??? Breeding at all the right thing to do?

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#21
Re: why breed purebred dogs - I don't think there's a pressing need to maintain every type of working dog. For one, I think the dog-aggression of the fighting breeds would be well lost. And I'm sympathetic to the idea that why should we breed more purebreds? All my dogs came from shelters, two were mixes, and I've known a lot of show people I didn't much care for. But practically, if we did that, within 10 years, every dog in the US would be a pit bull or lab mix. Maybe they'd all have homes, but I wouldn't have a dog, and neither would thousands of other people who either wouldn't or couldn't handle them. And the odds are pretty good that we'd lose a lot of the best qualities of our dogs once the only people breeding deliberately were the people doing it for money or machismo. The delicacy of a toy spaniel's leap onto an elderly owner's lap, the gleeful snap of a terrier's jaws on a stick, the joyous burst of speed of a collie - they'd all be lost. The breeds aren't just cute histories with legs and show careers, they're types of behavior that people have developed to fill specific needs and desires - and which they're fallen deeply in love with. Eliminating them by ending the breeding of purebreds would break a lot of human hearts.
 
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#22
I do under stand what you are saying. Lol.. the smushed faces are cute, but there is a reason for it. They are the same as they were in the 1800's when they were bred for bullbaiting. The short muzzle and wide lower jaw were needed for the dog to clamp itself to the bull's nose like a vise, and the nose had to be upturned so that the dog could still breathe while clinging to the bull. They also had to be low to the ground in order to avoid the bulls horns. They are acually very close to the original bulldogs back then. When bullbaiting was outlawed the use for them deminished and the breed was going to die off, but a few who loved the breed decided to try to keep the breed alive. Though ferocity was no longer desirable they wanted to retain all the dog's other great qualities.They proceeded to eliminate the undesirable characteristics and to preserve and accentuate the finer qualities. Scientific breeding brought results, so that within a few generations the English Bulldog became one of the finest physical specimens minus its original viciousness.
Even though what they were used for was crul and thankfully is now rightfully illegal. If the few people who loved the breed wouldn't have bred then we wouldn't have these wounderful dogs around anymore.
I do agree 100% with what AnimalLoverCatRescuer said though.
Not at all! Todays English Bulldogs could NEVER hold their own against a Bull even if they did have the drive and aggressiveness. Their legs are too short and their snouts too smushed. They are completely a fake breed these days. They do not have the endurance required to handle such an intense workout as that either. Heck, they can barely take a walk around the block! This breed has really gone down the tubes. The Olde English Bulldog, kinda resemebles what the english Bulldog used to be, but give credit that the OED doesn''t have too much uniformity since they are still a relatively new breed and pretty much a bandogge.

As for breeding. For me a responsible breeder is one who takes proper care of dogs and puppies, WORKS THE DOGS (in ANY way, whether it be the breed being desiged for a specific job or taking part in obedience or agaility or something) and has titles on them beyond just a CGC, showing is optional, health testing deffinately required, contracts that benefit both buyer and breeder (ex. if puppy fall sick then will be replaced if the buyer so wishes, spay/neuter, etc), when out in the dog orls around the specific breed people should know the breeder due to her being out in the spotlight with her dogs so much. This is optional but it is a plus in my books if the breeder is or has been involved in rescue. Oh ya the breeder should also be willing to keep in contact and help you out should you ever have any questions.
 

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