Each to his own. My first dog was a mutt. He had chronic skin problems. No one ever managed to get it figured out. Poor Specky. I was a child and that was a problem for him. He liked adults but not children. After Specky died (not all that old) I saved up my money and got a Sheltie. Great dog. I have had lots of dogs since. All purebreds. They all lived a long time and were very healthy. Maybe people don't know how to pick a good breeder but I'll stick with the various purebreds we've had.

I've had rescued mutts all my life, and my last baby lived 23 years (yes, 23 human years!!!). My current girl is going strong at 5 years of age, and the only medical problem she has EVER had was an accident with a car a couple of years ago, a nasty shearing injury she quickly recovered from. Plus, I CANNOT see how on earth anyone could condone buying a pet when MILLIONS die yearly in shelters (including millions of purebred ones!!). 9 in 10 dogs NEVER find a home... don't breed or buy while homeless die!!

9 in 10 dogs never find a home? Where did you find this statistic?

This is nonsense. Purebred dogs purchased from a breeder are NOT causing any dogs to end up in a shelter, or preventing anyone from adopting a homeless dog, period. And as for the"dying" part, Double Nonsense! There are many reasons why healthy adoptable dogs are euthanized in a shelter, and the fact that a dog was purchased from a breeder is probably NEVER the reason. This myth is a terrible lie told to the unsuspecting public by people who wish to end the breeding of dogs. This myth is one little brick in the wall to separate us all from our pets. It is lined up in the same wall with Mandatory Spay/Neuter laws, pet limit laws, Breed Specific Bans, and high license fees for intact animals, restriction on adoption to people who have an intact animal in the home . . . and so forth. (my show dog's breeder was not allowed to adopt a CAT from a local shelter because there was an intact DOG in the home - and she ain't the only one telling the same story. Explain that . . . )

Purebred dogs purchased by sensible, responsible people are highly unlikely to end up in a shelter in the first place, and talk to the shelters in my area who cherry pick every purebred dog they can find in animal control because they are so quick to be sold. $$$$$$$$ Euthanized? No way.

Shelter dogs die because of health, temperament, lack of money or politics, has nothing to do with being purchased from a breeder.

I strongly disagree with your statement. I just adopted a mutt from the local shelter. I looked at many purebreds at rescue organizations that were "dumped" by breeders after their usefulness at breeding was over. They were older and often had health problems. They definitely took the place at rescue of another shelter dog. No matter how you want to spin it, that's the way it is in GA. People were NOT lined up to adopt them either.

And you saw these dogs turn in records where a person wrote he/she was a breeder and they were dumping this dog because it was too old to breed?

People looking for adult dogs use to go to breeders, but after breed rescue caught on people started contacting them. In my breed when someone wants to find a home for a retired champion (often because of pet limit laws) they go to our breed rescue if they need help finding a wonderful home. Their dogs would NEVER be dumped at a shelter.

Why should I need to see the turn in records? You mean all these people are lying? Most people lie to improve the situation, not make themselves look like unfeeling idiots. I talked to reputable rescue groups who have no reason to make this up. You just don't want to admit the obvious. BTW, these were not breed specific rescue either.

My Persian was rescued from a "breeder" in Alabama who let the cats breed indiscrimately after her husband died. There were dozens of these cats who ended up in rescue all over Alabama and GA. That also means that spaces for shelter cats were taken up by these poor creatures. My kitty had a short, miserable life full of health problems. The powers that be in Alabama decided that the woman could no longer breed cats but could still continue to breed dogs. Want one?

All you mentioned were retired champions going into rescue. What about the others?

It would be interesting and informative to do a study about why people turn in dogs.. thankfully it has already been done... not one of the top ten reasons is "because they are too old to breed"

Can you provide details about this study?

sure but much easier just to Google Top Ten Reasons Dogs Are In Shelters.

I said nothing about retired champions GOING INTO rescue. So, no I don't think people lied to you about dumping breeding dogs, but maybe you misunderstood them too.

I did not "misunderstand" your comment. I should have included some extra words. That is all.

That would be another of many differences between RESPONSIBLE breeders and those who are not. The "dumpers" are the ones who are not.

When my husband and I decided to finally get a dog, we went online and saw that there were two "Border Collie Mix" pups available at the local shelter. We came home with a little black and white speckle-legged puppy that is the center of our lives now. We ordered a DNA test online and it said she was actually half-Australian Shepherd and the rest was too mixed to say. She is so sweet, and in her first 17 months has been very healthy. My Dad always believed that mutts weren't nearly as intelligent as pure breeds. Granted his dogs were plenty smart, but one (a Shih Tzu) had a lot of allergy problems, though the second dog (Papillion) is still going strong with my Mom at almost 15.

I know now, as a middle-aged adult who has read quite a lot about dogs (before and after getting one), that overall there really isn't a difference in intelligence between pure breeds and mutts. Our dog is very smart and eager to learn; and her disposition is wonderful. I really believe no matter what kind of dog you have, the more knowledge you seek and the more willing you are to train and learn; the better dog you will have. Health-wise I don't think there are any guarantees, just like humans, just try to do the best you can at caring for their health as you would your own.

I am a firm believer in mutts and rescues. If it wasn't for people's cravings for specific breeds we wouldn't face the health problems with purebreds. We have bred dogs unscrupulously for too long and created a living hell for some of them.

umm no the "living hell" is the shelter system that kills for 'space'..or because a dog looks like a "pit bull" or any of the other stupid reasons shelters kill dogs and cats by the MILLIONS when they are better ways..

That's what our family calls a 'mutt'. We've had mutts and purebreds and, I have to say, I really love me a mutt. Our last dog was a minipoodle/somekind offuzzylittlething mix. He weighed in at a whopping six pounds, was fearless, smart and lived to be 14! My dear Punkin kitty found him as a puppy at our vets office, the people who had an un-fixed female miniature poodle didn't want the puppies because they didn't look "poodle" enough! She wouldn't leave the cage where our Teddy, who was the last one left, resided until I took him out and let her see him. She started cleaning him like he was her kitten and hissed (the first time I'd ever heard her do that) at the tech who tried to take him away. Well, we had to take him home after that. My two oldest cats mourned for him when he left us and excitedly greet the neighbors Lhasa like she's a long lost family member. I'm with Elipaws-adopt don't shop!

Elipaws, if your dog was a rescue then you were one of the lucky ones to know the true age of your dog that lived until 23. Most shelters and rescue guess the age of dogs. Oh, and the thing about shelter dogs has gotten so old since we now know that many big shelters import dogs from other countries in order to keep their doors open.
I have always had purebreds because I enjoy a certain breed. I like knowing what to expect in size, temperment, possible health concerns, grooming needs and so many other things. I especially want to know the background of the dog like parents and how it was raised when young. All dogs can have health problems. All but one of my dogs lived to a full old age. The one was a dog I got in 1978. He died at the age of 8. I guess he got a raw deal as far as the combination of genes he drew. This happens to mutts, too.

Can you specify what shelters are importing pets?

importing pets is a big enough deal that massachusetts (2004ish) and connecticut (2011) have passed laws aimed at regulating the practice. this is a fairly common practice throughout the northeastern united states.

here's an article about the situation in maine that 'names names' if that's what you're looking for:

http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/15455/Default.aspx

To list just a few....there are many more

http://www.potcakeplace.com/
http://cwob.org/rescue.html
http://www.saveamexicanmutt.org/
http://www.saveasato.org/
http://www.10news.com/news/9330939/detail.html

oooohhh, finally a vet who dares to speak out. my experience is that most vets express some doubts about mutts, and in fact I think it is because they don't want to upset breeders that are good clients. in Holland certain breeds have been put on a list, a type of black list: dogs that they won't insure. at the top of the list is the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. because this breed is bred to have a small head 90 percent of these dogs have neurological problems. I think this is scandalous. for me this is the torture and animalabuse of the west, leave alone china or other foreign countries. and if it was up to me I would close down immediately every adress that breeds Cavalier spaniels. why don't more people speak out? because there is a lot of money involved, as always, sighh.....
Anja.

90% have neurological disorders? What is your source for this information?

Having known several Cavaliers over the years - none of whom have had any neurological problems, I am curious how you came up with this percentage. Could it be that somehow I have a 'force field' that prevents any oddball dogs from getting near me? Of the thousands of dogs I have helped to train over the years, I have only met one dog with neurological symptoms, and this dog was a spitz-type mixed breed from the streets, who could have been hit by a car, been dropped on his head, or been born that way. No one knows, but we do know his head was of normal size and proportion. But every Cavalier I have ever had the pleasure of knowing has been normal, happy, smart, typical spaniels. Unless you call "excessive tail wagging" a disorder.

We are a Senior Rescue, Our Kids are loved, Started with Pet Parents having to go to Nursing Homes, now Folks are losing their homes. Times are hard, Thank my Lord, we manage, Those who can pay some of the medical and food,..." Wonderful ".....Now to get me hoping mad, when 1 or 2 got on their feet, they got a puppy,...But, that is OK, after a year, they are mine....When we can,a few of the Pet-Kids get to visit with their Parents .Now that feeling makes my work a True joy..." OK I'm off the subject "....Pure or Mutt..love is love no matter how it is packaged. But have notice the Reg. / Pure, have more Dental problems as they age.

I love my vets and respect their training and experience, but when it comes to my dog choices in general, I would no more choose any dog based on their practice experience than I would make a decision about having a child based on my Pediatric Oncologist neighbor's experience.

We are (for now, at least) able to choose the dogs we prefer based on our own combination of experience, family background, lifestyle, age, pocketbook, and even our 'political' agenda. And fashion, of course, which is a whole other topic, but I digress. A veterinarian is only concerned with the animals that come in the door, and unless personally involved in the dog fancy, hunting, performance competition, working dogs, and the myriad of dog-related venues in detail, generally do not know much about dogs they do not see. Right? So how many people with Mutts are willing to spend big bucks to treat a complicated health problem? What percentage? Anyone?

Regardless whether you choose to buy a well-bred purebred dog or go to the shelter or rescue group for a "generic" dog, it is more important that people are thoughtful about this choice than whether the dog is "pure" or "mixed". I know someone who has never owned a dog under 8 years of age, and frankly, has never once had a healthy dog either. She prefers to devote her heart to special needs dogs, elderly, unwanted for some reason. Bless her, she cares not about the breed. She often is a 'dog hospice', and probably couldn't tell anyone how many of the dogs she has loved were purebred. Doesn't care, but for those of us who know her, we can count the purebreds on . . . well . . . uh . . . three fingers.

I would truly hope that veterinarians in general could find the time to appreciate the INCREDIBLE amount of health research and successful canine disease treatments that have been possible because the thoughtful, experienced dog breeders push this research, fund it, demand it, and donate their time and love to the cause of canine health.

And not only canine health. Many diseases that affect dogs are also found in humans - kidney/liver diseases, blood disorders, CANCER, auto-immune disorders, some exactly the same as found in people. Not enough time and space to detail here, but the contributions from pure-bred dog breeders towards these diseases is phenomenal, and frankly, unsung.

I have had many dogs of several breeds, including mutts, a purebred Beagle who died of 'something' at age 20+ (street stray, estimated age 3 when we took him in, and we had him for 17 years), one hit by car when I was a foolish child, left the gate open, never again, the rest died of old age, the 'youngest' at 11. None of my lifetime dogs EVER had a serious health problem, mutts or purebreds. This is just anecdotal information similar to this vet's practical experience. I will never generalize when giving advice to first time dog owners, makes no sense, does a disservice to people to suggest that mutts are healthier than purebreds. There are not guarantees, as someone else commented here.

PLEASE, folks, find some gratitude for the skills and commitment to health that many thousands of dog breeders have bought and paid for the advances in canine health, including PREVENTION! In the breed that I have loved for the past 20 years, breeders have practically wiped out a couple of serious health problems to the point that the percentage of affected animals is in SINGLE DIGITS!

As the public opinion has been shifted towards a negative view of purebred dogs, we can likely expect the health of Mutts in general to slide downward, due to decidedly unthoughtful breeding, done to meet the demand to rescue, putting random dogs together to SELL more puppies. And never forget that this is a fact of life, supply will increase to meet demand, and when a lack of a pedigree becomes a positive rather than a negative, what do we all expect? Miraculous improvements in health because of good intentions and kind hearts? In my neighborhood, the big, wealthy shelters are importing random-bred dogs from southern states because it isn't 'cool' to buy a purebred, while the dedicated, experienced, caring and conscientous breeders are hiding their light under a bushel.

Too bad. Rather than overgeneralized comments that "mutts are healthier", I wish our beloved vets would advise people to examine the background of a dog they might like, look into many breeds (purebreds are, after all, behind these mutts), breeders, make a thoughtful decision. The "fashionable" choice is usually not the best. And "fashion" is more than looks, is often more about politics than anything else.

Well said, as always.

So, being a vet, I would think you would be able to come up with better data than "how things SEEM."

What a load of crap! I finally started buying purebreds ten years ago after having mutts all my life (I'm 60). I got tired of the temperament problems, the biting (because most mutts are taken away from their mothers WAAAAY too young), the health problems (3 mutts with hip dysplasia, 2 with skin allergies that didn't respond to allergy shots, 2 with cancer).
My breed now is the German Shepherd and yes, they were once at the top of the list for Hip Dysplasia but now they are near the bottom and if you buy from 'real' breeders who track their breedlines and can PROVE that there is nothing for 8 generations back, the chances of hip dysplasia are next to nothing. It sounds as if your boxer has EPI (I'm not a vet so I can't diagnose over the net but your symptoms tell their own story) and this has been proven to prevalent in mutts as well. What's the difference? I'll tell you. People with purebred dogs are more likely to spend the money to contribute to research and to care for a dog that they've spent thousands to purchase. When you have a mutt that you've picked up on the street, you may love it just as much but will you spend the money when your vet tells you that it has lymphosarcoma or will you follow their regimen of Prednisone only as that is the cheapest regimen and the dog will die in two months? Will you take it to the nearest canine cancer hospital for chemo treatments at 700 miles round trip? Will you put up with hair loss? No, mutt owners will tend to euthanize and not contribute to the knowledge pool that the purebred owners do. If this is the kind of crap that this blog will now spout, I will be unsubscribing. At least the other vet was not 'racist' which is exactly what you are. It isn't purebred dogs in the shelters, open your eyes. It's the thousands of unspayed and unneutered mutts that are allowed to breed at will. Since mutts health statistics are not tracked by any breed organization, it is quite easy to say that mutts are healthier but I'll bet 80% of your practice is mutts. I'll also bet that you're one of the vets that pushes vaccinations to the hilt. Let's dose them up every year instead of doing titers to see if it's needed. How did you put that? You have 'house payments'. Since purebreds lines are tracked, it is fairly easy to find out what percentage have hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, DM, cardiomyopathy, CRA, cancer in their lines. My second GSD has nothing in his lines, 8 generations of healthy happy GSD's, this one has cancer. My brother had cancer too and no-one else in the family has had it for over 6 generations. So does this mean my brother is a purebred because he had cancer?
No what it means is that those who have the funds will treat the diseases, the others will have to watch their faithful friends die. How many mutts die of hemangiosarcoma that is never reported because there were no symptoms that the owner noticed and the dog 'dropped' dead? Do mutt owners do necropsies? I truly doubt it. They do not have find out WHY the dog died, to them it's enough that it died and eventually they will go get another. Yes, I have had mutts that lived to long healthy ages, I have also had purebreds that lived long healthy lives. What you are spouting is pure garbage. Such a shame, this was a blog that I actually sent out to my purebred dog lists prior to this because it had such good advice. Please bring back the previous blogger who at least had a brain in her head and didn't spout off the ARISTA's propoganda.
Oh and if Apollo does have EPI, I suggest that you join some of the EPI lists on line who have experience in dealing with this disease. I know vets love to prescribe that expensive food that makes them lots of money but the rest of us who have had EPI dogs made do with raw pancreas from pigs or with the supplements that help predigest the food and B12 shots that help prevent SIB. Yes, it is a terrible disease but it is not limited to purebred dogs and your comments that it is are prejudicial and unfounded.
So while I am not as eloquent as either the blog writer or the person who left the chienblanc4csi comment, if I had to pick which I would listen to, I would definitely be on listening to the commentor rather than the blogger.
Definitely NOT impressed with this one!

Fantastic comment, so true and from the heart. You have said exactly what needs to be said in response to this topic. Thank you!

Too many people have tunnel vision, can only see what's put in front of them and accept what is told to them without looking further.

My pediatric oncologist neighbor's wife is a social worker - both are superior experts in their fields. But how dreadful would it be for people to use these folks' professional case histories as a basis to live their lives, have children or not, and worst of all - how would they JUDGE their fellow citizens if all we ever knew about were those case histories in these experts' file cabinets . . .

Some vets, and most rescue volunteers and shelter denizens have, in my experience, extreme tunnel vision, only seeing what is in front of them and, sadly, extrapolating this out to include the entire canine owner population. They seem to see the ugliness and not accept that this ugliness involves only a tiny minority of the total, and insist on somehow vilifying people whom they don't know based on the simple fact that they prefer a predictable, well-bred dog to a toss of the dice at the shelter.

Perfect points about the tracking of health problems. You can't possibly compare the health of mutts to purebreds until ALL dogs, or even the MAJORITY of canines, are part of a statistical study. And how many mutt owners, generally speaking, will bother to participate? I don't know, but I don't think anyone knows, and that is the problem.

When I enter my veterinarian’s office, I expect he or she has graduated from an accredited Veterinary College and is current with my state’s licensing requirements. I sometimes use the services of a Veterinary Ophthalmologist, and I routinely submit radiographic films to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. I expect further study, testing, and experience from those practicing in specialty areas.

When I enter my veterinarian’s office, I do not expect nor do I appreciate unsolicited lectures on what animals I should or should not spend my money. And, I do not want my veterinarian wasting my office visit promoting spaying and castrating a 16-week-old puppy. Enough.

Some of my dogs help me move and treat livestock daily. Their purebred heritage lets them do this well, efficiently. Others spend the night camped on a bench above the creek watching for predators. Their purebred background is an assurance that they are people friendly. Some veterinarian took money for checking their eyes and x-raying their joints, too.

I come from an academic environment, and I know good science writing when I see it. To me, today’s subject is a personal opinion not a professional opinion. Please inform your authors they have a sophisticated audience that deserves better.

My husband and I raise and show purebred Borzoi and Silken Windhounds. I also picked up a young mongrel pup from the side of an interstate in the middle of nowhere AZ. Guess which has the nasty skin problems that we cannot definitely find the cause of - the MUTT! Funnier still is when it began to show up - after she was spayed!! So the dog we have that is what animal rights spouting fanatics spout that everyone should own because it is so much better than purebred dogs - is our unhealthiest one - and the problems did not exhibit themselves until we spayed her (another mantra of the AR movement).

to be fair, there are a few studies from sweden that indicate a correlation between mixed breed dogs and better health. they are flawed and far from conclusive, though.

one thing that always irritates me in these discussions is the fact that nobody actually KNOWS, because 99.999999% of the research into genetic disease and other disorders is done on purebred dogs. we only have half the story, because there's no clear picture of how messed up mixed breeds are - so people's positions tend to mirror how they feel, backed up by anecdotal evidence, rather than facts.

Having had disastrous experiences with the purebreds I have owned, I'll never own another one. Part of the problem is that the term "breeders" is used for both good and bad ones. I'm sure there are many good ones, but I'd bet that the number of bad ones far outweighs that number. Frankly bad ones should be driven out of business. I have no sympathy for anyone that defends these idiots.

I'm also appalled at the vast number of purebreds available in GA shelters and rescue organizations. As I mentioned in a post above, many of them were dumped after their usefulness as breeding animals was over. There should be a special place down below for people like that.

And you saw these dogs turn in records where a person wrote he/she was a breeder and they were dumping this dog because it was too old to breed?

You made the claim that retired champions all went to rescue. Got proof for that? What about non-champions? What happens to them?

I tend to accept the word of responsible rescue organizations.

I did not say that retired champions all go to rescue or go to rescue at all.

I did say "In my breed when someone wants to find a home for a retired champion (often because of pet limit laws) they go to our breed rescue if they need help finding a wonderful home. Their dogs would NEVER be dumped at a shelter"

The above is the same for non champions in my breed but usually dogs that aren't strong show prospects go to pet homes at a young age and are often spayed and neutered after they reach adulthood and are fully matured.

I did say "In my breed when someone wants to find a home for a retired champion (often because of pet limit laws) they go to our breed rescue if they need help finding a wonderful home. Their dogs would NEVER be dumped at a shelter"

You're right - I should have qualified my statement to say retired champions who are looking for homes. However, can you prove the statement that they are never dumped? Probably not. I'll have to just accept your word for it.

The fact is there are those calling themselves "breeders" who are vitually puppy millers who end up taking their rejects to shelters. I would hope that responsible breeders would acknowledge these people for what they are and work to stop them. These irresponsible people DO contribute to pet overpopulation.

i fully agree with you that there are horrifically bad breeders out there, CP, but to believe that dumping dogs on shelters is anything but a disgusting, isolated aberration, i'm going to need some evidence. i don't doubt your sincerity, but i think somebody may have been telling you campfire tales.

I'm puzzled by your statement. The dog I adopted from a shelter was listed as a stray. You're saying it's OK to believe that but not to believe that someone could dump a former breeding dog at a shelter? Please clarify.

I did not say it hasn't happened but your original statement sounded like you knew it was a common practice. If you had replied you have seen this reason for surrenders written by the owner on the turn in sheet many times, I would take you for your word. You misunderstood my statement about my breed rescue so I question that you misunderstood what ever you heard about breeder turn ins.

'I'm puzzled by your statement. The dog I adopted from a shelter was listed as a stray. You're saying it's OK to believe that but not to believe that someone could dump a former breeding dog at a shelter? Please clarify.'

believe what you want, i can't stop you. i'm just saying i don't buy that there is an epidemic of breeding dogs being dumped off at the shelter once their reproducing days are done. as in, i would be shocked if it even makes a top 10 list. oh, i'm sure it HAPPENS. as a dedicated misanthrope, i'm inclined to believe the worst in people, so i'm sure some have dumped their old 'breeders' in shelters. but this is a story i've been hearing variations on far too often recently to continue taking at face value. so yes, color me jaded.

if i had a nickel for every time somebody told me the small breed dog they adopted was a former breeder who'd been forced to have 527 puppies before her third birthday, i, i... well, i wouldn't be wealthy, but i'd definitely be able to buy some pretzels from the vending machine down the hall.

again, not saying it doesn't happen, just that i'm skeptical when i hear claims like this now; i have heard far too many people describe their newly-adopted dog as such when it is physically impossible for it to be true.

sorry, your little dog's not a rude, neurotic mess because you 'rescued her from a puppy mill,' she's like that because you haven't even begun to socialize or train her and you leave her alone at home all day while you're at work (ok, i sense an off-topic rant coming. i'll stop here).

This is what I said:

"I looked at many purebreds at rescue organizations that were "dumped" by breeders after their usefulness at breeding was over."

You have translated that statement into an "epidemic" based on my experience.

My cocker spaniel died in June. He was sick about 60-70% of the time that I had him (since 2005). I was determined to avoid purebreds based on my experience with him. I was diligent in determining the history of any pet I was interested in. The last time I looked for a dog was in 2008. The number of purebreds that were up for adoption from shelters and rescues has greatly increased since then. Many of those purebreds came from breeding situations. If you don't believe it, fine.

the nature of purebreds is that they are deliberately bred, so naturally most purebreds you find a shelter have originated from a breeder. even though this makes me angry, i don't have a problem with somebody saying that. it's true, and getting angry over people stating facts does nobody any favors.

my issue was with you saying these breeders were dropping their old stock of at shelters. to me, it sounded like you were painting this as common practice, which is quite frankly absurd. if that is actually the way breeders operate in georgia and you can prove it, or if it is not the meaning you intended to convey, my apologies.

"I looked at many purebreds at rescue organizations that were "dumped" by breeders after their usefulness at breeding was over."

That is the statement; and again I stand by it.

I gather you are familiar with the Northeast. All I can say is that it is totally different in GA (and most of the Southeast). The recession has hit the Atlanta area hard, and rural GA was never particularly animal friendly anyway. If you haven't experienced this miserable situation, it is hard to understand. However, I did emphasize that these observations were based on my personal experiences but was constantly told that I was misinformed. It seems that people must understand that different regions have different experiences. Believe me, it would be much better if rescues had to make up sad stories to adopt animals rather than just telling the miserable truth.

Hope your area of the US treats their pets better.

Accepting the word of rescue groups might be a mistake, unless you know for sure of the agenda underlying the mission.

A rescue near me routinely lies to the public in order to market dogs that are hard to place. I'm sure they are not alone. One example is the extremely shy beagle with no tail. The rescue group told the new owners that "the breeder cut off her tail to make it easier to breed her". Pure baloney, but if they can tell a sad story about a dog that tugs at someone's heart, they feel the lie is justified. That poor shy beagle was languishing in the back of the cage for a long time, I'm sure, so someone made up a story to make her more appealing.

The problem with this story is that it has been told over and over and over again.

The rescue groups in GA are too busy with pet overpopulation/abandonment to create any kind of agenda. People give up pets for all sorts of reasons. It's insulting that you question the motives of legitimate rescues. There are enough heartrending stories of real animal abuse and neglect that negates the need for inventing them. I might wonder about what your real motives are.

"Real motives"? Come on now. My "real motive" is to protect dog lovers, myself in particular, from the likes of HSUS, PETA, and other stealth animal rights groups, because the "real motive" of those groups is to eliminate pets. I am not kidding. How does this "motive" apply to this blog topic, you might ask? It applies because the primary technique used by these groups is Divide and Conquer. They don't really have to do much but announce a problem, create a crisis, put out a call to action, and then let the kind hearted animal lovers point fingers of blame at the nearest target, and attack each other. They even provide the words,- overbreeding, pet overpopulation, 'puppy mill', 'factory farm', unhealthy purebreds, forced breeding - inflammatory language designed to vilify someone simply because that someone might not do things the way you would like them to. After the public gets all up in arms over a perceived crisis, groups like HSUS step in with a so-called solution. Legislation. People are watching news reports covering these crisis, and yelling at their TVs "there oughta be a LAW!", and lo and behold, there is one all written up in the HSUS boilerplate style, easily customized to fit any locality. And along with the legislation is the standard plea for MONEY. The new director of philanthropy for HSUS, Debra Peeples, claims to have a goal to increase the annual budget of HSUS from $150 million to $500 million. Yes, FIVE HUNDRED MILLION a year. Imagine the damage they can do with that kind of money. We will be very lucky indeed to have any dogs at all, or cats, and of course the rabbits are climbing to the top of the HSUS's list.

There is a long history of the 'tail wagging the dog' legislation, but the latest crisis created by the animal rights groups is Animal Hoarding, and there are plenty of water carriers for HSUS who see a hoarder in every neighborhood, this could go on for years. The Pet Limit Laws are increasing exponentially. It seems as if the Puppy Mill bus is loaded and on the road, so there must be some big cash generating crisis growing legs to fill in the "puppy mill" void as is becomes less sexy. Let's not get into this topic, all of us have lives to lead - this is just an example.

My "real motive" in this discussion is to share what I have learned in a long life in dogs as a way to keep our beloved dogs healthy, happy, in proper homes, and leading good lives. I live in the upper mid west, which has a very real shortage of dogs, particularly dogs in rescue. We have the opposite of an 'overpopulation' problem here, much like the northeast. In order to provide enough dogs to sell to people who believe they are saving a life by adopting a shelter dog (not really), our large shelter businesses import dogs from southern states. I am very suspicious of where these dogs come from, which could make a whole new blog post. Clearly the dogs imported here are not really homeless dogs. There are a lot of puppies and cross-bred (designer) dogs, very likely bred specifically to meet high demand for small dogs and young puppies, who are not old enough to be officially homeless. They are not strays, they are recently weaned, small cute little dogs and some hound mixes, popular in the south. I haven't seen a single purebred come up from southern states. If breeders are dumping dogs, they are not hitting the road. It has to be a very small problem, very local.

The marketing of rescue has been wildly successful in the upper mid west, so much so that in the past twenty years, the population of dogs seen in public parks and out walking has flipped the percentages. It used to be about 80% purebreds around here, and now purebreds are maybe 20% of the dogs we see out and about.

The reason I have such a problem with shelters making up stories to make people feel sorry for a dog with 'issues' is because it is such a terrible thing to do to both the families AND the dogs. If our goal is to make lifetime commitments to our family pets, relationships that last, wouldn't we want to be totally honest with people? When our local shelter brings in a loaded Petsmart Charities truck with 50 puppies for sale, they are all gone in a weekend. How many will be turned in to a shelter again in 6 months, or a year? How can families be properly vetted for taking such puppies with no background, no knowledge of health, temperament, only guesswork for breed traits, no predictable size or behavior? How can shelter staff (and many volunteers, not experts at all) do a really good job of matching pups to new owners in only an hour or less of interaction? It's the cuteness that sells, how will it work when the dog is 60 pounds and eating the couch and nipping at the kids? Back to a shelter, probably, or abandoned to the yard or garage, or worse yet, a chain.

I know people will be angry with this statement, but it's truth is self-evident. These shelters are in the Big Business of selling puppies, they see $$$ and a great public image creating a flood of donations from the feel-good media coverage. They hardly have to work at this, local breeders would never cooperate anyway, because these shelters spread a lot of media ink in the public VILIFYING all dog breeders, complaining bitterly about 'puppy mill' dogs' issues, while begging people to take them on. It's disingenuous, to say the least. I swear each so-called 'puppy mill' dog comes with a halo for the new owner. These shelters sell these puppies for almost $500 each, BTW. Fifty imported puppies is a nice chunk of tax free cash in a weekend.

Sorry, I have gone off on a rant, but when someone questions my motive for doing what I do I tend to get carried away.

As Timberblu already said, we all love dogs, and we live in America - where we still can choose our pets for our own reasons. It's time to stop apologizing for being a quality dog breeder, or for preferring a purebred over a shelter dog. That is a big distraction, which allows the AR groups to spread misinformation and close in on our rights to own the pets of our choice, choose our own diet, and so forth.

Wouldn't it be better for dog lovers in the southern states to find out WHY the northeastern and upper midwest states don't have the same culture surrounding dogs? How is it that we have a shortage of dogs? What did the public do to essentially put some shelters out of business (well, instead of closing, they became pet stores, but that is another story)? I don't know how it happened, but it did. It doesn't pay to just insult southerners, doesn't accomplish anything, but something worked, it should be possible other places.

'Petsmart Charities truck with 50 puppies for sale, they are all gone in a weekend. How many will be turned in to a shelter again in 6 months, or a year? How can families be properly vetted for taking such puppies with no background, no knowledge of health, temperament, only guesswork for breed traits, no predictable size or behavior? How can shelter staff (and many volunteers, not experts at all) do a really good job of matching pups to new owners in only an hour or less of interaction? It's the cuteness that..'

Wow, your comments are so true. This paragraph made me realize that this type dog selling is like a Flea Market dog selling operation only with less known about the dogs. Shelters are the new Flea Market dog sellers?

Do you really think that a breeder is going to admit to that? BS

I've had purebred dogs for over 20 years, usually multiple dogs at a time. In that time I've had exactly one dog with health problems, and that was my first dog. After that I got a lot smarter about dogs and I knew how to select a healthy dog from the start. It's amazing to me that a vet could be so uninformed about health issues in dogs. It is not hard to find healthy purebred puppies and dogs if you go to good breeders. People are far more likely to end up with a dog with health problems if they just pick a random dog from an animal shelter, without knowing anything about its background or health, than if they go to a good breeder and investigate the dog's parentage, OFA information, see siblings and dam, and talk to the breeder. But, I guess if you think all breeders are evil it wouldn't occur to you to take that route.

Let me preface my comment with this, I love mutts and take no issues with anyone's personal choice to buy from a respectable breeder, shelter, whatever so long as they take care of that dog to the best of their ability. My only question is where do "pure-bred mutts" like all the -doodles and -poos fall in this logic? Because from my experience they can and do have a myriad of health problems (especially from an orthopedic and internal med standpoint), but technically speaking they are just fancy mutts. If "hybrid vigor" is so productive, why are these hybrids not so lucky? We've even had shelter dogs that were denoted as -poos, -doodles, and all manner of other "cute nicknames" which had equally unlucky health problems.

Excellent post. There is really a LOT of gray area when trying to make a distinction between purebred/mutt labels. It has taken many, many centuries to develop the huge variety in the canine species, with only tiny distinctions, relatively speaking, between breeds currently.

Many modern accepted breeds are only a few years away from their Mutt Roots - the Doberman Pinscher, for example, and many terrier breeds. They were mutts at some time in recent history. Many other breeds are quite primitive, very "old", such as the arctic breeds, the Basenji breed, sighthounds in particular. My favorite breed was "developed" without specifically cross breeding, but bred selectively until there are four individual breeds with a similar name, the primary distinction size. The four 'breeds' have similar coat types, descriptive names related to size, divided by the hunter according to the primary prey, from rabbits to wild boar and large deer. The temperament matches the prey. Funny thing now is that the smallest size (my choice) happens to make great family pets, and are 'cuteness times ten' so that Petfinder.com and other rescue resources have taken to labeling any fuzzy faced primarily white terrier/hound cross as if they were - drum roll please . . . . . . . PUREBREDS!!!!!

It doesn't surprise me at all that vets are not knowledgeable about breeds. Their expertise is in general medical, not much in behavior, coat type, energy level, size differences, temperament, the most common features that make a particular breed suitable for one family and not at all for another. That is too bad, because the average pet owner has a limited pool of resources when seeking information. I only know a few vets who have any understanding of breed characteristics beyond medical, yet this is the only true dog expert most people can think to ask questions of. (These vets are universally active in one or more dog performance activities or actually breed and show dogs themselves.) A good vet will have available resources to refer clients to - breed club contacts, email lists, good specialty books, and we can only hope that would include known reputable breeders. (I try to avoid that word "responsible", because it has been polluted so dreadfully by animal rights zealots, and currently has little meaning, but lots of unfair, indiscriminate judgment carried with it).

If you were to ask my vet, or my search and rescue team's vet tech, about breeds, they would probably tell you that mutts are "biters", and no one should ever even THINK about getting a Chihuahua or Yorkie - they will show you the scars. Think about that for a minute - how in the world could a vet make generalizations on a breed when the only time they see one is under stress, in pain, or frightened.

Very skewed opinion, don'cha think? It all depends on what comes in the door, which is a very poor basis for judgment, I think.

Let me guess you have Podengo Portugueso.

The staff at two of our local vet clinics - one is the premier Emergency referral vet - have seen something very unusual, probably very rare in a relatively high number of Doodle Dogs. Synovial (sp?) Fluid Cancer.

Putting two breeds together, each of which has it's own particular genetic disorders and health issues, the Golden Retriever and the Standard Poodle, apparently makes a whole new dreadful problem. I am not a geneticist or a canine health practitioner, but what I remember from science classes in high school comes to mind, like mixing random chemicals in an Ehrlenmyer flask can make for some real excitement to entertain the teenage boys.

What makes the big difference here is that dogs are part of our families, we love them, and it ain't fun at all, this 'excitement'.

well I must say when I read this I expected to see lots YEA and RIGHT ON's.. so glad I do not..thanks to several posters for saving me from a barf bag experience.
I too will ussub if this becomes an animal rights mantra of "save the rescues" I breed pure bred dogs.. i show them breed them and sell them.. oh yes.. I health test them study lines ect.. I donate to the Canine Health Foundation and also to my own breed studies. honestly who does the blogger think pays for these studies, MUTT OWNERS? I am not a fast or able typist but I agree 100%
chienblanc and donnaw and TyMurphy and anyone else on this blog who says.. buy a pure bred dog. the reasons are legion but if you as a vet really want to keep up those house payments.. count on BREDDERS.. we are the ones who bring our dogs in for treatment more often.. not because we have too but because we care..we also PAY top dollar..we don;t ask for "low cost spy/neuter" or free this or that.. we expect to pay and we do
The blogger lives in a state that has many cities that kill dogs every day based on looks alone.. where is the blog about that? Where is the outrage about that?
nest time one of your friends in vet school applies for a scholarship tell them to send their application to "Mutts Use' and see how much money they get. I am sending this blog to all of my lists.. I hope you are inundated with negative comments and then asked to leave. We don't need you type of bias.. we get enough from the HSUS.
PS kind of hard to believe that a full time vet with a staff or one who works with a staff has to board their dogs with health problems.. what no friends to leave him with who are trained to deal with EPI..

I sincerely hope that all of you with intelligent and insightful responses do NOT unsub. You've given more information and have shown that not every vet is knowledgeable in avenues outside of what they were taught in vet med school. Pseudoscience has become popular over the last decade and the public needs to have reality checks. Keep this particular blogger on her toes. Educate the public as to where they are taking their animals. You're all doing a FANTASTIC job.

Not sure why a vet feels a need to pit owner against owner like this. We all love dogs and because we live in America, we have a choice as to what kinds of dogs we want to shsre our lives with. I have owned many dogs in my life and for the record, the purebreds have outlived the mutts nearly every time. Anecdotal evidence is not science and why a vet chooses to use it to promote her own dubious agenda is beyond me. But you want anecdotal evidence, here's some:
Mutt (my first dog as a child, and yes, his name was Mutt) - lived to 10, constant skin issues, thyroid, and occasional temperament problems
Franz (first purebred pet - German Shepherd) - hip dysplasia, lived to 14 with surgery
Wendall - mix - lived to seven, numerous digestive and skin problems, died of cancer
Katie - collie - lived to 14, never had a serious health problem
Percy - mix - demodectic mange, skin problems throughout life, died at ten of bone cancer
Cuillin - collie - died at 14 due to accident, went to the vet for annual checkups only
Cara - collie - had problems with her feet that were never diagnosed; no other problems, lived to 13
Phoenix - collie - no problems, lived to 12
SinCin - Lab/chow mix - bad hips, incontinent, died at 10 after moderate vet bills
Ivy - whippet - currently 15 1/2, never been sick once, had a couple of benign lumps removed
Devon - whippet - 12 - only vet visits for physicals and one dog fight
Blue - whippet - 10 - only physicals, never been sick
Judy - mix - developed dementia at seven, lived to 12 but it wasn't easy for her or us
Chippy, Juliet, Katie, and others - whippets -- no health problems whatsoever.

We have only purebreds now, and our vet visits are mostly for annual bloodwork & physicals, occasional spay/neuter, pre-breeding exams, and puppy visits. Our vets make plenty of money on us, but it's not because our dogs are unhealthy - it's because we believe in preventative care.

Again, why a vet wants to stir something like this up is beyond my comprehension. If she has any purebred clients left after this column gets around, I hope they'll take a good hard look at her attitude and find another vet.

Thank you! Your last paragraph reflects my sentiments exactly. I changed vets when my boy was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma and her recommendation was to treat with prednizone and he might live 6 months, maybe longer. She wouldn't even consider any other measures and I had to fight to be recommended to a cancer center. He will have his last doxy chemo treatment on Wednesday and is still doing agility, tracking, obedience and major league loving. His tumours (which were the size of golf balls) have shrunk away and he is in remission. The vet that I go to now, charges me minimally because she is interested in the scientific progression of the disease and works WITH the cancer center. At 6 months into treatment, he is doing great. When in doubt, change vets fast. His breeder is keeping up to date and has advised all the other owners of this litter to be aware of what my crop up EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE of genetic probability. His dam has been spayed and is no longer being bred, his sire unfortunately has died at the age of 14 of a stroke. Will I get another dog from this breeder? In a heartbeat! I know that she cares. I will also stay with this new vet because she cares. The 'old' vet was just that 'old' and disillusioned and making too much money to really give a darn one way or the other.
Again, this blogger is giving her opinion, not facts and it sure seems to be an uninformed opinion.

great comment to a great comment, GSD Lvr.

finding a vet who will work with you - an listen - is so, so important.

YES YES YES! My experience with a sick puppy taken to an unfamiliar emergency vet was simply HORRENDOUS, a lot of pursed lips and sighing and head shaking by the vet AND his staff because the puppy was a purebred. Can you imagine that? The look on the receptionist's face when I declared that this little show puppy was not spayed at 6 months and 5 days was sheer disgust. (She didn't even know that the pup was a purebred, btw) The emergency vet insisted (unsuccessfully) that we do an expensive ultrasound looking for pancreatitis in a vomiting 6 month pup simply because "we see that A LOT in purebreds" . . . "Touch tummies" he said, "it only takes one little bit of extra liver treats to cause pancreatitis" was what he said when I gave him her history. (She started vomiting a week after her first dog show, which was the tip that this fuzzy muttley-looking dog was not the mixed breed he first thought. That started all the ugly faces and comments.)

Believe me, I go out of my way to warn all my dog owner friends (considerable number) to stay far away from that clinic. They have a negative bias against intact animals, purebred dogs, and for my friends who have S/N shelter dogs, I add that they see you coming a mile away and try to run up the bill.

I wonder if this clinic staff has any idea how much damage that kind of bias and judgmental attitude can cause. Probably not.

Got your feet wet on this one...Doctor Khuly got her share too...Most of us, if not all, care deeply for our Pet-Kids, all God's Creatures and very protective. (off subject again)

I knew we'd hear some strong opinions on this topic! I want to thank all of you who have jumped into the fray on both sides of the issue -- we don't learn anything when we only listen to people with whom we already agree.

To clarify a couple of points:

1. Apollo has Inflammatory Bowel Disease(not exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) and is doing much better now.

2. I am not anti "responsible" breeder and have worked very successfully with breeders as a veterinarian (just ask the owner of the bitch that still has her uterus after I successfully treated her for pyometra.

Let's try to keep the tone civil. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

'We can disagree without being disagreeable.'

you're new to the internet, aren't you?

;)

not anti responsible " breeder ".. wow you sure fooled me. Did you choose this topic just to stir up dog crap? if so it worked.. meanwhile there has been GREAT information given here that supports the pure bred dog and negates your "make my house payment " statement.. are you friends with Jemima Harrison? How about Wayne Pacelle.. a buddy of yours?.. just curious...

I searched long and hard to find a vet who would not tell me my 16 week old show prospect needed to have healthy organs removed because he/ she "might reproduce" I WANT them to reproduce. I finally found a great vet who listened to me.. want to know why? HE BREEDS DOGS TOO...now a good vet does not have to be a breeder but it sure helps if you are one too. I agree with Timbreblue.. I would never see a vet .. and actually give them my hard earned money with an attitude like this blogger. Funny thing.. when i do spay my Champion females after their breeding days are over I pay TOP dollar..why? because I want the best for them. They have given me much and I want to pay them back. I don't ask for "low cost" or go to the free clinic. I see a vet who knows me and my dogs.. not an assembly line .. funny thing though.. most of my friends with mutts.. that is where they go.. Go figure.. and as for retired champions.. i have tow right now.. but if pet limits pass ( those limits are often spouted and supported by HSUS/ASPCA as "preventing hoarding") things will change.. will I place them.. no but I will be limited in the amount of great puppies I can produce for loving homes and those wiht no regard for their dogs .. the ones that end up in shelters will continue to produce "mutts" with no genetic screening or health testing.. but heck this vet says they are healthier.. so lets make sure we make more of them to fill up the sheleters

I am a pet sitter and I have taken care of many pets plus I have my own. It has been my experience the mutts do have fewer health issues than "pure" breeds. My last dog passed away at one month shy of age 22. I rescued her from living at the house where her owner had died two years previously. She lived on hand outs from neighbors. She never lived in a house until mine. Since this was a small town the vet had her records and she never received heart worm, vaccines or regular vet care until I adopted her at 14. She was spayed at the vet and that was it. She was definitely Heinz 57. I went through the dog food scare with her. She ate the tainted food but with emergency vet care for a week she came through and lived another 6 years. She could run faster than me at age 20. No one including the vets here believed until I showed them her records. She was an amazing dog.

She never lived in a house until yours at age 14? I wonder if that helped develop a very strong immune system. Today, especially with groups so quick to claim cruelty, dogs seem to live in a more sterilized environment than in the past. They also are filled with vaccines etc. Many pet owners seem to treat their dogs more like little humans expecting them not to do things that dogs do like rolling in smelly things and drinking rainwater out of mud holes. I know show dog people that don't like their dogs to be on grass because of...I am not sure....maybe bugs? I am ignorant in this area but I wonder how healthy all this sterilization and protection from the elements is for a dog.

haha!

love this comment. i'm forever yelling at my dog to get his tongue OUT of a certain rusted, water-collecting pipe at the park we play catch at - but of course, the second my eyes aren't squarely focused on him, he runs over and starts lapping that delicious red water right up. the dogs i grew up with in the 1970s would definitely look down their noses at the generation of pansy canines we've created.

Dogs eat garbage, drink from mud puddles, lick each others butt and genitals.. and their own ( in public) they will bred their mothers, sisters, brothers, nieces , nephews etc if left alone.. they will join up with multiple partners in the same day, hour or minute.. they eat cat Sh** as a treat. kill small animals like moles toss them in the air and swallow them whole.. they will fight each other one minute and sleep in the same bed the next.. dogs have NO MORALS as we know them although we keep trying to make it so.. to to recap.. dogs are just like many humans..except for eh cat Sh** and mole eating.. and even then I am not so sure.. LOL

maybe I didn't use the right terms. one of the biggest problems is that there heads have to be small and short and this is why the skull is too small for the brain, an absurd situation. the majority of these doggies live in constant pain. believe me, if an insurance company doesn't want to insure a dog they ve got good reasons to do so. In Holland they are talking about prohibiting the breeding. the terms that I have difficulty translating are: chairi-malformation and syringomyelie.(hollow spaces in the marrow of the spine)

In Italy, they ban Rough Collies as a dangerous breed. How does that affect us here?

The disease that affects CKC Spaniels was profiled on an ARISTA program that vilified most purebred breeders (my own breed as well)in England. The true percentage of dogs affected is miniscule. The CKC Spaniel has been in existence in its current form since the 17th century (look at the paintings in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London). This is like saying that all cows have mad cow disease because one in Iowa has it.

Holland also allows marijuana to be smoked in public cafe's in certain areas and prostitution is legal (with prostitutes standing in windows on the street). Does this mean we should follow their dictates? Please~! I've been there and seen it and it's definitely not pretty.

CKC Spaniels have been faithful, healthy companions for over 400 years. I have some in my agility class and they are great little dogs. I know people who breed them and they are honourable people who ensure that their dogs have health clearances and are temperamentally stable. What shelter does the same! P

Stop spouting the ARISTA's diatribe under the guise of knowledge about another country's laws and habits. Yes, there are some poorly bred animals in the world but the majority of breeders take great pains to ensure that their dogs and their offspring are healthy. The hardest thing for a good breeder to do is to let their puppies go to new homes. Obviously it's time that you visited some of them and spoke with them to understand how much research goes into mating two animals to produce a line which improves the breed or meets the breed standards. A good breeder does not just toss his bitch to the stud across the street and say, Have at it! Some breeders wait years to get a stud or bitch with the attributes necessary to improve their lines. Syringia Myelia and Chiari Malformation are two recessive genes that are carried in some CKC lines. This neurological disorder affects many different breeds of dog. Some of the known affected breeds are the Brussels Griffon, Boston Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, French Bulldog, King Charles Spaniel, Maltese, Pomeranian, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Hungarian Vizsla, Weimaraner, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Poodle. Syringomyelia is also a human disorder that is increasing in identification. Perhaps we should stop all human breeding too.

someone who uses the word 'crap' in his comments doesn't deserve a reaction. but anyway.
knew you weren't ready for this. the fact that the breed survives for 400 years is because only the last 40 years breeders start exaggerating in certain features of the dog. mastives for instance looked very different 40 years ago and didn't have many problems.

what marijuana got to do with it and windowprostitution... i have no idea. I say; go on closing your eyes for you children smoking a joint and let your prostitutes walk the streets so that they get killed.
not worth discussing with people who are absolutely unreasonable. I hoped you had unsubscribed by now.

I'm sorry that you object to the word "crap"? Again a word that has had socially acceptable use since the 14th century.
So now that I've shot down your argument about the CKC Spaniels, you will switch to Mastiffs (please note the correct spelling of the word - since you object to my grammatically correct use of an English word, I can object to your lack of ability to spell).
The marijuana use and the rampant prostitution are sociological ideals that we as North Americans do not (as a society) wish to embrace, just like the more reasonable of us do not wish to embrace the idea that you kill off a breed because of two recessive genes.
As to your comment that I should have unsubscribed by now...if I unsubcribe that will leave undereducated children like you to cheerlead the ARISTA's program. As soon as you learn to capitalize a sentence, to spell all the words in the sentence correctly, I will consider taking your opinion into account. In other words, come back when you grow up. If you cannot pronounce the word, please don't try to write it or use it a sentence. Try again now...Syringia Myelia and Chiari Malformation...

well one way to make sure there are no more problems with CKS is to make them extinct.. another way is to face the problem .. study it and cure it.. which do you think is the better way?

Only responsible breeders will be able to crrect the problem. The problem is irresponsible breeders.

I had to take a deep breath when I read this blog last night, decided to sleep over it but I am still quite upset about such a blanket anti-purebred statement. I have purebred dogs because I enjoy purpose bred dogs, that come with the understanding that certain behavior traits can be expected, together with their physical appearance and health. I like to know as much about their background as possible. As a breeder I know what's behind my dogs and behind the puppies I have sold. Recently one of my buyers had a problem with their dog which he didn't tell me about right away. He ended up spending lots of money on testing, then was sent to a specialist who did more testing and came up with a diagnosis, only the dog did not respond to the treatment and special diet. That's when I found out about it, I gave the owner information specifically about the breed and related dogs, how much and what to feed and how to go about the problem (weightloss and inappetance), within 2 weeks the dog gained back 8 lbs, a few months now and he is back to a normal weight. 2 vets couldn't figure out that the food was too low in protein and that the dog was basically starving. All we did was vary his diet a bit and feed him more protein and he is eating and gained back his weight. Sure, some breeds have health problems. Not all purebreds are the same, but if somebody goes to a good breeder, regardless of the breed, the outcome is a lot more predictable then if they get a purebred from a rescue or get a mixed breed with unknown background. I personally have nothing against somebody who breeds mixed breed dogs if they put the same effort into it as any good purebred breeder would, many breeds started as mutts but they were still purpose-bred to improve on something, usually function. Most of the mutts in rescues, shelters, sold or given away are not carefully bred. Throwing random genes together of dogs with no health testing or knowledge what the health of their ancestors was is certainly much more of a gamble than getting a carefully bred purebred dog.
Just like many others here have pointed out, it is more likely that somebody who has spend good money on getting a purebred dog will take their dog to the vet, than many who get a free or cheap mutt. I see enough people in my daily work to come to that conclusion. So just because a vet sees a lot of purebreds does not mean the mutts are healthier. many of them are just not taken to a vet. I have only owned one mutt in my life, he was a great dog, when I had him neutered and asked the vet to take hip x-rays because I wanted to do agility with the dog, the vet asked me why I would do hip x-rays of a mutt? I said because he is my dog, and a dog is a dog, and it doesn't matter if he has a pedigree, so please check his hips.

It took guts to open this can of worms. I have been doing rescue for over a decade and have seen the worst of the worst in my breed of choice - Chihuahuas. I love the breed and have great respect for breeders who make the effort to select healthy dogs to breed so Chihuahua lovers have the chance to own one. However, most of the Chihuahuas available here are poorly bred, unhealthy and have poor temperaments from lack of responsible breeding practices.I believe "breeding for greed" has caused most of the health issues in purebreds and the majority of animals in our shelters. Viva Chihuahua!

I am sorry you have had a personal bad experience, but have you not read, many posts here, about the dedication that most breeders have made to advance cures for dogs? The care that most breeders take of their dogs?

Have you seen the thousands of Chihuahuas listed on Petfinders in rescues and shelters throughout the country? MOST breeders are not responsible.

How many Chihuahuas are there on Petfinder compared to mixed breeds? And of those Chihuahuas how many are actually their stated breed? When I look at Petfinder, I am amazed at the creativity of the shelter people when it comes to what breed they identify dogs as. So many of them are called purebred when they are CLEARLY not.

That makes me wonder then why, if breeders are so terrible, why people even want purebred dogs? I mean surely, if breeders are Satan incarnate, why would you want anything even vaguely representative of that world?

Petfinder only allows posts with a dominent and a secondary breed. Strays don't come in with their papers, purebred or not. The point is, someone bred all of them, intentionally or not. Owner realeased dogs and cats were also bred by someone. Responsible breeders do attempt to place the offspring of their animals in responsible homes. If most breeders were responsible there would not be hundreds of thousands of animals killed at our shelters.

"If most breeders were responsible there would not be hundreds of thousands of animals killed"

The FACT is that dogs are killed in shelters has nothing to do with breeders or 'overbreeding'. This seems to be a very hard concept for people to understand, but it is absolutely TRUE!

Animals end up in shelters in the first place due to irresponsible people, the economy, bad luck, poor dog skills in general, but breeding and breeders are not even close to the top of the list of reasons. As for the killing, that is another political and financial problem of SHELTERS, NOT BREEDERS. Can we please get at least a few people to understand this? Please?

If people in the southern states could change their cultural attitudes and beliefs about dogs, there would be no one claiming 'too many dogs' anywhere, shelters, the streets, and certainly not in homes.

This morning I just listened to Dr. Marty Greer discuss the dog statistics around the country, and the shelter intake numbers in the northern tier has dropped like a stone in the past 15 years, but in the south, it has stayed relatively the same in the same time period. As for euthanizing dogs, same story, same comparison.

What is it about the north half of America that has created such a positive animal culture, vast improvement in the numbers all around? Magic? No, it is the culture, but don't ask me about the whys and wherefores, I haven't a clue. And saying 'why' doesn't change anything, only action creates change. Education and peer pressure, cost benefit analysis, a more urbanized culture, animal politics, tradition, rural family dynamics, could guess about this forever.

Anyway, I really have to get to work, but maybe the smart people on this blog can figure out how to make this change happen.

I know that breeders who raise lovely healthy purebreds would absolutely loooooooove to reduce this huge importation of southern dogs to the north (these imported dogs absolutely take the place in homes of these lovely healthy purebreds because people have been made to feel guilty for buying a dog from a breeder), and the dangerous movement towards importing dogs from overseas, bringing Rabies back, outbreaks of distemper, screw worm, Brucelosis and other zoonotic diseases that have already decimated some shelters and rescue groups through foreign importation of dogs. The CDC would like to stop this too.

that they call it the shelter INDUSTRY.. because that is exactly what is is..Chien.. you should start your own b log.. what fabulous posts.. i agree with you 100 percent on everything.. except the "chain".. some dogs do fine ion tethers..but that is a quibble.. nice work

Thanks for the kind words, Alice. Yes, you are right, many dogs do very well on a tether. In fact my own dogs are scent hounds, and my fencing is not totally secure, so there is a tether on a pulley across my yard so the dogs can go out to potty safely, without worries about the deer, rabbits and other critters who wander through on a regular basis. It's all in how you use it, really. I have a friend who is a musher, and all her Alaskan huskies live outdoors chained to a dog house, happy, healthy well-cared for dogs. Their lives are more interesting than most house pets whose owners go to work for 9-10 hours a day.

I think a better word than "chain" might have been "exile". ;-)

I second the request that you write your own blog.

LOL.. to the person from Holland.. CRAP CRAP CRAP.. a fine word to describe a toileting function named after Thomas Crapper who may or may not have invented what is commonly known as the "crapper' or toilet. Just a bit of English history..I agree Marijuana should be legal.. prostitution too.. I have spent some time in the Netherlands and will be back in Nov for a big dog show.Wonderful country where you pay a tax to own a dog

Glad to see you aren't afraid of controversy!

I have 5 rescue dogs - 3 are obviously mixes and 2 are possibly purebred. All of my dogs are relatively young - between 2 and 6 years of age. They have all had some kind of illness that required veterinary care - some minor and some chronic - like HGE, a seizure disorder, and orthopedic issues.

I can't say for sure whether my 2 dogs are purebred - but I know plenty of people who own purebred dogs. Most of them have had wonderful experiences - when they have worked with good breeders. Some of their dogs have been healthy - and some not so healthy - but it seemed to me that the relationship they have with their breeder and the support they receive helps. I know it would have been helpful to me to have that kind of support during my dogs knee surgeries and hip replacement.

I think that the type of care that an owner provides is based on their relationship with the animal - whether it be mixed breed or purebred. If they have a relationship then the owner will do whatever is within their means to help their pet.


I'm a firm believer that everyone has a right to their opinions and I'm glad to see that Dr. Coates is not afraid of exercising that right. It is interesting that you are seeing more purebreds with problems than mixed breed. I'm curious to know whether this is a recent development (maybe due to the economy?)or has this been fairly consistent within your practice?

Sometimes at a shelter it can be difficult to really evaluate a dog's health. Do you have any tips that might improve the health screening process when someone is looking to adopt a rescue dog?

'Most of them have had wonderful experiences - when they have worked with good breeders. Some of their dogs have been healthy - and some not so healthy - but it seemed to me that the relationship they have with their breeder and the support they receive helps. I know it would have been helpful to me to have that kind of support during my dogs knee surgeries and hip replacement.'

this, this, this!

a good, involved breeder is truly worth her weight in gold. finding one can be a feat unto itself, but man, is it worth it.