chihuahua "types" rant

[redhen]

Quote:
LOL me too! I swear..i think MY saint bernard is waaaay cuter then the one we saw in the Westminster show...

 

[NewHopePoultry]

its not so much about them being rejects or anything, its the fact that so called breeders breed so far from the standards.
If your going to breed, breed to better the breed not just to add it it and dont use false titles to sell the dogs for more money.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I too believe that many of the standards for breeds have been taken to the extreme and make many breeds unhealthy or not good for their original work.. Just take a look at what the breeds looked like 50-100 years ago. They dont look any thing like what they do now. Take a look at old drawings and pictures of chihuahuas from the past. Todays standards are way off from them. The extreme showable applehead chis have so many problems..

 

[Crazyland]

But Breeders breed to the Judges standard too.
If the Judge doesn't like it then it won't get the points.
Any sane person should throw a book at the breeders who are continually breeding these dogs with more and more problems. The over angulated backs of the GSD. The Bulldogs that can't whelp without a c-section. The neurological defects in the spaniels because of the cranial pressure of to small a skull. The respiratory distress with breeds with muzzles that are now nonexistent.
Like what a PP said. 50 years ago you didn't see these problems so prevalent!

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Thats true..i have persian from a breeder that has show persians..
this poor cat has NO nose.. literally...
she snorts and snuffs all day long...

But i bought her cause she was cute.. so i'm guilty..

 

[bagendhens]

unfortunatly its because chihuahuas are such a popular "acessory" breed...
(up untill a few years ago i showed and bred long haired chihuahuas)

the current holliwood trend are these so called "teacup" "deer type" (which due to the body shape stay lighter than well bred chi of the same height/lenght)
and so youve got all these so called "breeders" breeding whats in and selling because "thats the fashion"

yes its true that standars change and shows have effect in that...

but in cases like this where its simple popularity.

my 3lb male is a 2 time akc champion, absolutly gorgoues coat, great personality, and i still have people come up to tell me that he cant be a chihuahua because his chest is to wide and his heads not the right shape...then try to tell me that their dogs smaller...
*sigh*

there so used to seeing the liked of tinkerbell and bambi and other fashionista badly bred fancy puppymill wowies that they have no idea what a well bred one looks like...

its a problem in many breeds as others have said, the akita being slimmed down, shepards being fluffed up, rotties so bulkie they look like there on steroids, apbts that look like hippos...
its all about whats in fashion...

even more unfortunatly is that its more common in toy breeds...

 

[kyeschicks]

I don't go into all those annoying "details" a chihuahua for me is a small, cool, playful and funny dog, period.

ETA: you have to meet all those "details" (small, big ears, etc...) ONLY if you're going to a show or if you want your friends to know that you have an "original/pure" chihuahua. A dog is a dog for me

 

[bagendhens]

i do agree with that...

BUT i also feel that breeders should be breeding RESPONSIBLY...

you cant be a responsible breeder just breeding willy nilly...
adhering to standard, health testing, temperment...all should play a part in breeding responsibly...

and if all breeders decided "a dog is a dog" we wouldnt have any recognizable breeds...
breeding to adhere to a set standard is what keeps the breeds we know AS the breeds we know.

i dont agree in adjusting a standard to follow current trends which is one of the reasons im not as into showing as i used to be, there was too much favoritism and too much extremity...
i cant stand to look at the bull dog nowerdays seeing a dog that was once a strong proud athletic beast and is now a short legged stumpy dog who cant breath...

but i do agree in breeding towards a good recognizable standard in order to preserve a breeds apearance AND its purpose

so you should meet all those "details" not only if you plan to show...but if you plan to breed!

 

[kyeschicks]

Quote:
good point

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

The AKC is a worthless organization that's sole purpose is to make its self an its members rich.
Everything they do is to help sell there members dogs for more money. They prove that with every show they put on.
Any group that holds shows an only lets people that bough there dog from one of there members compete is selling dogs.
A respectable show would let anyone show an would not be afraid of a non members dog wining.

My pugs are not bread to there standard, they are bread to my standard. They will never win a big show but they can run across a field in the middle of summer without falling over dead. They are fit healthy bulldogs. Not some prissy wad of fat that looks like it got hit in the face by a bat.

My friend breeds teacup chihuahuas. They are pretty, healthy dogs that just so happen to fit in a tea cup. Most people could care less what the AKC thinks about it. All of these breeds were around way before the AKC came along to mess them up an they will still be here well past the AKC.