You make some good points, and for those that want to breed for "the entire package" in one specific breed of dog, well, that's GREAT. Go for it. But don't tell others what to breed for.
I raise ducks. I have some excelent show quality Indian Runner ducks that are from Holderread farms. Before me, they were owned by someone in Colorado, and my husband and I drove all the way out to Colorado to pick them up (a 5-day round trip). Once I got them home, I actually crossed some of them with another breed of duck in order to eventually obtain Indian runners in a new color variety. This is a very well thought out breeding plan. I've spent way too much money, and countless hours studying the genetics, talking to people, asking questions, getting NPIP'd, building cages, pens, runs, fences, and houses. I mix my own feed and collect from several local produce markets several times a week. I've put A LOT of time and effort into these birds, and I don't expect to get rich. It's my HOBBY! Now if I had been sold these ducks with a contract stating that I could only breed them to "the same breed, and for show purposes", then it would be someone else's opinion of who and what to breed for. This is MY hobby, and I have my own very specific goals in mind in my breeding program. Holderread Farms will always have their well deserved and excellent reputation, no matter how I choose to breed and use their birds.
That said, and onto my next point:
Throughout the history of dogs, especially working dogs, there has been very little attention paid to their physical appearance. It's always been "function over form". In recent history, this has been changed to "form over function" by many of the show breeders, and it has caused some huge problems for many breeds:
German shepherds with bad hips (how can they herd sheep with bad hips???)
Bulldogs that can't run becasue they can barely breathe
Cocker Spaniels that have mental issues because their skull is literally too small for their brain
Dalmations with eye problems
Sharais (sp?) and chow chows with skin problems
Burmese mountain dogs which are so prone to cancer that their life expectancy is less then 5 years
Dachsunds with spinal problems
And more....
All in the name of Beauty!
Times have changed A LOT since our need for the working dog. We no longer count on Mans Best Friend the way we used to. Working dogs, such as shepherds and hunters are now usually a hobby rather then a necessity. A few breeders are still breeding for working purposes, but this too has its inherrent problems when they're in the wrong hands. Have you seen how destructive a work-minded boarder collie can get when living in an appartment? Or how aggressive a territorial Rotweiler can be when locked in a small inter-city backyard?
So many people live in appartments in cities, and don't have the time to properly excercise their work-oriented dog. Nor do they want to spend thousands of dollars on a top show-quality dog whose breeders sometimes opt to breed for confomation in lieu of temperment and health.
There has been a strong trend recently toward breeding "designer dogs" (cocke-poos, laber-doodles, and a host of others whose names I can't remember right now). This is all in seach of the perfect "pet quality" dog with good hybrid vigor. And thus, the man-made evolution of the dog continues.
To those that are trying to preserve the old breeds in their original form: Great! More power to you! To those that are breeding better guard dogs, drug dogs, guide dogs, companion dogs, and pets: Great! Have at it! To those puppy mills and irresponsible breeders that are churning out puppies for their own financial gain at the expense of their dogs: Shame!
And to those that breeders that have already decided that I am un unwothy dog breeded just because I don't have the same goals as you.... well.... you need to let me be the decider of what's important to me in my dogs. If we had all followed the guide lines for the "original dog" we'd still all be living with wolves!
In the mean-time, I will continue with my efforts of finding a good dog to work with. Maybe to breed in the future, and maybe not. But that decision should be mine based on ALL of the dogs qualities, and not just on a beauty pagent score from the AKC!
