Debate Issue 1
Earlier, I had a post up regarding a purebred dog that is living in my home. This dog, which belongs to a friend of mine, is not fixed, as he is meant to be a breeding dog as well as a pet.
This was a point of contention with some of my bloggers. They felt that owning a dog that is not fixed for purposeful breeding was wrong.
I myself have a black lab. Maggie was inherited from my grandfather. While my family has always owned purebred hunting dogs, they have always been fixed. They have never had a problem with inbreeding, as they have always gone to reputable breeders, and not puppy mills. Not that their dogs are free from problems: Ice, a golden retriever, has a few health problems do to lineage. She also is too aggressive for the breed.
The point the bloggers were making is this: with the threat of puppy mills and the rampant killing of pound animals, why would anyone buy a purebred or designer dog? And beyond that, why would they not fix them once they become pets? Is it perpetuating breeding problems, or is it responsible breeding?
This is a contentious issue with many, and highly personal. I have close friends who are on both sides of the issue. Please be firm in your beliefs, but do not attack other bloggers. I would like all to feel comfortable stating their opinions with out feeling personally targeted.
Thanks.
posted by Liz @ 2:53 PM
5 Comments:
I'm against breeding, but then I'm also against eating meat and wearing leather, so perhaps I'm not the person to ask.
Although, I must admit, I'm more comfortable with dogs breeding than Britney and Kevin. Talk about creating a monster.
When I was growing up, my mom bred cocker spaniels. We generally had one or two litters a year from the time I was an infant until I was in 8th grade. I loved raising dogs. It was a lot of work, and a lot of fun too.
We never had problems selling our puppies and that afforded us a few luxuries. First was that my mom interviewed the potential buyers. If she didn't feel that they'd take care of the dog properly, they wouldn't get one. Also she made them sign an agreement that they'd have the dog fixed - very similar to what the humane society does.
I am very much against 'puppy mills' and the like. They are despicable as are the people who run them. Small independent breeders are really a different story though.
I respect and admire people who adopt abandoned animals and I got my boy cat Max from the humane society. But it's not the right option for everyone.
We just had a scandal in a Pahrump, NV where a woman had a puppy mill, and approximately 80 dogs were in the worst of conditions. I hope karma catches up with her soon. Thankfully she was arrested and I believe most were adopted (I do believe a few had to be euthanized, but I'm not completely sure).
I don't have a problem with people wanting purebred dogs... if we don't buy animals from puppy mills or pet stores that do, perhaps they'd dwindle. Supply and demand, right?
I personally think that mutts make the best pets. They have personality and character! Just my personal opinion. :)
It's an interesting debate. I'm not a dog person, but I think that people are entitled to whatever dogs they want as long as the dogs will be getting good homes.
At the same time, puppy mills are awful and the people who run them should be thrown in jail.
My dogs are purebred, and I purchased them from two different breeders, one in IN, and one a three hour drive from me.
I choose purebred dogs because of my children. My English Shepherds are bred for voice command and a "watch dog" rather than a "guard dog". So, they are not aggresive, but they are territorial of their home and will bark and give a pretty good bluff to strangers.
However, they are fiercely protective of children, and Dutch I have no doubt will attack if someone touched my kids. It's as if children are their "herd".
Their temperment along the purebred lines is predictable and reliable. There are fewer health problems because certified breeders have hip scores and health checks done to make sure only the best are bred. The rest are fixed, so that the problems are "bred out" of the breed.
My two pooches are everything the breed is called to be. They are trained by my voice, and a bell. They would never hurt my kids, but they will stand in the way barking of someone trying to get into my fence. They don't run away because they are loyal. I didn't need to crate train them. Both are at my feet now!
I don't have either male fixed yet, because they are a rare breed. It is recommended that they have their hips scored at 18 months, and if they pass, that I should stud. If they don't, then I'll have them fixed because it reduces health probelms later.
I grew up with mutts, and some of them you can't predict their temperment. They can be really good pets, but would you chance that with a stumbling, ear pulling, one year old child???
I can't take that chance with my kids, so purebred it is, from a reputable breeder. When I purchased the dogs, I had their pedigree, and the dogs came with all their shots. I got to inspect their home and the parent dogs. The one breeder kept a CD player next to the dogs playing kid/house noises (yelling, pots clanging, etc...), so that my puppy would not be shocked by a boisterous environment.
See, purebreeds don't sound so bad!
P.S., I do that with my exotic birds, too. That keeps me from purchasing a smuggled bird.
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