you're going to change their minds! Talking to people about pets is like talking religion or politics - their ears are closed. Like the guy who justifies beating his kids because his father beat HIM and HE turned out OK, right? People like to believe old wives tales like mutts are healthier - you can't prove they're wrong, because a mutt's genetic pattern is so dilute that when he gets cancer it seems like a random thing instead of because his great-grandfather came from a line of Labs that carried that gene. Because of the Nazi's, eugenics got a really bad name and the thought of improving any "breed" makes some people queasy. I still get training clients who think you're supposed to rub a puppy's nose in his mess and hit him with a rolled up newspaper. Some people are really slow to change. Good luck on your quest though! You're doing the right thing.

Answer 9

Your question stated "to the average person". Well you got answers from the average person. I am a dog trainer. Some of the answers I read, I do not agree with, and they too are from the average person. The question is... is your customer the average person. In my case it is. I come to yahoo answers to learn what questions potential customers are asking and also to find out what kind of answers they are getting, right or wrong. This way I can focus my training on things people really need help with and work hard to overcome misinformation.

You need to look at it the same way. Read questions and answers about buying or rescuing a dog. The majority of people say to rescue. I think it is a noble thing, but that also means that the majority of people don't care about pedigree or papers. I don't know what your customer base is, but if you plan to win over the average person who comes to yahoo answers, you need to try to get to know them better.

Answer 10

You have a point, but there are disadvantages to purebred dogs too, like hip dysplasia. Also, have you ever walked into an animal shelter and seen all the sweet mixed breeds out there that need a good home? There are a lot of advantages to adopting a "mutt" too.

p.s. your "additional details" are very angry and mean...why?