Is the Dog Fancy Changing?

Oh yeah, definitely. Color breeders . I've been to the auctions too...not a pretty place . And you know, I had a few mares..each one I was told by multiple people that I should breed them. And...told by people I respect and knew well (like the gal I boarded with). Nevermind I was 18 years old, had no experience raising foals, and my horses weren't really anything special.

This. So much this. I dont know how other breeds would handle it but Iv said for years that the American Bully needs "acceptable outcrosses" like they do in horses and cats, and the outcross has to be approved via breed wardens so make sure its actually needed. Dogs becoming too tall and light boned? Outcross to Bulldog. Becoming too heavy? Outcross to Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In a pet breed where the personality traits brought in via each outcross type dont matter so much, I cant see this being a bad idea.

Now in farm dogs, or hunting dogs, these things need ot be handled more carefully, but then again, ranchers and hunters dont care about papers and will gleefully do a 1/4 pit bull 1/4 borda colleh 1/4 kelpie etc til the cows come home (pun intended)

Oh yeah, I had people say that with my mare as well. She was fantastic in many ways, but did not have a temperament or conformation that necessarily needed to be passed on.

For whatever reason in this area I tend to see a lot of people breeding grade ponies (because they're cute you know), and purebred but mediocre breedings of more common breeds such as Quarter horses and paints because the resulting offspring "will have papers."

I'm sorta in the middle but closer to the purebred world. Honestly it sounds silly but I wish all the groups would get off their high horses, sit down and realize that pretty much all the groups have the same goal - improve dog's lives.

I know lots of breeders, with quality dogs, who show and compete. They love dogs and send people to rescue whenever they can, will drive for hours to help out a dog of their breed and so on. Most have nothing against a rescued dog either really, and dislike puppy millers and byb's who add to the population problem. Most have heard horror stories about AR people doing things at shows, rescues refusing to give a dog back to the breeder, suddenly increasing the 'adoption' fee for a rare breed because there isn't a lot of them in rescue and a breeder informed them what the dog was.

The rescue people I know, some are level headed, but I see a lot of death threats towards all breeders, regardless of what the breeder does. Not just 'oh those breeders' but real threats to them, their families, dogs, you name it. I've even heard a 'dog loving' rescue person say HORRID things about a purebred pup that walked in the door with his ears cropped - I get that it's an issue with some but really?

It would be really cool if breeders and rescues worked together. Imagine if rescue litters got temperament tested by an experienced breeder, who then helped figure out which pup went to which owner, and then was on call to help those puppy owners. Or the foster home whelping the litter and raising it with that experienced help. Lots of breeders drive dog friendly vehicles to get a breeding done, pick up a dog, go to dog shows, imagine the transportation help there. Or the 'do not adopt' lists. Or if someone really wanted a purebred whippet and didn't care if it was from a rescue or a breeder, and either group worked together to find that person a dog either way.

Add to that here, the HS is in the middle in a lot of ways. They will work with the rescues, and yes, do 'kill' some animals when required to do so. If the dog isn't adoptable, if it's not a dog they'd want their neighbor to get and have next door, or is likely to eat another dog or a kid, then no, it's not put up for adoption and put down. The rescues in the area BASH them quite a bit for being a 'kill' shelter, but at the same time, if it's a dog they aren't likely to adopt out, or that needs a lot of work, they're full, take it to the HS. I've even heard that the rescues have dropped their dogs off but it's not official because that's the HS's policy.

Pot meet kettle.

The HS has a lot of funding, a vet clinic, a building and staff.....

And round and round. Funny thing is I know people on all three sides and they all still love dogs, mixed or not.

See, I really haven't had a lot of bad "real life" experiences with rescue people. I'm good friends with a woman who runs a dobe/all breed rescue who does massage and swim therapy with Jack, and she has a "breeder" dog as well as rescues and fosters. At the same training facility is another rescue volunteer who has several rescue dogs and recently got an Aussie from a good breeder and is planning on doing confo with him. There is also a trainer there who does white shepherd rescue and has a white shepherd that she shows.

I have a dog from a breeder and a dog that is a rescue and I get way more negative comments about their breeds (lab/bully breed) than I do where they came from. The only really nutty people I've seen on either "side" have been on the internet. I think the majority of people involved in rescue are normal dog lovers who are not out to send breeders death threats, but rather to help out where they can.

The only really bad rescue I know of in this area is a horse rescue.

See, I didn't like that bit, because I thought it was stupid. Who in dogs doesn't love them? (And I don't even totally get the bag analogy, because I know nothing about them, and care less.) But seriously, she may know people who are that obsessed with perfect purebred dogs, but the people I know in dogs are not like that.

Maybe she hates dogs, maybe her friends (frenemies), maybe her breed, maybe her area, but certainly not in my world. I refuse to associate as more than a networking acquaintance with people who produce so much gossipy hatred for those around them nor those who treat their dogs as livestock. Sure, these people exist, but I do not believe they are the majority and painting these sweeping generalizations on common folk defeats the point.

I would say that I love my dog, but I don't have a deep love for all dogs. I find them interesting, I adore learning theory and behaviourism, but I'm no bleeding heart for dogs I don't know, or breeds of which I'm not fond. I can imagine plenty of people who are involved with dogs but don't love them all unequivocally.

I don't think you have to love them all equally, but the people I know in dogs do love dogs in general. There might be breeds they aren't as fond of, but it's easy to squee over a puppy. And there isn't any snobbish "this dog isn't fancy enough to win a show" sort of not liking.

When, on a SBT board, someone posted photos of her litter including a black & tan pup (a disqualification here, and a serious fault in the UK, where the pup was born), everyone squeed over the black and tan. Because it was cute. Who cares she'd never make a show dog, we all loved her! My own first SBT had wonky ears and no testicles, and he was very popular in the breed. I wrote a lot about him, and everyone appreciated his character.

A person I know in another breed has a couple of scruffy looking mixed breeds that she wound up with because she fostered them after being called as potentials for one of the breeds she owns (they aren't), and seems to be incapable of having a dog in her house without keeping it. One of them, she said the temperament wasn't sound enough to place, but considering she later got another dog of her breed because she "borrowed" it to make competition for her show dog, and then decided to keep it ("I always wanted one this color"), I think she just can't have temporary dogs. She gets too attached.

Maybe the snobbish people described exist, but I really don't think it's the bulk of show dog people.

This. Let's face it, most people don't go around talking about how so and so rescue has such a great adoption process and has adopted out ____ dogs or whatever good things. They go around and repeat the bad things, because it's "more interesting" and it's better remembered. So what you will hear about are the bad things. For every bad story you hear, there's a hundred good ones not being spread around.

Really? You love peekachiapompomdoodlewhadadingdongs with nasty demeanors that lunge at you and try to bite, JUST AS EQUALLY as your own breed that you are involved with? You love stupid labs that climb up your face and attack your dog? You love the ugliest POS things in the world (whatever breed fits "ugliest" to you) ABSOLUTELY IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS exactly the same as the breed you are in love with and choose to own and dedicate your entire mind and soul to? and further, you love ALL THOSE OTHER KINDS OF DOGS EQUALLY WITH YOURS FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEYRE ALL DOGS?

No. Almost NO ONE who has picked a purebred as their heart of hearts "loves all dogs for dogs". If your mom showed you the most hideous vile puppy she just got that went against everything you believe in, from a pet store, of a breed designer mix you find completely awful, dont tell me you would adore that dog just as much as you adore a puppy from your own breed, on the simple basis that its a dog

It IS a huge issue and it does happen, in the working world, in the show world, in the pet world. Elitism is alive and kicking, and it doesnt even have to be elitism of anything elite "my mixed breed is more sorry and bedraggled than yours, and therefor more worthy of love than yours" etc etc

Actually yes, I still enjoy those dogs, they are my paycheck. Honestly though I realize they are still good dogs mostly, just lackluster owners.

Furthermore no one said equally. I don't like most dogs as much as mine but I still smile and find joy in other dogs.

You however sound like you have enough elitism and snobbery for all of us.

:hail:

Obviously my dogs are the best. We don't even need to have any more discussion about that.

No really, I do just plain love dogs. Period. All kinds of dogs and breeds. I have met spectacular dogs of every kind of breed. A good dog is a good dog no matter what breed it comes in. Just because you choose to own one type of dog doesn't mean you don't love and appreciate and smile at all the other types of dogs too.

OF COURSE I like my dogs the most. They're MY DOGS. I think they poop gold. I get very happy when I see people that love their dogs as much as I love mine. I think that's what all this 'dog stuff' is all about.

LOL right? Well said.

There are very few dogs I work with that I can't take at least a little bit of joy from. There are some, certainly, but even those, I try to remind myself that this is someone else's beloved pet, and a pet that is no less deserving of love than my own.

I agree, as a mixed breed rescue dog owner. The crazy rescue people and the elitist show people do exist - but they are surrounded by a mob of great people on both sides. Of course the discussion is always the lunatics, because it is way more fun to talk about them.

No, because we are talking about individuals at that point. But do I believe that every dog is of equal value? Yes. I think that my $25 death row rescue dog is as worthy as the Best in Show winner at Westminster, and I believe that the labradoodle across the street who goes for a leash walk three times a day but otherwise never does anything is as worthy as my Champion agility dog. Just because we throw a pedigree on a dog or trim it up for a show, it doesn't become a better creature. That's all human invention.

There are an enormous number of dogs I'd never want to own. There's a smaller number (but still quite substantial) that I'd be just as happy never interacting with in any way. Heck, there's a couple dozen on this board that I listen to stories about and think "How in the world does someone live with that?!" But they are worthy in their own right, and I hope their owners feel the same ridiculous depth of love for them as I feel for my dogs.

^Nailed it.

If anyone doesn't think their dogs are the best, I don't think they should have dogs. It's like puppies. A friend and I have had "photo wars" on FB, and at some point we started a "cute puppy" photo war, and I pointed out that this war was unwinnable, because if anyone ever admits that their puppy is less cute than another puppy, they don't deserve puppies. (and not deserving puppies would be very, very sad )

It makes me feel good when other people admire my dogs, but I assume and hope that those people like their own dogs better, because as much as I love my friends' dogs, I love mine better.

Before I found Chaz, I thought most 'purebred' people were elitists and snobby. I thought most people who owned small breed dogs were the same way.

Chaz has opened my eyes to a whole different world of dog owning. And I really appreciate the members for doing it. I didn't realize how judgmental I was. (And how little I know about dog owning. I'm working on it!) While I still wouldn't purchase a dog from a breeder, I've come to realize that they aren't better than me for having a purebred dog. AND THEY DON'T THINK THEY ARE.

I am still a shelter/rescue person. This is mainly because there are so many dogs without homes and I don't mind giving them one. I also couldn't justify spending hundreds or thousands on purchasing a dog. But I do not judge the people that don't have rescue/shelter dogs. (And it seems a lot of people that have purebreds also have some sort of rescue mutt.) To me, that's like judging someone for wanting to have their own child instead of adopting. It's not for everyone.

There are still dog breeds that I do not like. I agree with BostonBanker. Some of you guys have dogs that I would have shipped back :lol-sign:

I would put myself in the 'dog lover' category, though. I don't love ALL dogs. Not equally. But, for the most part, I enjoy being around dogs. Working with the shelter, I come into contact with a lot of breeds that I personally wouldn't own. But they are still sweet animals that want some loving.

The loudest people are usually not the majority. People shouldn't assume all purebred dog owners are like those crazy people in Best in Show. Just like I hope people don't assume parents are like the ones from Toddlers and Tiaras.

Oh hell yeah, of course. We're all suited to different things, and knowing that is a big part of what makes someone a successful dog owner. Appreciating isn't the same as wanting to take home, and I don't think it has to be to be meaningful/sincere. I see a LOT of dogs every day and can't really think of one I want to take home off the top of my head... but god knows I see the value in all of them.

Even the ones I would prefer to never interact with again. LOL

And I have to say, I've had the experience of seriously disliking (I'll even say "despising"!) certain client dogs and then I spent a little more time with them and... I like them, even love them.