Purebred Dogs
by Sass Levine, sasslevine@aol.com
Where do we begin?
Basically all dogs are related to one another, in that they all share their ancestry with the wolf. This canine evolution was established hundreds of years ago as people began to live closer to wolves in the wild. As hungry wolves found human food resources  more plentiful and less complicated than taking down a caribou for instance, they slowly built up a tolerance of human sight and smell, as they fed from garbage piles nearby. As these same wolves congregated near human food resources, and began to feel more and more comfortable, they soon bred with wolves of like temperaments, resulting in the domestication of canines that we share our lives with today. The variations of canine type are a direct result of man's purposeful manipulation of canine genetics, giving us the purebred dogs of today.
Breeding Purebred dogs
Purebred dogs have developed over time, because of human intervention and commitment. This commitment requires documentation of generations, along with trial and error, whereby purposeful breedings are planned. These planned breedings are meant to result in a PREDICTABLE outcome in temperament, size, color, drive, instinct, structure and gait. An established BREED STANDARD for a particular breed defines these specific traits on paper, to be used as a guide, bone by bone, hair by hair, tooth by tooth... Each breed has a very specific breed standard. This standard has been established with the particular dog's FUNCTION in mind. This standard, based on the function of a particular dog type, is a breeders' guide, the perfect specimen used in order to breed with purpose and excellence. A breeder will show their dogs in competition before educated eyes in order to demonstrate success in meeting that particular dogs' standard. Dog shows offer the opportunity to demonstrate success in breeding dogs that define, by their winning, just which particular dogs meet these strict standards of their particular breed considering their individual temperament, size, color, structure and gait etc.
A reputable breeder will then want to breed only those dogs who are as close to standard as possible and others will be responsibly neutered and go to pet homes.. and in some cases might even be euthanized. Dogs that do not win are those who are culled from the breeding lines. These adult dogs are kept or sold as pets.
Buyers of purebred puppies may choose to purchase pet quality, show quality or breeding stock puppies. This is a consideration of lifestyle. Will the puppy be used for breeding, obedience competition, agility, hunting, protection, retrieving, swimming, herding tracking, fighting, racing? Will it be used for companionship, service or therapy dog work?
Even within certain breeds, the "types" may differ within each breed.. Consider a serious function, like a guide dog for the blind.. the dog may look like a Labrador Retriever on the outside, for instance, but that particular dog has been bred to guide.. not hunt, swim and retrieve. So, the OUTSIDE color, size and structure that are the standard for a Labrador or Golden Retriever, might be in place , however the INSIDE, where we find the temperament, drive, drive and energy is purposely bred OUT of a dog that will lead the blind safely and steadily in public. A Lab or Golden used as a guide, cannot have the energy or hunting and retrieving drive necessary for hunting, because its function as a guide dog requires that he be more quiet, less reactive or someone who is blind would get HURT! You would go hungry if you tried to hunt with a guide dog 'type lab". So the breeding at guide dog schools is with the purpose of breeding OUT those basic lab qualities for hunting, and breed IN those qualities that are guide-like instead, but you would still call it a Labrador retriever, wouldn't you? These are questions that buyers need to consider when purchasing a purebred dog.. they may all look similar on the outside, but what is going on in the inside? There can be huge differences in type and not considering the genetics on the inside of a dog can lead to a horrible mistake!
Now consider the time and money it takes for a breeder to travel to dog shows, stay in hotels, to compete long enough, against enough other dogs, to earn a Champion Title in the breed ring. It is those CHAMPIONS that are the breeders! The more popular a breed, the more dogs are entering shows, the more difficult it is to become a champion among so many of them. Rare breeds don't have as many to compete with, but they have to travel more, and farther to FIND the qualified shows with enough entries to compete. When these types of breeders sell a puppy for $ 1000.00... are they making a profit? Try adding in the cost of medical care and genetic education to the project. Don't you think they will want to interview YOU.. ? Are YOU good enough to have one of their beloved puppies?? You could be interviewed and on a wait list for a particular breeding for months or even years! Don't you think after all this work and dedication that a breeder will want to know what became of the puppies? What did they turn out like? Was the breeding a success? Are they on the right track? Are their beloved puppies safe and warm and loved for life? If you have a purebred now, can you call and chat with your breeder? Have you heard from your breeder since you got your dog? That would make sense, right?
The point here is that there is a lot more to choosing a purebred than the picture tells you. That uneducated choice that many buyers fall prey to is referred to as choosing a dog based on the 3 Cs , that stand for CONFORMATION, COLOR AND CUTENESS factor, without studying that particular breeder's line of dogs which share common PERSONALITY TRAITS - traits that include attitude, trainability, energy, focus, intelligence, ability to learn and overall temperament. Without that knowledge of a particular breeder's line and "type", you may be in for quite a disappointment. Sometimes the result is tragic: dogs who show obsessive, aggressive and timid behaviors, too much or too little energy, and lack of focus. All of which can turn your dreams of a devoted companion, hunting or competition dog into a nightmare. Remember too that breeding close relatives, genetics that are already TOO close, result in diseases common to many purebreds. These diseases typically involve orthopedic, eye and cardiac problems. We see it too in humans with Sickle Cell Anemia and Tay-Sachs Disease, where genetics were just too close for comfort. Quality breeders study genetics for years and demonstrate a lifetime of commitment to a particular breed. This dedication and education gives us the great dogs were dream about! Contact the national breed club of your chosen breed and check out their breeder referral lists. Call and interview breeders and get a feel for their perspective. Be prepared to wait quite a while for the right puppy, and be willing to travel! Reputable breeders require references from YOU, and that you meet face to face. Many will NEVER ship a dog without a human companion. You know you have to wait 9 months to have a child.. so why not wait a bit to get the right dog ? Don't forget the wonderful adult purebred dogs that are looking for loving homes that are left in shelters and foster homes across the country. Remember that these adult dogs are already who they will be so that the guesswork is taken out of it.
Darwin's Theory of Evolution
Suppose we left all dogs alone to randomly breed on their own, what would they all look like? Darwin taught us that the ones who lived to breed would be the most successful hunters, the smartest, the fastest, and the bravest. They would be the ones to find food, shelter and thrive while others with lesser abilities would perish. Those with the traits that kept them alive would breed to others who shared like traits and so on. I guess then that they would have legs for speed, prick ears to hear, long noses to reach out and smell, brownish color to act as camouflage, coats to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer, temperaments and cooperative natures that would help them to work together as a pack....wouldn't that mean that they would eventually all begin to look and act like wolves again?
Look to next month for a help with choosing a breeder....
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