What will be left ???

Question

If people aren't breeding with a plan.. And people are just breeding with the dog up the road.. No concerns to the working ability in their breeds.. Breeding to other breeds to make so called ' pretty ' dogs... Breeding the brains right out of the dogs..

Won't we just end up with a bunch of little dogs sitting around on pillows, waiting to get their hair brushed, riding in purses, and impossible to housetrain??? Absolutely none of their original abilities left ...

Do you really want dogs like that??? Aren't those drives and abilities part of what you liked about your dog when you bought him? Or is everyone looking for a dumbed down pretty dog that they can walk at the dog park, and show off to their friends??

I think people that are just breeding their pets cause they can, cause it's their right.. Are destroying what we love about certain breeds.. They're losing the very thing we loved about them.. The fact that they are dogs and their drives brains and abilities....???

Answer 1

You know DP, for a working dog trainer, that would be the ultimate insult. I have a hard enough time right now finding dogs with the appropriate drives for work, I am scared to think of what the future may bring.
It used to be easy 15-20 years a go to get a good dog and not pay an arm and leg. That is, unfortunately, no longer the case. Because of today's breeding practices, there are very few good breeders left who care about their dogs and want to keep their drives and abilities intact. Prices for such dogs have skyrocketed and you now pay 6 times as much.
If this keeps up, I am not sure where we will be in another 15-20 years.

Answer 2

Times and needs are different now then they were when some breeds were created. A Golden was bred to be a hunting dog. But today the appeal of the Golden is in their wonderful, docile personality. Few people need hunting dogs. People want pets. The world has changed.

We no longer need verminators in canine form. We don't need so many herding dogs. Guard dogs are dangerous in closely built urban areas where kids run in and out of each other's homes. A Fila, a wonderful guard dog, could bring death to a suburban neighborhood with children who run back and forth between houses. How many sheep herders need a pyranees now? These dogs have few things to do.
People go out and buy a cute little JR or a beagle then get upset when the JR kills their cat or the beagle is an escape artist running the street. The world has changed. Most people are not looking for a working dog. They want a safe, cute, easy to care for pet. That is their need.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a dog with the docileness of a Golden and the sturdyness of a rottie and the non-shedding coat of a poodle? Or a small dog with a non-shedding coat, healthy disposition, docile personality and sturdy enough to live with kids? Those are the types of dogs people desire. And they aren't wise enough to check into "pretty" breeds before they buy them.

When people begin to mix dogs, some breeders scream about polluting the breeds, MUTTS, etc, while the neuter nuts scream about poor dying dogs in shelters But there is a need for pets with qualities that will suit people's lives. Instead of people having fits about others who breed goldendoodles, pekepoos or whatever why not work on creating a healthy, docile breed that will find a good home in the general society and fit their need?

We can't go back 200 years when dogs were used for hunting on a daily basis or pulling carts. Even hunting dogs are rarely used in rural areas. How many poor beagles do you see with nothing to do but sit in a pen and hunt 5-6 times a year with their master? They are bored and unhappy. Why not take that dog and use it for something else? That's what they have done with goldens and labs in the service industry. They make wonderful service dogs, but they shed profusely. So work on correcting that while saving the wonderful personality and sturdy build.

It would be wonderful if every dog in the world would be able to do what it was made to do, they would be happier. But it just won't happen. The world has changed. The breeds need to adapt if possible just for the good of the dogs themselves. Because if they don't you are going to see more BSL for guard dogs in a society where their natural instinct is dangerous. You will see more bored beagles, more euthanized JRs that have killed some idiot's cat, more surrendered Goldens looking for a home because some idiot didn't realize how much they shed, more heelers being chained for simply chasing (herding) cars, etc. Breeders will either have to adapt their breeds or else watch the dogs themselves suffer in unsuitable environments. Which is the less inherent evil? Dogs exhibiting different qualities or unhappy, unloved dogs?

This was a wonderful question. I loved reading all the answers.

Answer 3

Excellent post...

This problem stresses me out every single day... You can't go onto Craigslist or any forum without seeing a dozen morons asking who wants to breed... Another dozen morons asking if someone wants to buy their poorly bred puppies... Why can't people just wake up and realize that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dogs are wasting their lives away in shelters because of overpopulation???

Just because your dog is cute or big and muscular doesn't mean they should be bred... Breeding should only ever occur when first and foremost, the breeder knows EXACTLY what they're doing... Which includes tons and tons and tons of research, the proper money and resources to do a proper breeding, when the two dogs are healthy, papered, and titled... and to BETTER THE BREED.

It's not hard to produce a litter of puppies... But when idiots breed, the puppies are usually unhealthy, either physically or emotionally or in some way.

They need to enforce stricter laws on breeding. And if your pet is not fixed, they should either take it away or fix it for you and return it.

There are too many idiots out there and wayyyyy too many poor dogs sitting in shelters that will be LUCKY to find forever homes... But more than likely, they'll be put to sleep because there simply aren't enough homes.

It breaks my heart.

Just browse www.petfinder.com and look at how many adorable dogs are sitting in shelters... What a waste.

Answer 4

Breeding has caused lots of concerns of the breeders who love their breed. I had a friend who bred Brittany's and she was so concerned about the breeding done by some to make pretty dogs and not concentrate on what the breed was originally bred for. I think my breed..the cocker spaniel....is one of those breeds that the purpose of the breed and what they do has gone wayside. Cockers are supposed to be smart and good in the field. Many cockers today couldn't do the work they were originally bred for...it's pretty sad. However..there are many breeders in my area who know the purpose of our breed and have become very active in field trials. I think this is great for the breed. As long as there are some who know the best for the breed they are passionate for, I think the purebred will do okay. There has always been backyard breeders....the good breeders just need to continue to educate and breed for the best. That's what will continue good quality purebred dogs.

Answer 5

I agree. I am completely against backyard breeding and puppy mills mainly because they breed for money but also because they don't preserve the integrity of the breed. I always tell people to adopt or buy from a responsible reputable breeder but there is always some backyard breeder shouting that reputable breeders charge thousands for the same dog when in fact they make very little and often spend more than what they make on the dog in order to produce a better quality dog. I guess when it comes to money people will always go with the cheapest bidder and not realize it's the cheapest quality and their money only encouages breeding unhealthy pets.

Answer 6

Little late to see it but great post.

My dog is a shelter mutt- he definitely has some scent hound in him- he's always sniffing and following. I think he is very 'pretty' but he's not a little white fluff-ball- eye of the beholder I guess.

I chose him not for his prettiness, and not for his ability to follow trails but because he seemed to fit with my lifestyle. He's small enough that he can live in an apartment if I have to down the road. He's got my energy level and can run with me. He was housebroken before I got him and neutered on his 5th day with me.

I would never dream of breeding him- though he is the perfect dog for me- there's no shortage of perfect mutts dyeing in shelters.

On the other hand- when I adopted him I was told by some people on yahoo that hounds make awful pets- they're designed to chase rodents period. I hate that mentality- the biggest pitbull and the smallest chihuahua all want human attention and can all make great pets to the right person.

Answer 7

That has been my fear for quite some time, and it is the only reason that I support responsible breeding. When you look at the surplus of dogs in shelters, it is hard to think of more breeding being done, but RESPONSIBLE breeding HAS TO OCCUR, or we will end up with no temperamentally sound dogs at all. There will be nothing but aggressive, terribly bred mutts and that quite frankly scares me to death.
I so hate when people say "It's my right to breed my dog!" I just think, "Yeah, and I have the right to pop a kid out every 9 months, but I don't because it;s a huge responsibility" But people don't think of puppies as a responsibility. They see them as soooooo cute and fun, then dump them at the nearest shelter when the fun wears out!
I also hate when people say that I must not like mutts and think purebreds are so much better. That's not true at all. If you show me a mutt that has better characteristics than a purebred, I'll take home the mutt, hands down. But the problem is, when breeding mutts, who knows what you're going to get. You might get a great dog, but you also might end up with a total mess! Breeding Purebreds is very predictable, and you know what you are going to get.

I am frightened of the future when it comes to this! The number of euthanized dogs is only going to increase, and the number of quality dogs is going to decrease, and I think we are going to see more and more dog bites, attacks, and all around chaos due to the stupid breeding, and even stupider handling of dogs.

Answer 8

I agree with what you're saying. I believe that dogs should be bred by professionals only, and the dogs being bred should have excellent stats and something good to offer to the breed itself.

I, however, must have sympathy for the mutts already brought into this world by selfish people. It's not their fault that humans have screwed up their genetics. Yes, some breeds are being destroyed by the people who like "dumbed down pretty dogs", but the ones that already exist have to have somewhere to go, and I'd rather people be duped into believing that mutts are special, thereby giving them good homes than having only purebred dogs being on demand and letting the mutts die in shelters.

I know it sounds contradictory, but if nobody wanted "designer dogs" as some people prefer to call them, and if the demand for purebreds went up, then the mutts that the people who breed their dogs for fun turn out would die because nobody wanted them.

Answer 9

yes l agree, but a lot these people are cross breeding & l thinks its cruel! There just out to make money on what ever is a new breed of dog, that no-one has heard of & also taking a risk that these animals are going to be okay, they just dont care ......its happening all over the world.....What happens to the freaks of nature.... when some thing goes wrong for example a pup born with two heads now this has happened, its inhumane.

Answer 10

What a great post!! I agree 1000%

Most dogs today have had their brains bred out of them, which is why we see all the questions from people who do not know what to do with their neurotic dogs.
Alot of people do want dogs like that. Haven't you noticed all the questions asking where to find clothes for a GSD or Lab? If they want to play dress up they should get a doll.

Too bad the BYBs that need to read this will not and even if they do, they will not care.
We live in a greedy world, where nobody cares about anything but the almighty dollar and satisfing their selfish whims.