Restoring the Reputation of Purebred Dogs

by Attila Márton

There is something going on in the professional dog world.

Everyone has gotten used to the critics claiming dog shows are purely beauty pageants that exploit dogs as stepping stones for human success, and additionally with financial gain as the main incentive. Everyone has heard the harsh accusations against breeders claiming they are producing more and more dogs when the shelters are full of abandoned animals. And then there is the circulating theory that claims mongrels and even the so-called ‘de- signer’ breeds (which are actually just cleverly branded crossbred dogs) are much healthier than a purebred dog. Following this logic, it suggests that with regard to dog health you can simply set up a hypothesis based on whether a dog is crossbred or purebred.

We have heard all this before. These topics, allegations and urban legends have been around for awhile via the media, social media, and general conversation and rumor. These are regularly the views of outsiders who form an opinion and judgement on the world of purebred dogs as well as the people involved in the world of dog breeding.

But something has happened.

Insiders have also started to complain, those who really know what is going on, and who know what breeding and showing dogs really involves.

Recently there have been articles with a bitter, desperate, or disappointed tone talking about different aspects of dog breed- ing. This seems to be happening almost every month. Facebook is full of insider debates. Breeders, well-known handlers, judges, and journalists more and more frequently are revealing their neg- ative opinions and complaints about different topics. Unfair competition, the falling number of registered litters in certain countries, decreasing entries at shows, unacceptable judging, or corruption both in and outside of the ring, are all being discussed as never before.

There is obviously something going on as the negative attitudes of many have started to increase, indicating that something has gone wrong. Is it a real menace? Do breeders need to worry? Is this phenomenon a real concern? And what is behind the fact that besides ‘ordinary’ people, now those who have been deeply involved in the pedigree dog world for a long time have started to complain, criticize, and at times even condemn the way the world of purebred dogs operates?

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=133730

Posted by Alex on Oct 12 2017. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.