To all my friends who own and love purebred dogs, I want to call something to your attention. TV Guide Magazine's description of Westminster Dog Show reads as follows:
“138th Westminster Dog Show
Let's go, mutts! This year, the animal kingdom's true underdogs get the chance to compete in the annual hoity-toity canine pageant for the first time. Unfortunately, mixed breeds are not eligible for Best in Show.â€
Please, PLEASE write to them if you find this offensive. Please explain that mixed breeds cannot win BIS not out of elitism but because they cannot be shown against a breed standard, but are welcome in performance events. Please explain that loving and valuing the unique traits of purebred dogs does NOT mean you do not love or appreciate mixed breeds. You all know that I own and COMPETE with both mixed and purebred dogs, and I value both deeply. I rarely make posts like this, but we MUST stand up for ourselves. I do not even DO conformation showing; it is not about that. It is about this idea of pitting mixes and purebreds against one another and suggesting that valuing the purebred dog is elitist, "hoity-toity," and somehow implies that we think less of mixed breeds.
They can be contacted at
[email protected]. If you have a purebred dog that you love and value, and would like to have another, it is worth taking the time to write in. This attitude towards purebreds and the people who love them does not bode well for their future. We need to educate - and quickly.