Westminster

[conny63malies]

Hey there. i got some genetice freaks with short legs. lol . My mini dachshund, given the chance, will run into any hole to flush quail , small game or rodents. She could work for living, but mu husband prefers her to be a couch dog. My basset on the other hand has the nose of a sight hound and the eyes of a scent hound. He is a rather useless guy that mostly functions as a speed bump and draft stopper. But atleast he can track a fresh deer blood trail.

 

[GardenerGal]

No offense meant toward your mini-d! Actually, I don't have a problem with the working breeds, even the ones with stunted legs (dachshund, Welsh corgi, small-breed terriers) because they serve an actual function and not being neurotic, yappy and rodent-like creatures (like chihuahuas).

Still, I feel sorry for some breeds -- not just the "rodent" ones -- because their mutations can cause serious problems with age, such as neotony and hip/head shape of English bulldogs. They not only have mouth, eating and breathing problems, but they can only be delivered by C-section too. Humans shouldn't mess with that kind of thing, especially creating breeds that can't give birth naturally without killing the mother.

Hey there. i got some genetice freaks with short legs. lol . My mini dachshund, given the chance, will run into any hole to flush quail , small game or rodents. She could work for living, but mu husband prefers her to be a couch dog. My basset on the other hand has the nose of a sight hound and the eyes of a scent hound. He is a rather useless guy that mostly functions as a speed bump and draft stopper. But atleast he can track a fresh deer blood trail.

 

[conny63malies]

Just messin with ya. lol. The tiniest dogs do have more health problems, espec. if bred for profit and not health. Scooby is only three, but she already had a bad knee in the making and now she also has epilepsy. I dont know anything about her breeder, i got her from the pound. On the other hand my mostly basset is the pic of health and always gets great remarks for being in such a great shape. I know about the english bulldogs and their problems. Our neighbors got a neurotic psycho BD named Soju that they got in south korea. One day he knows me and some other day he sees me and bites into the fence to get me.

No offense meant toward your mini-d! Actually, I don't have a problem with the working breeds, even the ones with stunted legs (dachshund, Welsh corgi, small-breed terriers) because they serve an actual function and not being neurotic, yappy and rodent-like creatures (like chihuahuas).

Still, I feel sorry for some breeds -- not just the "rodent" ones -- because their mutations can cause serious problems with age, such as neotony and hip/head shape of English bulldogs. They not only have mouth, eating and breathing problems, but they can only be delivered by C-section too. Humans shouldn't mess with that kind of thing, especially creating breeds that can't give birth naturally without killing the mother.

 

[GardenerGal]

lol! Glad you (and your mini-Dachshund) weren't offended.
It's interesting that you mentioned epilepsy. I recall reading (and seeing a documentary-type film) about a whole genetic line of dachshunds that had epilepsy, and a faint-like seizure could be caused just by startling the dogs. To demonstrate, someone shot off a blank pistol and a group of the dachshunds just keeled over in a dead faint! If I hadn't known that it was a scientific demonstration and program, I would have thought the dogs were trained to "play dead" when they heard the pistol.

Just messin with ya. lol. The tiniest dogs do have more health problems, espec. if bred for profit and not health. Scooby is only three, but she already had a bad knee in the making and now she also has epilepsy. I dont know anything about her breeder, i got her from the pound. On the other hand my mostly basset is the pic of health and always gets great remarks for being in such a great shape. I know about the english bulldogs and their problems. Our neighbors got a neurotic psycho BD named Soju that they got in south korea. One day he knows me and some other day he sees me and bites into the fence to get me.

 

[Pattyjo]

Loved watching. The dog show. Hated that the Peke won BIS!!!!! I thought the Irish Setter or Dalmatian should have won. I also loved the GER.SHEP. And the Dobie. The peke reminded me of ET. But I wasn't there and didn't see what the judge saw.

 

[Oregon Blues]

It's impossible to tell how good the Peke is, just by watching the television. All you see is hair.

The judge has had his hands on the Peke, so knows what the body is like and the judge has had a much better view of how the Peke moves. With multiple Best in Show awards, the Peke has to be very good.

It is completely untrue that small equals health issues. I can't allow that to pass unchallenged. I have owned 20 dogs under 6 pounds in weight and none of them has ever had any health issue of any kind. One of them is 16 years old and weighs 2 1/2 pounds and is still going like she is a 6 year old. She can jump 5 feet across from the back of the chair to the back of the sofa.

Papillons are one of the leading breeds for winning agility. You don't win at agility if you are unsound or unhealthy. I know at least 5 Papillons who do 3-5 miles every day with their owner. Or rather, the owner does 5 miles. The dogs probably do twice that running up and back while the owner doesn't quite keep up.

I suggest that you don't form your opinion of any breed based upon what comes out of the puppy mills. They have no size preference for breeding cripples and faulty temperaments.

Also. I suggest that you don't fall for the animal rights lie that small dogs are an unhealthy abomination and should be outlawed. They want to take away all your dogs; they are happy to do it one group at a time instead of all at once, by turning dog owners against each other.

 

[GardenerGal]

Did someone say that small equals health problems? I didn't see that. What I do recall being discussed, is that the genetic "fooling around" that has resulted in many specialized breeds, many of which are small breeds, has resulted in some bizarre mutations that do no service to the dog itself. An example cited was the English bulldog, which is the product of humans messing around with neotony (retention of embryonic features and stunting of fetal development) that resulted in the bizarre pushed-in snout and head shape and size, which resulted in breathing problems, eating problems and the impossibility of natural, unaided birth of the puppies. Pugs are a small breed with neotonic issues too.

Poor practices for dog-breeding in existing breeds, is another issue. I was addressing the creation of breeds specifically.

Human vanity has resulted in some miserable genetically mutated creatures that could not survive without human care, in my observation and opinion.

 

[conny63malies]

Sometimes small means health problems. Most of the time its the breeders fault, because they breed for tiny size or other traits.
or even worse line breeding( inbreeding). English bulldogs,,Bassets and dachshunds all were bred to have achondroplasia, the basset also has Osteochondrodysplasia. Scooby my dachsund has luxating patella and epilepsy at just 3 1/2 years old. God knows how she will be when she gets older. I will let her be happy until she loses too much quality of life. Instead of putting her through too much apin and meds she will one day end her life through the house call of a vet, on our couch with her fav blanket.

Did someone say that small equals health problems? I didn't see that. What I do recall being discussed, is that the genetic "fooling around" that has resulted in many specialized breeds, many of which are small breeds, has resulted in some bizarre mutations that do no service to the dog itself. An example cited was the English bulldog, which is the product of humans messing around with neotony (retention of embryonic features and stunting of fetal development) that resulted in the bizarre pushed-in snout and head shape and size, which resulted in breathing problems, eating problems and the impossibility of natural, unaided birth of the puppies. Pugs are a small breed with neotonic issues too.

Poor practices for dog-breeding in existing breeds, is another issue. I was addressing the creation of breeds specifically.

Human vanity has resulted in some miserable genetically mutated creatures that could not survive without human care, in my observation and opinion.

 

[chickbea]

I've never owned a pure-bred dog, and probably never will, but I do take an interest in the genetic manipulations that people engage in. National Geographic just had a great article concerning dog breeds - I believe it was the Feb issue. Check it out!
I've owned big dogs, little dogs, and everything in between. Personalities vary, of course, but essentially a dog is a dog is a dog...

I am no fan of Pekes because I don't like squishy noses, but they aren't totally worthless, either. They are yappers because that is one of their jobs - INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! In case you missed what they were saying the first 97 times they barked, they'll do it ONE MORE TIME!

 

[verity]

Such an interesting discussion! So, it's 'bad' to try to change dogs but not 'bad' to do the same with chickens, rabbits, and cows?!

I think it's great there are so many types of dogs -- truly 'something for everyone' ---

There are, of course, reputable breeders and the ones who have puppy-mill situations --

In my many years of life-with-dogs I have not had any dog who did not, at some point, have health issues --- purebred, rescued, or bred-by-me --
at our house we like 'em all --- would never ridicule any dog or the person who owns it -- each is unique --