Pet Lovers

[GingerPeach]

---

@Drythe wrote:

Thought I posted some ideas for thought, guess not.

C’est la vie.

---

Did your post go missing, @Drythe ?

[NickNack]

---

@Drythe wrote:

Thought I posted some ideas for thought, guess not.

C’est la vie.

---

What were your thoughts @Drythe ?  It doesn't look like the moderators have deleted any posts in this thread.

[Drythe]

@Kachina624 

Thank you for posting.  I hope you will think about reading a bit more  

Brachycephalic Syndrome

unless you are already familiar with it from other views.

Yes, there are certain breeders who try very hard to make this “look” more defined over succeeding generations.  And yes, The AKC and Cat Fancy do encourage / reward  it.  But there are many responsible breeders who do not selectively breed for this.  

It is is a difficult problem, sort what comes first, the chicken, or the egg.  Will the breeders back off, or will the AKC take a stand?  And what about all the animals who are already here, and all the generations it will take to back off even a bit.

It is hard. All four of the Himalayans by whom I’ve been loved were‘foundlings’’, still they serious issues because of it.

I do know the Morris foundation is looking into it.  Their current initiative is cancer in large dogs, which is HUGE, 2 out of every 3 Labs and Golden’s > age 3 get some form of it.   But I hope they take this up soon.

                                                                           

@NickNack    @GingerPeach 

No idea where my original post went.  Really, just more confusion.  I know we 3 share MUCH love for breeds which carry this trait.

Thanks the notes!

[GingerPeach]

My hope is that one day soon kennel clubs will encourage breeding for health within each breed and give up the idea of flat faces and any other body shapes that tend to cause health issues for cats or dogs.

Tail docking and ear cropping have already been discouraged and/or otherwise not allowed (to certain degrees) by The Kennel Club (England) and I hope these actions and more are just the beginning.

These pets don't NEED to have the shapes or configurations that were either bred or surgically altered since few of them do the jobs that they had those shapes for.  And some of the changes were just made by humans for spurious reasons such as an idea of cuteness, or fierceness, or something else that doesn't benefit the dog or cat as much as it does the person.

None of this is to say that we should give up on or otherwise neglect pets or animals with those shapes.  But I don't like the idea of encouraging those shapes, either.  I want all animals to be healthy.

[Kachina624]

---

@Drythe wrote:

Thought I posted some ideas for thought, guess not.

C’est la vie.

---

@Drythe   Where did you post?  I didn't see yours.

Okay, I see gremlins have been at work.

[Kachina624]

A breeder of dogs, cats, horses or whatever should do so with one goal in mind, namely improving the breed.  This separates the bona fide professional from the backyard breeder who has a financial goal. 

The conflict for the pro is obvious, namely how to breed for improvement when the primary registration organization has other goals.  I know of several great breeders.  The most successful one breeds gorgeous dogs (very expensive) but never shows them.  She has a fantastic reputation as an author and sells many of her dogs to approved homes in Australia mostly as well as the US and Europe.  She doesn't need the AKC championships to sell her dogs.  The quality of the puppies coming from her kennel is obvious.  She only breed a couple of litters a year and uses mostly frozen sperm from long-gone exceptional sires.

Another breeder toes the line between breeding good, healthy dogs and carefully picking shows with fair, competent judges so her dogs can get championships.  She also only breeds a carefully planned litter or two a year.  She tries to designate one out of a litter to be a service dog.  All who adopt one of her dogs is carefully screened.

As with most businesses, breeding has many problems and conflicts.  I can understand why people are hesitant to become involved in it.