While there are people in the dog show/breeding arena that are there simply to win and do not necessarily go by the rules there are still people like gemy and others who know their breed and the complexities of purebred breeding and do their very best to breed responsibly. These are the backbone of purebred breeding. They have been the ones who have maintained the breed standards and have kept the genetic purity needed to preserve their breed. Fashions will come and go but the scientific complexities of maintaining the health, temperament, and characteristics stay the same. Those who try to gain an advantage in the ring by breeding extreme examples of the breed do a great disservice to the animals.
There has been an explosion of uneducated people breeding purebred dogs in order to make some money off the rage for small dogs. Many of these people lie, cheat and even steal to get their hands on the pups of those who have put in their blood sweat and tears establishing a successful line of beautiful, healthy dogs.
The hobby, BYB, or puppy mill breeder has no clue about genetics or the background of the dogs they breed. They simply breed whatever dog they have handy to another victim. They have no idea what genetic weaknesses lurk inside either of the dogs they are breeding nor do they think of the harmful recessive genes they are bringing forward as they increase the defective gene pool. They cannot improve the breed because they do not have the kind of stock that is capable of improvement. They can only degrade the health, temperament, and characteristics of the dogs. That is a scientific fact. Unless a person is carefully screening their breeding stock and has a clear knowledge of the background of their stock they are simply using a roulette wheel style of breeding and some poor dog lovers are going to get the losing spin on a great many of the pups that are produced. Yes, some will gamble and get a healthy pup but many more will not. The more these people breed poor quality dogs the further the degradation goes in looks, temperament, and health.
I totally disdain people in the show world that breed for whatever the current trend may be. That is the reason I got out of show/breeding purebred cats long ago. I still believe, however, that the people educated in the genetics of breeding purebreds and breeding/showing in order to truly improve the breed are the only people competent to produce good healthy, show, breeding, and pet, purebred stock. Anything else is a shot in the dark and not worthy of being rewarded monetarily as they exploit pets for money. Some of these people may provide veterinary care for their animals but they have no regard for what they are producing now and in the future not to mention the overpopulation that is now resulting in thousands of pets everyday being executed in shelters and dying on the streets.
Personally, I think it would be a wonderful thing if there was a severe shortage of purebred animals available for the current market. So many people are buying for all the wrong reasons. Maybe more of the mixed breed and abandoned purebreds would be adopted if those not willing to get on a waiting list just decided to help some homeless dog or cat. Just cranking out poor quality "purebreds" into an already over populated animal enviornment is irresponsible to say the very least. Some people will never be convinced but to keep quiet and not try to inform people of the truth is also irresponsible. |