How a century of dog breeding ruined these beautiful animals

[MattSh]

Watching how one hundred years of dog breeding "improvement" actually ruined perfectly beautiful, athletic, and useful dogs, turning them into a caricature of themselves full of health problems, is really sad. Just look at the deformation endured by the bull terrier above these lines.

Science of Dogs collected these old photos from Breeds of All Nations, a 1915 book by W.E. Mason, and then compared them to examples of modern pure breeds.



More at the link... http://sploid.gizmodo.com/how-a-century-of-dog-breeding-ruined-these-beautiful-an-1477122149

[pipoman]

1. Hoping for German Shepherd..

Breeding for this low back ruined the breed and made hip dysplasia the norm in shepherds..

[AllyCat]

2. If you click on the links, German Shepard is mentioned

I am at a loss how any dog could walk like that...of course, the link says, they CAN'T. The article describes this body type as being "ataxic".

[pipoman]

6. Found a better comparison..

this is under the caption "The Evolution of the German Shepherd Dog", as if this is some sort of natural occurrence..



Champion BODO OF BROWVALE
Son of Ch. Nox of Ruthland, Browvale Kennels, 1952



American Best in Futurity
Woodsides The Real Deal, 2005

http://www.gopetsamerica.com/german-shepherd/german-shepherd.aspx

I love German Shepherds..we bought our last one from a German breeder..they haven't screwed their dogs up like the abominable AKC assholes. The AKC should be diminished to nothing for their disregard for the health of breeds over their twisted opinions of what is aesthetically pleasing..

[Soundman]

8. Do the German breeds have less hip problems?

I am not up on the breed like I used to be.

[pipoman]

10. That has been our experience..

we are going to get another this spring. We look to breeders of working dogs instead of show dogs. This downward spiral has been completely at the behest of the AKC..

[Drahthaardogs]

87. yes, yes, and more yes

If you must have a purebred , buy only fci registered dogs.

[LisaL]

45. Why would anyone even find a back sloping like that to be aesthetically pleasing?

Makes me sick just to look at it.

[xulamaude]

78. Ours is of working German stock as well.

She's not 3 yet but is bright and healthy and sassy (drivey) but that's exactly what we were looking for.

No crazy sloping back but still with the natural 'ready' stance.

[Packerowner740]

81. I've got two female GSDs, both from good breeders that breed police dogs

Neither of them look to be bred to the extent of the second picture with the very low hind quarters. I don't like that look. Both of my girls are very protective. I had one that I had put down about a year ago from the same breeder with no problems. She lived to be almost 14.

[Marrah_G]

84. I love GSDs!

[pipoman]

90. We had a male

from a police breeder... he was a great dog. My wife wants one black and one white this time. we have 5 acres and will hopefully complete our fence next spring. Thirteen is unusual in fact eleven is the life expectancy... IIRC...Our last GSD was the offspring of a blue female we purchased from a family dog breeder who was not in the business and our police dog bred male (he was the runt of the litter). we had to put him to sleep last fall because he Was 125 # and Could no longer get in and out of the house or even up when he had to poop... a sad day

[Mojorabbit]

66. They are trying to breed them back with a straight back

I have a king shepherd. Hoping in the future they are the norm. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/kingshepherd.htm

[MrsMatt]

109. Shiloh Shepherds too

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/shilohshepherd.htm

[progree]

3. Devastating PBS Nature program on how breeding has created devastating health problems

Some conditions are directly related to the features breeders have sought to perpetuate among their dogs. As they deliberately manipulated the appearance of dogs to create or accentuate physical characteristics that were considered aesthetically pleasing, like the flat face of a bulldog or low-slung eyelids of a Bloodhound, breeders also created physical disabilities. The excessively wrinkled skin of the Chinese Shar-Pei causes frequent skin infection; Bulldogs and other flat-faced (or brachycephalic) breeds such as the Pekingese have breathing problems because of their set-back noses and shortened air passages; Bloodhounds suffer chronic eye irritation and infection.

The unnaturally large and small sizes of other breeds encourage different problems. For example, toy and miniature breeds often suffer from dislocating kneecaps and heart problems are more common among small dogs. Giant dogs such as Mastiffs, Saint Bernards, and Great Danes are nearly too big for their own good. Researchers have found a striking correlation between a dog’s large size and a frequency of orthopedic problems like hip dysplasia. Large dogs are often prone to heat prostration because they can’t cool down their bodies (tiny dogs, by contrast, have a hard time staying warm), and because of the massive weight they must support, these breeds are prone to malignant bone tumors in their legs. Meanwhile, the huge head and narrow hips of the Bulldog can necessitate that their pups must be born by Caesarean section.

More: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/dogs-that-changed-the-world/selective-breeding-problems/1281/

The episode I'm thinking of (video):
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/dogs-that-changed-the-world/full-episode-dogs-by-design/8372/

[flamingdem]

4. Can the Bulldog Be Saved?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/can-the-bulldog-be-saved.html?_r=0

-- snip
“Uga is a celebrity,” Seiler explained to me as he cracked open a beer. “If we let him out right now, it would start a damn riot. He’s the dog version of Michael Jackson. People go crazy when they see him.” People also try to kidnap him. Dog mascots are a favorite target of fraternity brothers from rival schools; Uga I was nabbed twice in the 1950s and ’60s.

At the time of my visit, though, Seiler was less concerned with people trying to take Uga than he was with people trying to change him. In January 2009, Adam Goldfarb of the Humane Society of the United States told The Augusta Chronicle that bulldogs, often referred to as English bulldogs, are the “poster child for breeding gone awry.” The article came in response to a scathing British documentary, “Pedigree Dogs Exposed,” that highlighted the health and welfare problems of purebred dogs and claimed that breeders and the Kennel Club (the British equivalent of the American Kennel Club) were in denial about the extent of the problem.

Broadcast on the BBC, “Exposed” spawned three independent reports into purebred breeding, each finding that some modern breeding practices — including inbreeding and breeding for “extreme traits,” like the massive and short-faced head of the bulldog — are detrimental to the health and welfare of dogs. Bulldogs were noted in all three reports as a breed in need of an intervention, with one going so far as to question whether it is ethically defensible to continue breeding them at all.

“There is little doubt that the anatomy of the English bulldog has considerable capacity to cause suffering,” Dr. Nicola Rooney and Dr. David Sargan concluded in one of the reports, “Pedigree Dog Breeding in the U.K.: A Major Welfare Concern?” “The breed is noted to have locomotion difficulties, breathing problems, an inability to mate or give birth without assistance. . . . Many would question whether the breed’s quality of life is so compromised that its breeding should be banned.”

[mopinko]

27. the bulldog is being saved.

there are a couple movement to take the bulldog back to the dog you was in the picture. i have 2 olde victorian bulldogs, and one of them looks almost exactly like the old pic.
there are also olde english, banter bulls, merrits (?), and few others that people are trying to straighten out.

[Tracer]

99. I certainly hope so!

My neighbor recently got an "Olde" English bulldog puppy who looks nothing like the deformed dogs in the photos.

[mopinko]

100. mine are pretty good.

not flawless, but good. one is more "englishy" than the other, but both are well put together. one has allergies, but that is it so far. they are only 2, so time will tell. but they vet says they are fine.

[Xyzse]

101. When I first heard about this, it made me so sad.

I agree, the breeding for specific traits for pure breeds bother me.

[SoapBox]

5. We read and heard about the various issues of "breeding and purebreds"

years ago.

That was enough for us to stop watching those dog "shows" on TV.

And anyone that says..."we have a purebred" makes us SO mad.

[LWolf]

9. I have a purebred.

Go ahead. Get mad.

Of course, I didn't go looking for her. She was given to me. She was an "accident." A friend used to breed dogs, but stopped and became a rescue instead. She had an old (10) female she was working with, and her own dog was precocious; he impregnated the female right before he was "old enough" to be neutered.

The old girl hadn't been spayed because she hadn't cycled in years; it was thought she was "past that." Apparently, the presence of a young male woke up her hormones.

So I've got a purebred, even though we didn't bother registering her. A working dog. She's 10 now, will be 11 in the spring, and is very healthy. She still has plenty of energy and bounces around all over the place. But then, her breed is a "working" breed that doesn't really make a great pet, so there's less (but some) effort to breed for single characteristics.

She's an aussie. High energy, high intelligence, very territorial, and way, way too hairy. She's also spoiled me. I may never have another dog. Or I might have another aussie, if I can rescue one. I've had many other dogs over my lifetime, few of them actually sought out and chosen by me; I've loved them all, and I want every dog to have a safe, healthy, loving home. Many dogs, though, don't suit my current lifestyle.

She doesn't leave the home place, even when she can. She doesn't bother the free-ranging chickens, ever. She doesn't chase stock. She doesn't chase or harass cats. She doesn't chew on things. She doesn't jump on furniture. She waits patiently, "taking care of" the home place, during my long, long days at work.

She simply wants two things: 1. To be where ever I am. 2. For us to have a "job" to do; feeding, chopping/hauling wood, stacking hay, mending fences, riding or walking trails...we've got to have things to do.

The only real drawback I've experienced from the "purebred" aspect is the hair. While there are some working lines that are still reasonable, show/pet lines breed for the abundant "skirts." The thick undercoat sheds 365 days a year, and her whole back end that produces the "skirts" forms vicious mats that can be impenetrable. I spend a lot of time grooming, and every summer I clip her all the way down to make her more comfortable in the heat. That takes a few days, since she overheats my horse clippers.

Right now she's telling me that it's time to go feed the horses. Since it's currently -15, with "dangerous wind chill," I think I'll wait a bit longer. She's worried, though. She knows that's how we're supposed to start the day.

Here she is:



While the history of the Australian Shepherd is up for debate, here's a probable forerunner:


Bobtailed Collie by English artist John Emms (1844-1912)

[OKNancy]

13. love this post!

[flamingdem]

24. Lovely dog nt

[HelenWheels]

25. I also have a purebred

She is a Standard Poodle. I got her when she was 4 yrs old as the family that had her didn't have time to spend with her. They would leave her alone for several days and had a neighbor boy come in to feed her and put her out. It breaks my heart when I think of that. She is so loving and is always with me. We have a multi-family home and some one is there most of the time. She goes with me when ever I go places she can go.
I took her to a Democratic meeting. She was lying quietly on the floor. She made us all laugh because someone said , "Republican" and she gave out a loud growl.

[indie9197]

38. I see these dogs a lot riding down the road

on the back of flatbed trucks. They seem to love it but it is shocking when you first see it. The owner can pull into the store to do some shopping and they will just wait on the truck. They dont need to be trained I guess, they just have no desire to run away!

[LWolf]

48. They are territorial,

bond very closely to their person, and take their job very seriously. Their job, when the person goes into a building, is to stay with the truck, making sure that it waits for the person.

[Tansy_Gold]

52. Velcro dogs

Aussies know who their person is, and they are very protective, sometimes overly so.

Mine is a purebred without papers, black tri-color, and he is big, even for an Aussie, at about 80-85 pounds.

He does not like any gestures or tones of voice that could be taken as even mildly threatening toward any person or other entity to whom he has bonded.

[LWolf]

55. Yes.

Mine loves other people, but doesn't like them in my "space." Which she has determined is anywhere within 6 feet of me. She will, in the friendliest terms possible, advance on them and gently push them out of that range, wiggling her hind end and offering all kinds of affection, while making sure they stay back...until I put a stop to it.

[Tansy_Gold]

58. With a smile, too.

A very toothy smile, but a smile nonetheless.

[RebelOne]

44. I have had 5 purebreds and never bought any of them.

The first one was a pit bull, which belonged to my brother. Then he left him with my mother and I then adopted him. He was a big boy at 93 pounds and lived to be 13.

Then I had two Rottweilers at different times. The first one, Bear Bear, I adopted from a friend in Florida. The dog was 9 years old when I got her, and she lived until she was 12 years old. The second one, Legend, at 2-1/2 years old, was given to me by the same friend after Bear Bear died. She was just 2 months short of her 13th birthday when I had to send her to doggy heaven because she had inoperable liver cancer.

Before Legend passed, my son gave me a 6-week-old Chihuahua for Mother's Day. He was breeding them. Then when Legend died, he gave me Cinnamon, a French bulldog, as he was breeding them also. I soon gave her back to him because no matter what I did I could not get her housebroken.

So I only have Honeybear, my Chihuahua. She is a total terror, but she loves me and I love her.

[Arugula Latte]

51. I hope your son stops breeding dogs.

The shelters are full of dogs and cats that need homes. People who intentionally make more are basically signing death warrants for shelter animals.

[RebelOne]

65. I have tried to pound that into his head to no avail.

But dog breeding is a major source of income for him.

[reddread]

47. Aussies are the best. Breed preservation suffers from the antipathy of misplaced emotions

Aussies are the best of the breeds, smart and fun.
It took a while to locate my third in sequence, yet another
male merle with two different color eyes.
Thats not as easy as I thought it would be.
Learning about the genetic and health requirements of breeding
these dogs shows what thought and care is required.
Even so, I may never see another as impressive as my first,
shame that he was not bred out more than a time or two.
The breed is amazing, but it is not as amazing as it used to be I fear.
That common attitude against dog breeders is foolish. That sort of prejudice
and the push to neuter and spay unprotected animals
harms the prospects of healthier, better specimens for future owners.
By all means go adopt what you like from the shelters and rescues.
But dont hurl hatred at those who appreciate certain dogs enough to take the time and trouble.
There is hardly enough money in it to break even or pay for food and vet bills.
It is a labor love and a lucky person that can pursue it.
People are so short sighted about these things..
Now some of the popular breeds that bring big money and overrun the shelter and rescue space,
thats a dog of a different color.
Aussies rule.

[LWolf]

49. I can't argue that.

Mine has spoiled me for other dogs.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

50. We have two Australian Shepherds

We bought them as pups from breeders. I picked out the second one when she was two days old and went mental waiting for her to be weaned.

They are wonderful dogs and fantastic with our cattle. I never cease to be amazed at their built-in instinct to herd cattle. The youngest is like a fart in a bottle in the house, into everything and never hardly still, but when she's with the cows she's all business. They stay so close when you take them walkies and frequently look up at your face for instructions.

I like the purebreds for their built-in purpose. You can't train a Aussie to 'point' and a pointer isn't bred with the love of herding cattle in his blood. This goes for all breeds. We have adopted dogs from the pound, but won't do it again. It's great if you just want a all-purpose pet, but not when you want a dog that knows his job in life.

Does your Aussie love going for rides in your rig? Mine love it. Like yours, our Ausies never want to go off on their own when they are let out. They stick close, unlike the two Airedales that we had. They were gone for 9 hours once and came back with faces full of porcupine quills. If they had a rabbit in an irrigation pipe, they'd stay there barking all day. The Aussies couldn't care less about cornered bunnies.

[LWolf]

54. Mine LOVES a ride in the truck.

She loves trail rides with the horse, whether we go out on our own, or with a group. In the last years, it's been mostly on our own. My horse keeps track of the dog, who never ranges out of sight, and "follows" her like a herd member.

In her younger years, we often went on large group rides. She would play tail guard, but periodically circle up to the front, where she would sit down and watch each horse pass by, as if "counting" heads, and then take up her place at the tail again.

She doesn't really care where we go or what we're doing, as long as she's there to supervise and help.

Her only vice is one of territorialism about me; she's friendly to all, but if not corrected, will subtly, and sometimes less subtly, "push" others out of my space. Wiggling happily the whole time, letting them know that she's available for all the love they can handle, as long as they don't approach "her" person. What's funny is that it only happens once with people who know aussies; with those that don't understand, it's a constant correction.

[Blue_In_AK]

57. We have a purebred Shih-tzu

I don't know how or if they've been modified over the years, but she seems just fine with no issues. I'm not really a dog person, but she's so sweet and even-tempered and playful, even I have to love her.

[LWolf]

70. I've heard others say the same

about their Shih-tzus. I don't really know anything about them, but family satisfaction ranks high, especially if they come with no health issues.

[Blue_In_AK]

75. She's a cutie

and very well behaved. We don't even put her on a leash when we go for walks -- she gets behind us if someone approaches and gets off the trail if a bicycle goes by.

[LWolf]

92. She IS a cutie!

[Major Nikon]

69. Certain purebreds are quite easy to find on the 2nd hand market

The reason is because some of them are very hit and miss when it comes to family dogs. Working dog breeds, especially aussies and border collies, are often given up by families who thought they would make the perfect family dog, but didn't work out. Responsible breeders know this and will take them back if they don't work out. The others wind up unwanted in shelters. What you wind up with quite often is a dog that has problems, but a small investment in obedience training and the willingness to exercise them both mentally and physically can restore them to the great dogs they should have always been. Aussies and border collies respond very well to training. There's a good reason why you see so many border collies on TV. I've owned 4 border collies. All were rescue dogs. I have always kept mine indoors and they are quite calm, but this is because I take them outside a few times per day and work them. I also keep a good supply of rawhide bones for them to chew on which helps with their nervous energy. The very best situation is for them to be in a working dog environment because they need a job to do, but they don't know the difference between work and play.

[LWolf]

71. Yes.

Should I decide to get another aussie, it's that 2nd hand market I'd look at.

[Drahthaardogs]

88. That is not what prepotent means

Prepotent refers to a very homozygous dog that passes many of his traits onto his offspring.

[LWolf]

91. I don't think I said anything about prepotency.

[Drahthaardogs]

93. Uh, yes you did.

.

[LWolf]

94. Uh, NO I DIDN'T.

Do you have anything to add to what I ACTUALLY SAID?

[Drahthaardogs]

95. ---

." A friend used to breed dogs, but stopped and became a rescue instead. She had an old (10) female she was working with, and her own dog was pre-potent;

ON EDIT:

Can we please be done now?

[LWolf]

96. Ahhh...

you're right. That's not what it means, which is why I'd forgotten I said it; it's not what I meant.

I meant "precocious." I'll go back and fix it, if it's not too late.

[Drahthaardogs]

97. Precocious works here.

I would not have mentioned it except pre-potent is a term breeders use rather regularly (although with the exception of a very select few individuals, I don't believe it).

[LWolf]

98. It is,

which is probably why I typed it. Dogs aren't the only domestic animal to be over-bred for narrow characteristics that play havoc with long-term health; horses, as well. I'm not against breeding for specific traits, as long as it's done responsibly. Health and soundness should always be the FIRST traits on that list.

As a life-long horse owner, I've seen what irresponsible breeding has done to horses as well as dogs. "Pre-potent" is a favorite term of stallion owners, who want to assure potential matches that their stud passes on little copies of himself. Studs can sire hundreds, where as mares will, even if bred every year, never approach that kind of capacity. Yet, the mares are 50% of the result, and, in some cases, important genetic factors are carried on the X chromosome.

[shrike]

103. Our dog was a purebred, Labrador Retriever

She, too, was given to us. She, too, spoiled us for other dogs.

She was an extremely active pup and proved more than her first owner could handle. Wanting her to go to a good home, he gave her to us. She wasn't a dog, she was a four-legged person. When we had to put her down, our friends cried. Smartest dog. So much personality. So much love.

[LWolf]

104. The love...

I think that's universal in every dog that is given half a chance. Dogs seem to get unconditional love and loyalty so much better than humans. Labs? Perpetual puppies, smart and adoring and playful until the end.

I rescued a lab once; kept her for a year and found a forever home for her. She just passed, still with that family, 13 years later. They've kept me up-to-date all along, because it was so hard to pass her on.

[pipoman]

14. Purebreds

are purchased because they are generally more reliable than mixed dogs for traits. IOW..purebred German Shepherds are generally pretty calm and friendly..Shepherd/Chow mix, not so much..You can have surprises, but mixed breed dogs are a 'pig in the poke' as far as temperament, activity, and size..

[proReality]

19. And when people want purebreds

they need to get them from breeders who keep the line pure and don't try to breed to new standards. They are out there, but you have to search for them.

[pipoman]

73. yep

[tabasco]

21. Bullshit

Mixed breed dogs are healthier physically and have more stable temperaments.

People stupidly buy purebreeds - primarily - for their appearance, not their temperament.

[Blanket Statements]

26. Reputable breeders breed for looks AND temperament

I own Akitas, I see the difference in the dogs bred from backyards who focus on the breed's toughness or protectiveness and those who breed for temperament and looks.

[TorchTheWitch]

39. I've always had Akitas, too

With the first one though he was a purebred he came from a non-reputable breeder and had a host of health problems his whole life. Temperamentally he was fabulous, but his physical health problems were a plague. He still had a long and happy life, but there was always various problems to deal with especially when he got sebaceous adenitis at the age of 5. I spent a fortune in vet bills that I couldn't really afford but he was the love of my life for the almost 12 years I had him.

After that I did careful research about Akita breeders, and the next two were/are healthy as can be with good temperaments. I won't risk the health problems again with a dog, and with this breed I wouldn't want to risk temperament issues. Reputable breeders are what is necessary to eliminate health and temperament problems and only breed the healthiest dogs that have gone through rigorous testing and that also have good temperaments. Akitas aren't for everyone, and they aren't a good choice for someone that has never had a dog before, but for me they're the perfect breed.

[Blanket Statements]

46. I had one standard and one long coat

The wooly was awesome, but also female

And they are tough dogs if you've never owned one. They were my wife's first but with her strong personality she did great.

[LWolf]

35. That's true for some buyers, breeders, and breeds.

Breeders who are breeding actual working dogs; working breeds who are going to spend their lives working, though, don't breed for appearance.

Responsible breeders don't breed for appearance.

In an ideal world, which will admittedly never happen, there wouldn't be any unwanted litters or puppies or dogs; almost all dogs would be spayed or neutered, and all breedings would be planned for health, temperament, and function.

The world isn't ideal, though, so it's good that plenty of people will give homes to all those unplanned, and poorly planned, litters. A good start would be to regulate the breeding industry more strictly, in my opinion. That, and make it illegal to own an un-neutered or spayed dog that doesn't have a special breeding license, and make spaying and neutering free as well as mandatory.

[ConcernedCanuk]

37. My own experiences agree with you.

.
.
.

My older brother had a dog, she was three when I was born. When my brother left the nest, he left the dog - she was a family dog.

She was a cross from a Miniature Collie and a German Shepherd - just happened - neighbor's dogs and all - doubt either were purebreds though.

Anyhow, we had to put her down when she was 17 - yep, tears all around for days afterwards.

She was a happy dog, rarely attempted to leave the yard - a knock on the window, or just calling her name (Lady) would make her stop right at the property line - even when she was chasing a rabbit!

Only ever snapped at a person once, and that was in her later years - some kid tried to tease her while she was tied up to the picnic table where we were camping.

She was intelligent, friendly, loved to play, and loyal.

If only I could find a partner like that.

(sigh)

CC

[Soundman]

7. I couldn't agree more n/t.

[Moostache]

11. I have had three Mutts in my life and would NEVER do otherwise.

The entire dog breeding and show community is creepy beyond words and pretty much amoral to boot.
I did not know the problems for Bulldogs had become so extreme...if an animal cannot birth its young without intervention we have gotten into a very dangerous slippery slope and need to get off of it IMMEDIATELY!

[magical thyme]

12. similar situation with canary breeding

Some Gloucester canaries have limited vision through their crest feathers and are barely able to fly due to distorted wing feathers, so live with the constant stress of being susceptible to predators.

One of the singing breeds (I forget the breed now) have such a distorted perch posture that they can barely hop around.

In the horse breeds, the Arabian breed association tried to make arabs look like saddlebreds, taller than the breed norm with a totally flat topline, and ended up with "tabletop" croups and weak loins so the horses are prone to "kissing spine" (a very painful situation where the vertebrae rub against each other) and swaybacks. Also promoted "halter" as a so-called performance discipline, encouraging the breeding of horses that are bug-eyed nutty and barely or totally untrainable, and with long "swan" necks and the above conformation which makes them very, very poor prospects for actually riding and/or driving. Luckily there have been some preservation breeders that have maintained the original, correct, working type.

The Quarter Horse breed association tried to turn quarter horses into beef, and ended up with horses that are too large for their hoof size, so they are prone to navicular disease. And one famous strain of quarter horses passes on a mutation that causes a disease (I forget the name) where they are unable to form good collagen. Their skin starts literally falling off. Instead of banning registration of any horse with that defective gene altogether, to let it die out, they allow them to continue to be registered. It's up to the breeders to know to either test both parents before breeding. They didn't even do that flat out, iirc, but put in a timeline to protect the 1% owner of the stallion that was passing on the gene.

American thoroughbreds have been so overbred for racing speed they tend to be very prone to certain types of injury and breakdown.

[AngryOldDem]

15. That explains a lot.

We just went through about 2 1/2 months of hell with our 3-year-old Dachshund, who blew out a disc in her back. She had to have emergency surgery and extensive PT, which she just finished. For a while, we were bracing ourselves for paralysis, but she's mobile, and pretty much back to her old self. But her right hind leg will most likely be permanently weak, and her gait will be stumbling from time to time. Plus, she can rupture another disc at any time. X-rays show other potential issues.

We were told -- but already knew -- that the breed has a predisposition to have severe back problems. And seeing these before-and-after pictures certainly explains why. These are not defects "inherent" to the breed. These are defects man has created to make these creatures conform to some kind of ridiculous kennel club/picky owner/marketability "standard."

The English Bulldog is especially shocking. Bottom line: It's cruel what's been done to these dogs.

[OnionPatch]

63. And it's not just their backs, their legs are often deformed.

We got a mixed breed from the shelter but he is half dachshund and developed angular limb deformity. From what I've read, it's not uncommon for short legged breeds to develop this type of deformity because it often comes along with the dwarfed leg genes that have been bred into the breed.

I posted about his problem last year. You can see how bent his leg is. http://www.democraticunderground.com/11618986

[AngryOldDem]

114. Aww...

First, what a cutie!

I had not heard of this particular deformity, but it makes sense that something like that is possible.

What did you finally decide to do? Did he have the surgery?

[Quixote1818]

16. Too much emphasis on breeding for physical characteristics and not enough for longevity

and health.

[Blue_Tires]

79. +1

[TexasProgresive]

17. Our dogs are working dogs-Livestock guards

The people who breed for show want dogs with the tail curled right around and with their hair fluffed out-in short they want the dog walking in the show ring in high alert. Winding up the tail and extending the hair are offensive postures the dogs exhibit when facing danger to their flocks. It is not a relaxed state.

What this means is the show dog has been breed to be high strung. Some of these "show winners" are dangerous to be around. We only get our pups from working parents.

[Rozlee]

18. Now, we have people and their "designer dogs."

They're mixing breeds to come up with Baskimos, Cadoodles, Peek-A-Poms and Schau-Tzus. And charging people a thousand or more for some of them and casting off the puppies that don't have certain traits and qualities from both parents. My neighbor has a Labradoodle, they're bred for their extreme intelligence and she's something else. He's welcome to spend the $1,400 he forked over for her. But, I wonder what will happen to all these dogs after 100 years as well. Will people like the way certain mixes look and start trying for breeding these specific hybrids? There used to be a word for dogs like them. Mutts.

[bhikkhu]

41. Mixes are generally healthy; its inbreeding that causes most problems

"purity of line" isn't necessarily a problem until you get the AKC guidelines for specific physical characteristics. Then you have breeders who will incrementally exaggerate those characteristics by inbreeding among closely related dogs. The cost of inbreeding for physical form is a host of recessive genetic traits leading to unstable mental states and poor health, chronic physical problems.

I'd rather have a mutt with a good disposition than a "pure line" dog bred to be sick but pretty.

[KittyWampus]

20. Thanks so much for posting this info. If a few wealthy people made an effort to make

healthier breeds fashionable, it would definitely work, IMO.

And if people made more of an effort to spay/neuter.

And learned to stay far away from pet shops who sell puppy mill animals.

[duffyduff]

22. So let's just force all dogs and cats to be spayed and neutered

Then the animal rights wet dream of no pets can come to pass in 15 or 20 years.

Let's just ban all breeding. After all, that is the real point of the article.

[LisaL]

29. The real point of the article is that some breeds have been bred for extreme looks.

Ruining the health of the animal.
Same is happening with some cat breeds.

[99Forever]

30. Oh please.

The HSUS estimates that animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3-4 million are euthanized.

I'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has a "wet dream of no pets," least of all, animal rights people. Most "animal rights people" I know are caring for the results of the actions of puppy and kitten mills, that have the audacity to claim to be "breeders."

Clearly, you and I must have read different articles if that's what you actually think "the real point" was.

[LisaL]

31. I am pretty sure Peta's goal is no pets at all.

Do you not consider them animal rights people?

[zeemike]

32. No the goal is to stop the abuse of animals.

And when you breed them to fulfill some personal vanities you have and turn them into pets with pain and suffering that is abuse.
Personally I would never own a pure bred dog, and never have....muts make the best pets.

[LisaL]

43. Excuse me, but doesn't Peta consider animal simply being a pet as abuse?

[gaspee]

61. PETA and HSUS

Are both scams who spend all of the donations of advertising and executive salaries. Both do more harm than good. Research their kill rates. Absolutely disgusting.

And yes, their ultimate goal is for there to be no more pets.

[whistler162]

72. Nah... they are all for eating tasty animals!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

106. PETA is pretty much irrelevant

Except to celebrities who don't pay attention or are just dumb.

[KurtNYC]

108. 50,000,000 dogs per year are euthanized in the USA

But that includes end of life euthanizations, perhaps the majority of the number. "Accidental" breedings create the majority of the unwanted dogs as many people wait too long, or never spay or neuter their dogs. More than 40% of people who adopt from shelters do NOT neuter the animals even thought they agreed to do so. Some other stats:

Animal Shelter Statistics
Total number of nationwide animal shelters 5,000
Number of companion animals that enter into animal shelters nationwide annually 5 million
Average annual number of companion animals that are euthanized at shelters 3.5 million
Percent of dogs in animals shelters that are euthanized 60%
Percent of cats in animal shelters that are euthanized 70%
Percent of cats that are returned to their owners 2%
Percent of dogs returned to their owners 15%
Total percentage of dogs claimed to be spayed or neutered 78%
Total percentage of cats that are claimed to be spayed or neutered 88%
Total number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10%
Percent of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20%
Percent of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25%
Total number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6%
Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65%
Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $2 billion
Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25%
Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63%
Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million

http://www.statisticbrain.com/animal-shelter-statistics/

[LisaL]

111. Then obvious solution would be for a shelter to neuter all the animals before adopting them out.

[KurtNYC]

112. They can't don't neuter before 4 months

And people drop off litters of puppies so I think that is where the 'promise' to neuter comes in.

[AngryOldDem]

53. That's not what the article is saying at all.

So, I take it from the snark that you're perfectly okay with what's happened to those breeds?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

105. If that's the point, I missed it. nt

[flamingdem]

23. Does anyone know which breeds are healthiest and least

inbred?

Curious about which ones are left alone.

Mutts may also be a mix that includes and inbred dog though I guess that would help with their health.

[mopinko]

28. the boxer- not a fair comparison.

the boxer was still a young breed in the old pictures, so it isn't really accurate to say that they were change to meet standards, per se. the dog in the picture likely didn't come close to the standards of the day, but boxers were still rare dogs.

[stage left]

33. All of these dogs looked much better before.

What a beautiful animal the bull terrier used to be.

[StarryNite]

34. Disgusting...

They've been turned into caricatures of what they should be.

[Lex]

36. Too many mutts need to be adopted and loved for me to ever buy a pure breed.

I know there are rescue groups for pure breeds, and that's a good thing too.

[hunter]

40. I wouldn't buy a dog any more than I'd buy a kid.

There are so many good dogs in the animal shelters.

I have some tolerance for people who breed healthy working dogs who are actually put to work, breeders who don't pay much attention to pedigree or "standard" but only to general health and ability. I've met some amazing working dogs, but most dogs are not fully employed rounding up sheep and cattle, hunting, pulling sleds, killing rats, etc..

Dogs should never be decorations or status symbols.

The best "companion" dogs I've ever met have been random shelter dogs who are forever grateful to have found a good home.

Our current matriarch dog was picked up as a youngster at a truck stop, starving, in poor health, begging for scraps. She still has PTSD issues when she hears big diesel engines, and she had some other problems when we brought her home, but for more than a decade now she's been the sweetest dog I've ever met. When she sleeps on our bed she radiates joy. After a good meal, after a nice walk, she radiates joy.

She's been a very calming influence on the more troublesome dogs we've adopted since.

My family has always had dogs, and dogs are family.

[IDemo]

42. We have owned purebreds and mixed breeds

Our dogs were purebred Chesapeake Bay Retrievers for most of 20 years. Tough enough for a swim in ice-laden waters, fiercely loyal, and tremendous friends. I have seen them crossed with other breeds such as labs presumably to improve on their hunting capability, but it rubs me the wrong way to see what has been described as "the one truly American dog" cross-bred.

That said, I wouldn't trade my 'shepsky' (shepherd/huskie) for anything.

[tabbycat31]

56. gorgeous dog there

[SheilaT]

59. I have never understood the desire to make

dogs that have extreme features of any kind. It's been my limited observations that mutts are generally the best dogs.

One of the best things about cats is that there simply has been much less of the breeding for extreme looks. The vast majority of pet cats are just plain undifferentiated cats.

[markpkessinger]

68. That makes sense . . .

. . . since the wider and more random the gene pool in any given parent combination, the better it will be for the species as a whole. When you start selectively breeding for specific characteristics, with each succeeding genration, the gene pool becomes smaller and smaller, and the more you increase the likelihood that recessive, less desirable gene pairings will manifest themselves (e.g., the hip dysplasia problem with German Shepherds).

[gaspee]

60. My dogs look remarkably similar

To their ancestors found on 6000 year old pottery.

I am a member of the Nihon Ken Hozonkai and I have 6 generations of health tested AKC and Nippo Champion dogs. I compete at Westminster. I have a dog going to Eukanuba this coming week.

I know where every single dog I've ever bred is right now. The people who get dogs from me are not the same people who would adopt shelter pets.

I've probably donated more time and money to rescue over the years than a lot of people who are so holier than thou about dogs.

Just another case of people feeling morally superior with their choices.

Hint - the people causing the problem with pet over population are not the people who are hobby breeders who health test their dogs, try to breed better dogs (health included) and spend more money on their dogs than they will ever make selling puppies.

The problem people are the uneducated impulse buyers and the millions of people breeding their pets who have no business being bred. The people who do not OFA, CERF or DNA test their dogs.

Add breeding dogs to smoking, breast feeding in public and pit bulls as pile on fests for DU.

[Drahthaardogs]

89. Sorry but you are wrong

Last edited Mon Dec 9, 2013, 08:36 AM - Edit history (1)

One only has to look at a show dog labrador and their oversized bodies vs a field trail lab to see what show folks do to good breeds. Border collies come to mind ss well. AKC show folks did them no favors.


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This

Vs.

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or


vs.
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sa=X&biw=1600&bih=774&tbm=isch&tbnid=8YnAR4gtYR7Z_M:&imgrefurl=http://michellewrighton.com/2009/01/cawa-championship-fundraisers-dog-show/&docid=TWQ6WjjcqV3nvM&imgurl=&w=750&h=613&ei=37ilUvi-LKWF2gXe1YCQAg&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:1,s:0,i:84&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=170&tbnw=198&start=0&ndsp=29&tx=91&ty=64

AKC show people have fucked up a ton of breeds including the cocker spaniel, irish setter, english setter, GSD, and weimaraner to name a few.

[Liberal_in_LA]

62. i'm glad cats are mostly left alone. although i think there are some breeders creating short legged

Cats

[mentalsolstice]

64. Our 1 year old pugs, siblings...

Last edited Sun Dec 8, 2013, 10:57 PM - Edit history (1)

They look more like the old pictures, they're leaner and taller than the modern photo and what we see on the dog shows (particularly our little girl). However, they both have double curled tails, although their mother does not. However, you can't tell what kind of tail a pug puppy will have until the first year or two


Edit...we've rescued a pug, a yellow lab, and countless cats...

[markpkessinger]

67. Irresponsible breeders long ago ruined Collies . ..

. . . by breeding them for ever narrower skulls. Sad.

[whistler162]

74. I blame Ogg for all they problems....

if he or she hadn't tamed the first wolf/wild dog none of this would be a problem.

[BlueCaliDem]

76. We have Pugs. Two. One black, one fawn. I just learned that the father of our Harley

had passed away in February this year. Our Harley is 10 1/2 years old and he's the spitting image of his father, Woody. We adopted Harley when the family who bought him on a whim for their 5 year old son, didn't want him anymore and they were contemplating putting him in a shelter. My husband did a house call at their home (he's an interior design consultant) and met and fell in love with our "Horlee". They asked if he wanted Harley and he said, "Yes!" He's been with us for over seven years now and still going strong.

This is a picture of his father, PJ's Woody. He's on the right:


This is our Horlee when we first got him:

[MrMickeysMom]

77. Best advice.. if you're decided to get a dog, please don't use a pet shop.

I agree with some who chimed in here about no more buying a dog than buying a kid.

I am a cat mother, so I supposed the breeders have done this to cats, too…

Don't buy, and for God sake, don't support puppy mills!

[Marrah_G]

83. And I would also add this:

Please, please please do your research on breeds before you buy OR adopt. Just because you have your heart set on some awesome dog that you have always thought looked great the worst thing you can do is to pick a breed that does not fit into your lifestyle.

[catbyte]

80. Same way with Siamese cats. WTF?

[LisaL]

110. And persian cats are bred for very flat faces and short noses.

Leads to problems with eyes and breathing.

[catbyte]

113. Exactly. Why?

[Marrah_G]

82. I love my Husky mix

Pure husky's are escape artists and once they start running it's often tough to get them to stop. Mine is mixed with a very pack oriented canine so he never, ever wants to be out of sight from his "pack". The only downside is that he can never be left alone or he will howl like the world is dying.

Breed is really important when looking for a dog, but I agree with many here that breeding has damaged alot of breeds especially when it comes to health. Sadly a lot of breeders are more concerned with appearance rather then temperament, behavior and medical concerns.

[Hekate]

85. It's horribly sad. "Man's best friend" was largely a working dog for thousands of years...

... and working dogs have to be healthy. By the same token, humans have been shaping dogs the whole time, so that's not new. What's relatively recent is how disconnected from common sense and the natural world the breeders and their patrons have become.

Most of our dogs have been healthy and long lived mutts. The darling neurotic little Sheltie was sick almost his whole life and had to be put to sleep when he was only 8 years old -- everybody else lived into their mid teens. Currently we have a Lhasa Apso/Poodle mix that cost her original owner $1200, though we got her for the rehoming fee. She's as smart as a whip and very active.

[B Calm]

86. We had a bull terrier named Butch when I was a kid. Everybody loved him,

even the mailman.

[HERVEPA]

102. The AKC can go fuck themseleves (nt)

[bklyncowgirl]

107. A dog should be able to do what its ancestors were bred to do in order to become a champion.

There's nothing wrong with breeding for good conformation but when looks, especially bizarre looks, take precedence over function you run into trouble.

I'd like to see performance given as much emphasis as looks. You'd get a much better dog.