I dunno, I would argue that. I think stellar pets need certain qualities that don't come by that often - just like a stellar sports dog, SAR dog, working dog, whatever. A number of parameters would come into play regarding choosing dogs for a breeding program.
I have been working at a training facility for a number of years now, and only every now and then does a dog come along that makes us all think "wow, what an awesome dog".
And those right there are the dogs that 'just pet' breeders would be seeking out. Awesome pets.
Exactly. Breeding for "just a pet", IMO, is just as much of a goal as anything. Because what makes a good pet dog? An insanely sound temperament with the ability to be adaptable. And after seeing *so* many dogs with unstable, sketchy temperaments, the first thing I would get behind in a breeder is one who is breeding dogs of sound mind. What else makes a good pet? Structural health, genetic health, good off switch, trainability, sociability. All good goals.
In fact, I think more dogs should be bred responsibly for pets. When I wanted my puppy, I wanted a health tested, we'll structured, tempermentally stable dog from known lines who had the ability to dabble in sports should I want, but mainly one who would make a fantastic companion. And that is what Abrams' breeder sought for. Yes, she also bred for conformation and also wanted the dogs she produced to make good gun dogs (and those purchased for that goal were good gun dogs), but focusing on a well tempered, healthy dog was her first objective.
And I *always* hear, "Well, if you breed for the ultimate working dog, there will always be puppies in the litter suitable for a pet home." I don't agree with that. I don't agree that a puppy from a litter of stock dogs bred to herd and work cattle for 12 hours a day, or a puppy from a litter bred for bite sports, could ever be most happy in an average pet home. And I also know that when an average pet home is looking for a dog, they don't look at the breeders breeding working dogs. Because they don't *want* a working dog. And, from my own experience, as soon as you tell a breeder "no, I don't plan to do X activity with this dog" they turn you down, even though "working breeders produce pets too".
In short...I wish people would stop thinking that being a pet is a bad thing. A good pet dog is something that is worth breeding towards. Maybe then a "pet dog" wouldn't be synonymous with a poorly structured, poorly tempered, health issue ridden dog.