Gennies,
You are correct in that most people are only interested in making a buck and usualy the new different color patterns in dogs do bring a great deal of money.
It is my belief that most don't realize that most of these new patterns are due to weak genes.
I don't necessarily think that's the case in every breed though. We also breed Walking horses and have noticed new color patterns there as well. We are seeing more and more greys and roans, as well as blue eyes.
I think its a combination of man and enviroment. Which leads to another question... What changes in the enviroment have made previously undesired traits become more prominent? Is this really nature or is it again man?
There was a study done years ago in animals who being tested for various things. (An action I do not condone) As a side study, the researchers noticed that animals (cats, dogs, fox, mink, to name a few
) that were colored black or black and white were easier to handle and more willing to trust their captors.
Therefore the breeder scientists began to selectively breed for these more bidable colors. So, this is a direct effect of man manipulating nature for his own purposes. The other colors were deemed "weak genes or undesireable" by man's standards, not nature.
So maybe nature is changing again and this time man agrees?