Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus (Post 4721722)

Huh, that doesn't make sense. I don't understand much about genes, just that when you add different genes you end up getting healthier dogs/animals/people/etc. So wouldn't two different dog breeds bred together be healthy? Especially if both have been tested and lack any genetic issues? I don't know I thought it would add more to it. I forget how yorkies were made, but wouldn't breeding the breeds that made the yorkies together(doing the same process) add new lineage into the gene pool? Thus replenishing it? Like I said, my knowledge on genetics is rather limited- and I want to understand better so I can know what essentially makes a great dog.


I mean one question that's been bugging me and I haven't wanted to ask because I was afraid of offending anyone.

I love dogs, don't get me wrong. But I rarely seem to hear of cats needing to be put down at their later stages(I knew a lot of people with older cats and the cats end up passing away naturally without need of much intervention), so why do dogs end up getting severely ill when they get much older? I dont know much about cats, but it's just what I am going off from a comment a friend told me today. (she is however a cat addict)

Is there something that could be done to fix much of dogs health problems? Like dogs in general end up getting cataracts at a later state or so I've been reading. Isn't that something that could be prevented? Not sure if the same happens to cats. What about going deaf, or poor hearing quality?

Why were there some dogs that have lived 20-30years? What separates those dogs from the every day dog you see now a day? And apparently size doesn't even matter, because according to the Guinness world record- the oldest dog is an australian cattle dog named bluey(he died at age 30).


If I recall those are medium to large dogs? Below that, there was another one which was a kelpie and it lived 30 years as well. Apparently there were authentic records for these things.

There are other dogs who made it easily to age 20-25. So why are these dogs living longer? Is it their diet? Do they have a cup of wine ? (a joke) It just makes me wonder, how these things work. It probably has to do with genetics- but if it is, is there anyway for them to make it a thing they can pass on?

I mean life expectancy can be trivial as it doesn't count for accidents or sickness but it's the best thing we have. Also, bluey died peacefully in his sleep according to a few websites that reported on him.

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88 (Post 4722181)

I think I worded it wrong it makes it where they could get the issues that each breed has. Like say breed A has issues with LP and Breed B has issues with their hips then if the breed together they could have issues with LP and their hips. Is that worded better?

Originally Posted by whiteyorkie (Post 4722185)

I was in the store last week, & I saw this couple had 2 dogs. One looked like Benji, but had the coloring of a yorkie. He must have been close to 40 lbs. I asked what breed it was. The man said a mutt, but he woman said giant yorkie as a joke. And boy did t his dog have the perfect yorkie colors too. Dogs are so wonderful & diverse. And the yorkie colors are awesome. I wonder how much yorkie that dog had. So size is not important, the health & well being is. I don't know why people are so hung up on smaller & smaller dogs.

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88 (Post 4722182)

In my vet assistant class my instructor said its very rare an animal dies peacefully in their sleep there is normally a lot more to it.

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus (Post 4722252)

Mmm I mean I wouldn't want something the size of a great dane. Size does matter to some extent. IF it's a small size difference, like the standard is 5-7 and the dog ends up being 15 pounds or so-- who cares?

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus (Post 4722256)

That uhh, that sounds really hard to take in.... We care for our dogs-- more than just dogs. More than just friends... they're part of our family. No different than a sister, brother, daughter or son. It's why it hurts to know all of this.

Originally Posted by whiteyorkie (Post 4722258)

So well said. My maltese (well one of them) is 9 pds & the standard is 5-7. And my yorkie was 16.5 pds, well above the standard. But he was pure breed. {What mattered is he was my best friend!}

Originally Posted by whiteyorkie (Post 4722258)

So well said. My maltese (well one of them) is 9 pds & the standard is 5-7. And my yorkie was 16.5 pds, well above the standard. But he was pure breed. {What mattered is he was my best friend!}

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88 (Post 4722271)

It's hard. I grew up with dogs. Our first mutt thought she was like my mom when I was 8 she had been rescued from a bad situation. Best dog, my best friend helped me through really hard times. My dad who never cries has cried at each of the dogs we have had to have put to sleep over the years. It's hard. My Callie is my doggy soul mate and I think a piece of me will die when she goes. I know it's better they don't live as long as us but it's rough.

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus (Post 4722280)

Why is it better that they don't live long like us?

That sucks, it really hurts to loose loved ones.

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88 (Post 4722458)

Because most people don't have someone who would take as good a care of there pets as the owners. We would be euthanizing even more dogs if they lived as long as us.

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88 (Post 4721615)

What you just said at the regaining is not a good breeder. SO please don't confuse them into it. Also a good breeder can never 100% guarantee what size a pup will be they normally know based on the lines. The people who come on here and say that normally are buying from a bad breeder. It can be very hard to find good breeders. Just because they are show breeders doesn't make them good either. A good breeder breeds to better the breed which means to make great examples of the breed so they do there homework persay but that is their job so when they feel that a dog is done breeding some times they will rehome them but they ask just as many questions as when they sell a new puppy. Some keep them. I notice a lot of what you think is a good breeder isn't so many that's why your so about it jaded I'm not sure. The issues is we can not continue to by from puppy mills and from bad breeders or we keep them in business and that's not good for any dog.

Originally Posted by rjwalt (Post 4725146)

The breeders you speak of are not as much trying to "better" any breed because the standard is already established what they are trying to do is breed dogs to embody and represent the AESTHETIC AND FUNCTIONAL breed standard as closely as possible and without illnesses.

Basically they are breeding for a look and the theoretical ability for them to carry out the functions that they were bred for initially, so yorkies are bred to look like and be built to perhaps hunt rats in burrows or perhaps run out rabbits. Of course most of these dogs are never allowed to actually perform these tasks because the standard for their coats is pretty cumbersome and they are rarely allowed to get dirty or do any job.

Unfortunately, many breeds and their "good" breeding has created dogs who are bound to suffer because of the standards. Bulldogs not being able to give birth naturally because of good breeders trying to achieve a standard. Dogs with so many heavy wrinkles their eyes are damaged, German Shepherds with backs so sloped they can barely walk. Its great that these breeders are testing for genetic defects to get rid of them but what about the defects that they are breeding for?