Pedigree dogs exposed

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Considering how often we discuss dog breeding around here, I thought I'd post these two BBC documentaries about the problems with purebreds and pedigrees. Each documentary is almost an hour long, but if you're interested in animal welfare, then they're definitely worth the watch.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed
[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPmKIgMoUPc[/video]

Pedigree Dogs Exposed: Three Years On
[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opvvhTWqS6U&feature=relmfu[/video]

 

[Kerryann]

I am interested to watch this.

 

[CLMoss]

I have had a lot of problems with my white pekingese... Small gene pool.

 

[MooingTricycle]

People tend to forget that breeds were made with many other breeds and then refined. Adding new blood to a breed with animals with highly similar features and behaviors is GOOD breeding practice. Border collies come to mind, if you know what im talking about. I feel like modern day breeding technique has become far too narrowminded for these animals overall health. But hey, thats just my humble opinion and nothing more...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

 

[wellington]

I seen the program on this. It was very interesting.

 

[mctlong]

Thank you for posting. Very interesting.

 

[Itort]

I cannot personally speak of breeding showdogs but can speak of breeding showcats and my observations this similar activity. My wife and I were invoved with breeding and showing two breeds of cats with some success and helping establish breed standards for these breeds (both of which are newer recognized breeds). The breed councils recognized the dangers of inbreeding a limited genetic base. In one of the breeds, American Curl , the allowed and encouraged outcross was what would be called the common alley cat. The result is a sturdy, personable pet with a single nonlethal mutation (curled ears). The second breed was the Selkirk Rex. The allowed outcross are non show quality Persians and Exotics (the ones with a face and muzzle) and British Shorthairs. We ended up with a cobby bodied curly coated cat with none of the problems of the outcross breeds. An example of this is our Persian outcrosses were tested for the Persian Kidney Disease gene and ellininated from program if found with this gene. Now with these breeding strategies we were looked down upon by some of the traditional breeder but our breeds don't have breathing issues (Persians and Exotics with flat faces), spina bifda (Manx), or incomplete skull closier (Burmese). In fact one of the top Persian/Exotic breeders converted to American Curls because they the logic of our breeding stratigies.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Breeding show anything, without taking into account reliability and workability, is leading to disaster in my opinion. But not ALL purebred, pedigreed dogs are bad, working dogs for example.

 

[Itort]

Breeding show anything, without taking into account reliability and workability, is leading to disaster in my opinion. But not ALL purebred, pedigreed dogs are bad, working dogs for example.

Not all working dogs are sound. As pointed out in the film, German Shepards now have two lines; the unsound "ideal" show qualitity (mostly from Britain and America) and the sound "out of standard" working (mostly from Eastern Europe) line. The breed councils bear the ultimate responsibility for this. In my opinion the breed should serve the purpose it was developed for; herding breeds herd, retreivers retrieve, terriers hunt vermin, ect.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

That's what I mean. In many breeds, including the border collie, German shepherd, australian shepherd, labrador retriever etc. there are SHOW lines and there are WORKING lines, so different that they could easily be considered different breeds.

 

[Itort]

Exactly. When I bred Shelties, they were working lines. The male was from a line that worked hogs (not easy) and female line were true sheepdogs. Maggie (the female) was great with goats. The offspring of this pair include therapy dogs, working farm dogs and just plain family pets. None are small, yippy, fluffballs as seen in showring but upper end (15"-16") flatcoated, attentive pleasures with no genetic problems. I choose to go this route because as a teenager I had sweet but inbred young man die in my arms at 2 years of age in the midst of an epealtic fit. As you can see I strong feelings on this subject.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I, too, have strong feelings about it. My breed of choice is the Border Collie, good ole working lines, and it's pretty easy to see how the show world completely destroyed this wonderful breed.

 

[MooingTricycle]

Futurelropard You got it. Borders should be bred by working ability NOT looks, if you love and know the breed you know that real borders, working borders, do not always look like the standardized versions. It upsets me this "purity" stance...

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Great stuff, guys.