But it was about breeding DA out of pits and other potentially DA breeds. I was wondering what your guys thoughts are on the subject. Do you think it would benefit the breeds? Totally change the breed??
I'm not sure how possible it would be to totally breed that trait out of the breed, so that 90% or more had absolutely no tendency to fight in any situation. Because animal aggression was the main basis for what the breed was selectively bred for, it is pretty likely most dogs of the breed carry the potential to produce it to some degree. It is not necessarily an easy trait to test for prior to breeding because it is often situational. When I worked at the daycare, we had a good number of people bring their "dog friendly pit bulls" to daycare or play time who ended up displaying a fair amount of DA after repeated exposure to group play. Those dogs had not shown prior tendencies in every day life towards that and were appropriate with other dogs when first introduced to group play. It appeared to me that repeated exposure to group play triggered DA in some of these dogs. And with some, once it was triggered it became a pretty serious issue.
So within the current population, selectively breeding against it may or may not be possible. If it were, selectively breeding against it would undoubtedly change other things about the breed as well. Everything from how they look to their general nature to their drive may be affected. You never really know what all is tied together genetically.
It's true that breeds have changed over time, many have been destroyed except for a small fringe who work tirelessly to preserve them. I wonder how many Dachshunds can still hunt badgers, how many Bassets can trail hare. How many mastiffs can still do protection work. Compared to the entire population of the breeds, I'm sure the percentage of worthwhile examples within the breeds are low.
I think all breeds change over time and will continue to change over time. The biggest reason is because times change, needs change and culture changes. How many Dachshunds can still hunt badgers? How many people still need Daschshunds to hunt badgers? Why aren't there any true working PWD left? Because there is no need for them. I do feel that purebred dogs should be preserved. I do look through old books and wonder what those long gone dogs were truly like compared to our modern versions. But I understand why things are the way they are too. I think Retrieverman said it best:
"Dogs also exist within the cultural and economic conditions of their time period, which is why I don’t think we can recreate the St. John’s water dog and the Irish wolfhound probably isn’t the animal you want to use when you go to Alaska on a wolf hunt. The selective pressures that produced these animals disappear or are distorted once the exact conditions no longer exist.
I don’t think my romance and nostalgia would ever lead me to do what Julius Wipfel and his colleagues did
(recreate a breed). After all, that project cost a lot of money and took decades to perfect.
But I can’t say I’m not influenced by these same forces.
Dog people wouldn’t be much without some romance and nostalgia.
It’s just got to be kept in perspective."
http://retrieverman.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/the-recreated-ancient-eurasian-spitz/