What is your opinion on breeding?

Question

What is your opinion on breeding? Do you think some breeds should be bred more than others? Are there are dog breeds that should not be bred at all? Why?


Please keep it clean. There are no wrong answers here. No name-calling, accusations, judging or thumbs down please.

Cavalier Mom: Just a little correction here. I agree that Cockers are an overly bred dog, but the most common breed found in animal shelters is the Labrador Retriever.

Just pointing this out: I do not intend on breeding any of my animals. Every animal I own is either altered or unable to be altered (can you spay a fish?).

Nancy M- Well said.

By overly bred, I believe I (and the person who posted below) meant that they seem to be a breed that everyone chooses to, well, breed. Perhaps there are simply more homeless cockers than there are, say, Basenjis.

Adding a bit of detail before I choose a best answer here:
After reading all of these answers, working in a shelter for several months, and rescuing a few of my own animals, I personally believe that there should be no breeding for one year. Imagine if people HAD to go to a shelter to get their dog or cat. That would REALLY make a dent in the homeless animal situation. And no breeding for one year wouldn't really effect the different dog breeds: a dog can be bred between the ages of 2 and 5. Unless someone was planning to breed their four-year-old (which wouldn't matter because everyone would be informed of this new law a year BEFORE it went into effect), the people can simply wait until the next year to breed their dog.

I also agree that dogs should only be bred from working AND conformation lines. It kills me as well (shadow's melon) to see "barbie collies" who cannot dog anything more than walk around a show ring. Nonworking breeds should be bred to conformation standards.

Answer 1

I'm a lab person.

I'd like to see ALL labs (yes, I'd even ask the reputable breeders to participate in this one) to stop breeding for 1 year. Just a year. No new labs.

Then maybe we'd make a dent in the number of labs in shelters.

Then I'd BEG people to stop breeding them for another year... maybe 10% would listen. If that were the case, the numbers would go down.

I see way too many poorly bred dogs. Bad hips, allergy dogs, thyroid conditions.... Most don't look like labs anyway. They are just lanky, tall dogs that are a mess. I love them but there are way too many of them.

Answer 2

I'm going to correct what's said about cocker spaniels...they were actually more over bred in the 80's when they were the #1 breed for many years..(thanks in part to Lady and the Tramp) But today, they are luckily, not as popular, so you don't see them as much as you used to. I can look in the paper now and see very few advertised in the ads. Today, when showing, it's hard to find majors and the classes are very small compared to several years ago. I have owned cockers....very well bred cockers...for over 20 years. They are one of the sweetest, loving breeds you could find. I have never had any health problems...no eye, ear, skin problems or temperament problems. I have children that have been raised around cockers since they were born. Not once did any of my cockers ever show any sort of aggression or fear biting. Why...because they were bred by REPUTABLE breeders. The poor quality seen in shelters and by people who buy from BYB are prime example why I hate BYB and puppy mills. They have destroyed the breed and I hate hearing all the negative crap about them. People who work and volunteer for shelters need to remember...you are seeing the worst. Please, before you start naming breeds and the negative things seen, try to be open minded and know that they are not ALL like that nor are they supposed to be like that. Have you read the AKC standard? This is one of the main reasons why I preach ethical and quality breeding.
My God...how can you resist this face:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2060659651&size=m

Edit: Nancy..you always say things so well!

Answer 3

The majority of the people out there breeding dogs, shouldn't be breeding. If the dog isn't champion at what he does (tracking, agility, hunting, whatever), spay or neuter it.

Some breeds probably should be bred more than others (like chihuahuas who only have like 2 pups a litter). No breed should be denied the right to breed (it'd be like saying a certain race can't reproduce). However, breeders should do a more in depth checking of the potential owner to ensure the dog is going to a good caring home. It doesn't have to be a rich family, but just one that will do everything they can to provide and protect that dog.

Answer 4

I have two show dogs. I haven't bred a litter yet because I want to learn more about the breed instead of rushing in breeding a litter before knowing more. I have a mentor and I discuss with her about choosing stud dog prior making my decisions. The main reason for breeding is for the betterman of the breed. If the breeding is well planned, all the necessary testings are done, and conscious where to place the pet puppies, I have nothing against it. My main concern is people breed irresponsibly. That creates problems of overpopulation in shelters and rescues. Those are the ones should not breed or own any pets are not altered. It's sad to see these posts here asking about breeding or dog is in labor and the stupid owner has no clue about whelping.

Answer 5

There is nothing inherently wrong with any particular breed - the problem lies in the lack of knowledge and concern of the people doing the breeding. No Cocker Spaniels are not 'over bred' -- there are likely too many bred but there are also some excellent examples of that breed out there being bred by extreemly knowledgeable people who know their breed and are producing good, healthy, well placed dogs. The problem is that the majority of people in the world are pretty much ignorant - not only about dogs but most everything else and they will make a litter and give or sell them to anyone that comes along who will in turn make litters and give or sell to whomever comes along and over and over... without having any real knowledge about the breed or dogs in general. We see examples of that all the time on this forum - how many zillions of times have we seen 'Help, my female might be pregnant and yadda yadda yadda' or 'help, my dog isn't breathing, what should I do' duh... and these people breed and place dogs...

'Professional breeders' is a farce as well... 'professional' entails making money at an activity -- if a breeder breeds properly they rarely if ever even break even much less make money. If they crank out litter after litter without knowing or caring about the future of their breed, then they will be 'professional' and that isn't any better than a back yard breeder or puppy miller. Reputable is the same thing -- it simply denotes reputation, could be good or bad but reputation.

Breeding needs to be done by the RESPONSIBLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE breeder. The person whose PRIMARY interest is the future of the breed and their puppies being placed in the proper environment. Plain and simple... any other interests are counterproductive to any breed...

Answer 6

I think that dogs with a legitimate purpose are the ones that should be bred. To me, purposes a dog can be bred for are conformation and working lines. If a breed is a pet breed, meaning they've never had a purpose beyond being a companion dog, then they need to be bred for at least conformation. If a dog is a breed with a specific purpose, then that dog better be able to do that job, or it should not be bred. What I find sad in my breed is that there are show breeder who do obedience and conformation with their Border Collies and nothing more. They don't bother to prove their lines can do the job of herding. Sure, they're pretty dogs with lousy instincts. Yes, they are otherwise following the reputable breeders rule books of testing, etc... but I find it irritating that they don't do anything to prove their dogs can actually work. I would buy from a rancher, before I'd buy from one of these show breeders with lines that can't work.

Answer 7

Personally, I feel that dogs should only be bred when they've got an established background, clean bill of health (including hips, eyes and such) excel at competition (whether it be 4-H or Rally-0 or any other sport/class) and have passed a temperament test. The exception are those few mutts out there that have proven to be amazingly adept at some skill related "job". I don't believe the average pet owner has what it takes to be responsible about breeding and breeding because "I want one of his/her line" is not only ignorant but has terrible results. I think certain breeds that have been overbred should be on a restricted breeding list due to their "popularity" and others should be on a restricted breeding list because of their penchant for being abused. (IE pit bulls, staffies, amstaff, bulldog, mastiff) The dogs end up paying the ultimate price for what the breeder has done.

Answer 8

I dont think any breed needs to be. I heard some breeds are rare and hard to get like the shibu ina or jindo, but theyre not endangered or anything and until theres a better system for dogs in shelters, or more people willing to help out in shelters or whatever, i dont think anyone unless a professional breeder who does it for a living (NOT A PUPPY MILL) or for show dogs, should breed dogs

Edit: but some dogs are over bred...esp designer breeds, theres even "goldendoodles" and "cockapoos" showing up in shelters
People get on a bandwagon whats the latest most popular dog. The latestseems to be a "puggle" (from what I hear talked about the most anyway). So now all these breeders or puppymills are going to get into "puggles" and have too many, or irresponsible people buying them then giving them up to shelters.

And by professional breeder, I mean a reputable breeder. Not the BYBs, as theyre called.

To me "professionals" means someone who is professional about it..

Answer 9

i do no longer approve of breeding. there are thousands of homeless rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and so on. that are killed each 3 hundred and sixty 5 days for no longer having a house. that's why there are shelters. to offer those animals a 2nd danger. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, breeding is only including to the inhabitants of those animals. additionally, whilst a guy or woman buys from a breeder, they have taken the prospect of a 2nd existence faraway from an animal at a safeguard. on a similar time as that's real that some breeders breed to maintain the puppy in flow considering that's a sturdy puppy. as an occasion, some canine breeds only approximately became extinct, yet because of the fact of a few breeders, those canine breeds are actually universal. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, this continues to be inflicting a difficulty for all the homeless animals obtainable. It breaks my heart to ascertain all of those lonely animals on the safeguard. It breaks my heart greater desirable to be attentive to that some human beings only do no longer care and could breed animals besides.

Answer 10

Yes, I agree 100% labs and retrivers are over breed and there normal so people don't want them. It makes me sad that there are so many animals getting put into the pound. I think a Japanese Chin should be breed more because there so beautiful and a really friendly dog and I never ever see them in my newspaper and they have a ton of dogs in the paper other then Japanese Chins. They should just stop breeding dogs that end up hurt and in the pound.