Pet Breeds

[Crouton]

One thing that really annoys me is how obsessed and uneducated most of the general public seem to be about the idea of "pure bred" pets. All dogs used to be wolves. It's humans who made everything from a suasage dog, to a pug to a labrador. I've met so many people who think that owning a "pure bred" dog means that they are getting a really healthy dog, but it's such a lie. Pure bred dogs are often the most unhealthy of all dogs. Lifetimes of in-breeding, and breeding for appearance rather than health have left almost every single modern breed of dog with genetic abnormalities and inbreed health issues.

Just look at the pug for example. People pay thousands for a good pug these days, and pugs are among the most unhealthy dog on the planet. To get that "curly tail" that people love they have actually had a twisted spine bred into them. So many of them have spinal troubles and walking troubles. And because of that cute squashed up face most of them have breathing and repository problems, you can usually always hear a pug coming because of the grunting, wheezing and spluttering sounds the poor things make instead of normal breathing. Then there's all the folds of skin which cause skin conditions and rashes in many of the dogs. Most people I know who have pugs spend more time at the vet in one year than I did for my mixed-breed dogs entire lifetime. 

And what do we have on the other spectrum of this? Pounds and animal shelters all across the world, where millions of perfectly healthy dogs are put down every year because no one adopts them. People will pay thousands of dollars for a dog that's basically a fashion statement, yet won't adopt a healthier animal, with just as good of a personality from a shelter. This mentality of buying for the dogs appearance above health and everything else is getting to a horrible state. Now we have puppy farms popping up all over the place where "pure breed" dogs are forced to live in horrible conditions for their entire lives just churning out puppies like machines. And it's not even just dogs, animal breeding for appearance and money has been harming all sorts of animals, from lizards, to snakes to rats and everything in between.

Sorry for the length of this post, it's turned into more of a rant than anything else, but this entire situation just makes my blood boil. I'm sick of seeing people post on FB that "they are ready to buy a new pug and are looking for a breeder" and they refuse to adopt from shelters. A pug is an appearance, many dogs have the same personality as one and are great family pets, no matter what they look like. Also, I only went into the health problems of pugs in this post, but every almost every single pure-bred has "breed" health issues. It's usually a case of the "purer" the breed the unhealthier the dog will be, yet people still keep choosing them over adopting. I really feel sorry for dogs. If people think something like the modelling industry is tough then imagine being a dog, where the appearance you were born with could mean the difference between life and death. 

[SellennaeAlara]

I think the only 'pure breeds' we have ever owned was my moms Golden Retriever and my dads Siamese cat;he was a cross between wedge head and apple head. He loved me something else!

We had a German shepherded; mixed with coyote, free wal mart dog! All of my cats have been mixed breeds.


I think some breeds are nice; I would like another German Shepherd or a husky dog.


My mom has a pure breed blond cairn terrier right now; she never thought she would get one because they where so expensive. She was flipping threw shelter dogs and low and behold; guess what she found! The poor thing was found dumped in a ditch. We can only assume she was left their by her breeder because she had a gimp hip and could not be sold or bred. She would have been out down but there was a group of people who had kind of group homes for shelter dogs; to stop them from being killed. Thanks to that my mom not only got the breed she could never buy, but saved a shelter dog too!

[sjfaerlind]

Ohhhh don't get me started on health and temperament problems in certain breeds of dogs...lol.
Still Crou, crossbred dogs get the same health problems as purebreds in many cases. Getting a crossbred dog is no guarantee that you're never going to see a problem. I gotta say though that it breaks my heart to think of how many potentially adoptable pets have to be euthanized each year for lack of a home. If people were responsible about spaying and neutering their pets, this wouldn't be such a huge problem.

[Crouton]

Crossbreeds are often seen as pure breeds now. For example, look at the labradoodle, that was a cross breed that is now recognised as a pure breed. It's still a human breed though, a breed created for a certain appearance to get more money when it's sold. When I speak of mixed breeds I'm talking about mutts and the like, dogs that are just dogs and breed, not for any appearance and not for being bred for shows and breeders and big money, but just normal everyday dogs mating. It's that tyep of mixed breed that's the healthiest, the mutts.

It's not just people spaying their pets, it's people who buy from breeders that are the problem, people who buy from pet shops, people who buy from online ads/newspaper etc. These are all the problem. People need to stop shopping for dogs that look a particular way and start adopting just because they want a dog, not because they want a fashion statement.

[SellennaeAlara]

Thats only half the problem SJ.

Do you realize how many animals are saved from abusive pet owners and need adoption; but dont find homes either?

[Crouton]

Also not too mention dog shows. Dog shows are horrible and a big part of the problem.

[SellennaeAlara]

Crou I just saw your post.

To a point I agree with you; but if that happend entierly; then there would be no breeds left.

Even if they are because we breed them; they are still beautiful as they are.

Not all dogs need to be 'mutts'; but all dogs do need homes.

[Crouton]

We don't need to eradicate breeds, we just need to get rid of the mentality surrounding the idea of "pure breeds". Do you know it's legal for most breeders to breed fathers with their daughters and mothers with their sons to get the right "look" of the breed. Dogs aren't rats, inbreeding IS bad for them. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a dog bred with a ridge along it's back which is actually a genetic deficiency which is an unhealthy mutation for the dog. Yet people pay big bucks for it. Breeders of Ridgebacks are actually known for killing puppies born without the ridge, because they won't make as much money, even though they are technically healthier dogs.

I don't think we should eradicate dog breeds, I just think people stop breeding unhealthy mutant breeds with genetic issues from years of in-breeding, all for the sake of a bigger price tag and instead focus on trying to breed dogs that are healthy.

[SellennaeAlara]

I just said in my first post that my mother has a pure breed shelter talk because she was born with a gimp hip.

I know about in breeding; I know what it does. I see it everytime that dog takes a long walk or trise to jump to high.


Yes the mantality around breeds is to much. They are beautiful.

I Hate dog shows to; not to mention the fact they are a major snooz fest.


And the reason the labradoodle sells for so much is not just its look. its hypo-allergenic or whatever that term is. so people with exstream animal allergies; can be around it. but theybare sobexspensive most people like thst who want a dog; cant get them.


Like Nizati; she would love to have a dog and cat; but her sister is highly allergic to any animal with dander. Dabradooled is perfecr; wont hurt her sister. way to much money.

To me thats like robbing someone.of a chance to own a dog.

[Crouton]

Yeah exactly, we don't need to get rid of breeds, we just need to change the way people think about them. Those shar pei dogs, the ones with all the rolls of skin on their body are just another example. Many puppies of those dogs are being abandonned at shelters at birth since the rolls of skin are so bad that they completely cover the dogs eyes and they require surgery if they want to ever see again. There is something so wrong with that, yet people will pay big bucks for a "pure bred" shar pei. It's so ridiculous.

It's like the equivalent of a baby human being born with a deformed body, like, tiny legs and a big body. And even though that human would grow up having all sorts of issues with walking, spinal issues and problems, someone thought they looked cute so they forced them to mate with another person with a deformed body and tiny legs, to create more deformed babies that will have health problems their whole life. If people forced humans to do that in this day and age the whole world would be disgusted, yet we do that exact same thing with dogs every single day and no one cares.

[sjfaerlind]

Jun 19, 2014 18:56:05 GMT -6 Crouton said:

Crossbreeds are often seen as pure breeds now. For example, look at the labradoodle, that was a cross breed that is now recognised as a pure breed. It's still a human breed though, a breed created for a certain appearance to get more money when it's sold. When I speak of mixed breeds I'm talking about mutts and the like, dogs that are just dogs and breed, not for any appearance and not for being bred for shows and breeders and big money, but just normal everyday dogs mating. It's that tyep of mixed breed that's the healthiest, the mutts.

It's not just people spaying their pets, it's people who buy from breeders that are the problem, people who buy from pet shops, people who buy from online ads/newspaper etc. These are all the problem. People need to stop shopping for dogs that look a particular way and start adopting just because they want a dog, not because they want a fashion statement.

Technically, a "purebred" dog is a member of a breed that is recognized by an "official" dog breed registry. Here that would be the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club).  Each has it's own "breeds" that they hold standards for and recognize. "Labradoodles" and "Cockapoos" and all the trendy/currently popular mixed breeds are definitely not purebreds according to the officials.  I've seen tons of health problems in mutts too. A lot of "puppy mill" dogs here are mutts (ie: they have ancestors from many different breeds) actually.
I don't think it's  fair to say that all breeders are bad. I think some of them strive to do a really good job. They screen their breeding animals for genetic diseases and don't breed them if they're carrying bad traits. They care for their animals very well, practice good hygiene in their kennels and make sure their animals have good medical care. Some of them have a very strict screening process for prospective buyers. If they don't think you'll give the puppy a good home, they won't sell you one.
Of course you'll find just as many "bad" breeders out there too so I tend to consider their merits on an individual basis, whether they breed "official" purebreds, trendy crossbreds or their dog just happened to get pregnant and they put a "Puppies for sale" sign up at the road. I'll admit that I'd be less inclined to stop at a "puppies for sale" sign. If someone's dog just happened to get pregnant because they didn't spay/neuter it, it makes me wonder if they bothered to deworm it or get it vaccinated or look after it.  Unwanted pregnancy in pets is totally preventable after all.
As for people buying dogs as a fashion statement, I think that's a huge mistake. Adopting a dog is a decision that should be very carefully considered. This is a commitment that is going to last at least 12-14 years (most likely) and maybe longer. Dogs are a lot of work to train and socialize properly and they're expensive to keep. I don't think it's a good idea to adopt a dog if a person isn't up to that kind of commitment.

Jun 19, 2014 18:57:18 GMT -6 SellennaeAlara said:

Thats only half the problem SJ.

Do you realize how many animals are saved from abusive pet owners and need adoption; but dont find homes either?

It's been my experience that abusive/neglectful pet owners are among the most common folk who don't practice pet population control. Then the onus is on the animal rescue services to nurse the pet (and it's offspring) back to health and then spay or neuter it before it can be re-homed. 

Jun 19, 2014 19:03:52 GMT -6 Crouton said:

We don't need to eradicate breeds, we just need to get rid of the mentality surrounding the idea of "pure breeds". Do you know it's legal for most breeders to breed fathers with their daughters and mothers with their sons to get the right "look" of the breed. Dogs aren't rats, inbreeding IS bad for them. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a dog bred with a ridge along it's back which is actually a genetic deficiency which is an unhealthy mutation for the dog. Yet people pay big bucks for it. Breeders of Ridgebacks are actually known for killing puppies born without the ridge, because they won't make as much money, even though they are technically healthier dogs.

I don't think we should eradicate dog breeds, I just think people stop breeding unhealthy mutant breeds with genetic issues from years of in-breeding, all for the sake of a bigger price tag and instead focus on trying to breed dogs that are healthy.

I'm in total agreement with the "let's breed dogs that are healthy" idea!!!

[Crouton]

I read somewhere that labradoodles were considered a pure breed now, it was probably just someone throwing the term out there to make people pay more money, which seems to be what most people do whenever they see those words.

Here the puppy mills only exist because people want pure breed dogs. The puppy mills here are churning out pure breeds like a factory, I don't know why anyone would ever set up a puppy mill to breed mutts, I've never heard of that. Doesn't really make any sense.

Of course not all breeders are bad, but the ones that are bad are SO bad that they are horrific, they torture animals for the sake of money and need to be stopped. The people who are "good" breeders may not harm their animals, but they are still contributing to a problem. They are breeding more animals in a time when we don't need more. They are contributing to a world where millions of healthy dogs are killed every year because no one will adopt them, yet these breeders, even the good ones just continue to breed. We don't need more dogs right now being bred, we need more adoptions. But money drives everything doesn't it, and that's what most breeders care about. We should wait till the numbers of dogs being killed every year gets down from the current genocide type numbers and maybe then we will need breeders, but not nearly the amount we have right now. Too many dogs and not enough people. 6-8 million dogs are killed every year in the US alone because no one adopts them, and the numbers are equally as bad in other places. Yet people still go out of their way to buy unhealthy pure breeds rather than adopting.

[SellennaeAlara]

Crou; partly by that reasoning I should not have my own children; I should just adopt because there are so many kids who need a home.

I do agree that puppy mills are bad and that more people should adopt. But it is not an all or nothing deal.

And SJ; all of the animals I have gotten have been free give a way's. My cat Sassy my dad found in the news paper; she hated us; LOVED the old people up the hill; ran away before we had a chance to even get her fixed. Came back on my birthday of all days and gave birth to her kittens at our house and then abandoned them to soon (we did get her fixed after that). We gave those away all but one. The one I kept died and I got Cosmo cause some girl at my moms collage had two male tabbies; not sure where they came from she had no cats; but here she had two tinny kittens.

And then Roxie; free dog at wal mart; some how mixed with coyote; the only defect that dog had was a wolf two as my mom called it.

Free animals can be great.

And my dads cat was free from a friends; a stray had been staying around their house; they where feeding it and then she had kitens.

[Crouton]

Well no, the children thing is completely different altogether. People don't have "children farms" where humans are forced to do nothing but breed with other humans who look like them for their entire lives. There aren't children pounds, there aren't children animal shelters putting down 8 million children a year in the US. Yes I think more people should adopt but you are comparing two things that can't really be compared here.

Also, as far as all or nothing go, I've stated that we don't need to stop breeding altogether, but to focus on breeding healthy dogs rather than pure breeds. I also think that backyard breeding should be illegal, and that puppy mills should be shut down, and breeding in general needs to go down A LOT, and needs to be regulated way more.

[SellennaeAlara]

I would consider phostor homes that get kids just for the check to be a kid's version of an animal shelter. Though we are not putting them down no.

I agree that puppy mill's need to go; but people should still have the right to breed their dog if they so chose.

My mom never fixed her Golden Retriever and when I was about eight did try to bread her; but by then Honey was to old; she spent most of her time just running away from the male like he was an annoyance

My mom had two reasons for wanting to do this; one Honey had always been extremely maternal towards me; she treated me and like I was her puppy; and to have a little extra cash.

Honey never got to be a mom and that made my mom sad for her; but when Sassy gave kitten's, honey hovered over them. The one I kept as mine; Honey adopted. That dog quite literally raised a kitten. Natural enemies my a$$. Honey wanted puppies so bad.