“The time has come where we’ve just got to give up this kind of “master race” mentality that we have about dogs. Our system of breeding dogs, of isolating small populations called breeds and then practicing eugenics, generation after generation after generation, all of those dogs are inbred beyond belief. It’s not good genetics and it’s not good dog breeding.” ~ Ray Coppinger (author of Dogs – A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behaviour and Evolution) in Dogs and More Dogs (Nova, 2004)
There is a common call, among animal welfare workers, for breeding of companion animals to be regulated, because there are too many animals and not enough homes, and that this should be achieved through legislation prohibiting breeding unless done so by ‘registered breeders’, and by this they mean breeders who are registered with one of the breed associations or ‘kennel clubs’. The intention is that breeding should be the province of experts who have the necessary expertise to do the job in a manner that is beneficial to the animals and the community. In principle, I agree with this ethic.
Download the full PDF version here (31 pages, 700Kb): Just_for_Show
The difficulty I have with linking ‘ethical breeding’ with the breed associations and the pedigreed breeding community is that there are significant problems with the mindset and practices of the ‘purebred’ syndrome.
Watch this movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Hfqv0uCrg (Pedigreed Dogs Exposed)
And this one on cats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YUksJvEcsY (The Insanity of Show Breeding)
Note: The issues highlighted in this article apply equally in breed-specific terms to cats as well as dogs.
Early dog breeding mimicked natural selection, in that dogs were bred to work; the dogs that could herd sheep or cattle, or that could defend against intruders, etc., were the ones that were bred to produce the next generation. This process over time produced the modern breeds. However, with the advent of dog showing in the middle of the nineteenth century, the focus shifted away from function to aesthetics.
The Show Ring has also been largely responsible for the decline of breed purpose, working ability and temperament in a great many breeds, notably sporting breeds, herding breeds and sled dog breeds. The quick and easy gratification of blue ribbons and gilt trophies all too readily supplants the hard work necessary to preserve and advance canine working abilities. Continue reading “Just for SHOW”
