[QuickSilver]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone by saying that cocker spaniels are dumb. If it's any consolation, Thor is not breaking any doggie MENSA records either. To be honest, every pure bred cocker I've met is... (really dumb, sorry!), and they are ranked very low on the breed intelligence scale. I believe Border Collies are ranked the smartest. That doesn't mean cockers aren't great, loving pets.

The thing is, a good breeder is going to be very careful that none of her pets end up in shelters. She'll be very picky with her buyers. So while I think a hobby breeder who breeds mixes might be a nice person, I doubt that she's being super-rigorous about testing for genetic diseases and mandating that all her dogs are sold on a s/n contract.

I do think that some breeders are working seriously to get their breeds recognized, and they are considering all these factors. But I think the average person who thinks it's fun to breed a litter here and there is not considering the fact that she may be contributing to the massive pet overpopulation in this country. I believe as breeders and owners, we have a great responsibility to dogs on this issue, and the very least we can do is make sure we don't make it worse.