There is a law in the genetics of purebred dogs. The line will tend to deteriorate unless only the strongest and the most fit are used to continue the line. Even with breeding the most fit in a particular line some will be born that do not carry genes that will pass on the best characteristics of the breed externally as well as health wise. Sometimes a very beautiful specimen of the breed will not be able to reproduce a puppy as nice as it's self. The breeder has to do experimental breeding in order to "prove" a particular dog can produce a good specimen of the breed. It is a complicated time consuming and expensive thing to even maintain the characteristics of the breed. When a puppy is sold as a pet it usually has some flaw that perhaps the untrained eye would not catch but that pup may also carry some other flaws that no one can see. If this puppy is eventually bred with another pet quality dog the breeding will produce offspring that have more flaws externally as well as weaknesses that cannot be seen, like health or temperament. As these animal's offspring continue to be bred the offspring continue to degenerate in both the external and internal issues.
This is why people who are called backyard breeders as well as puppy mills are producing genetically weakened as well as genetically damaged pups. This is not about not liking mixed breeds. It is about the welfare of the dogs as well as new owners. Yes, many of you have obtained a nice backyard breeder pet and that is wonderful but there are many that are buying these dogs and using them for breeding and continuing to produce puppies that look little like the original breed and carry serious health issues. Is it fair to the others who got the sick offspring? Or the person who thought they were getting a particular looking dog and got something else? Some people think they can put one cute dog with another and produce more of the same but it does not work that way.
I am not saying that everyone who shows dogs are producing the best offspring. It is a challenge even for the professionals to continue to produce beautiful healthy dogs. But when you put two pet quality dogs of any breed together it results in a weakening of the offspring. If you choose to disregard the facts and continue to breed poor quality animals you are doing the offspring as well as the new owners a disservice. It breaks my heart to hear and read the stories of people who purchased a sweet little fluffy puppy that quickly showed serious signs of illness and either died or required thousands of dollars in vet bills to help it to live a few years. It is even more tragic when the new owner cannot afford to put out the money for those vet bills. If a person cannot pay more than a couple of hundred dollars for a purebred dog or "designer" dog they should think of the risk they are taking in buying a puppy that may require multiple vet bills just to save it's life. I am an advocate for all animals but I am totally against people who take the breeding of purebred dogs as a game of Russian Roulette. |