Weigh in: On breeding pedigreed dogs
Published: 2/13/2013 2:03 PM
Last Modified: 2/13/2013 2:03 PM
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
While the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show wrapped up yesterday with Banana Joe, a 5-year-old affenpinscher, taking the top prize, the debate over the ethics of raising purebred dogs continues. Check out excerpts of a conversation below and in full length in The New York Times.
Alexandra Horowitz, professor of psychology at Barnard College and a researcher of dog behavior and cognition, author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know."
“In research reported in 2009 in The Veterinary Journal, Lucy Asher and colleagues detailed the number of disorders related to "conformation" -- breeding to a prescribed standard. They looked at the 50 most popular U.K. breeds (a list that overlaps broadly with the U.S. list), and found that with every breed, at least one aspect of the standard predisposed members of that breed to have an inherited disorder.
“Breed standards could be revised to reduce the incidence of these disorders. The pug's predisposition to spina bifida, linked to its curled tail, could be reduced if the standard did not instruct, "the tail is curled as tightly as possible over the hip." Dalmatians with patches are less likely to be deaf, but the standard says, "patches are a disqualification." Change these, improve the breed.
Lilian Barber, breeds, judges and writes about Italian greyhounds, author of four books on the breed. She is president of the Kennel Club of Palm Springs, Calif.
“..there are plenty of good reasons for raising purebreds. Breeding dogs that fit a written standard isn’t just about appearance. Different breeds have different traits. It’s like choosing a vehicle. In many cases a two-door sedan will suffice, but sometimes a truck is needed.
"Some breeds are best adapted for police work, some find people lost in the woods, some assist the blind, aid therapy, sniff drugs and explosives and dozens of other “jobs.” There is also a need for specific breeds to do that for which dogs are known best -- be loving and beloved companions."
Read more here.
Where do you stand on the issue?
Written by
Bravetta Hassell
Scene Writer
