In many cases, man has proven is inability to manage his dominion over animals. This perennial problem is a great example.
The willingness to cull the bad ones is lost.
Only about a quarter to maybe a third of dogs and horses should be allowed to reach maturity.....let alone breed.
^^^^This^^^^
It isn't the "breed", it's the "breeders"!
People that fight chickens and dogs are just a part of the problem.
Pits became famous for their toughness and tenacity.
My dad bought one when I was in first grade.
I played with the dog after school. Great animal!
But dad couldn't feed him without getting attacked. He got rid of him. (?)
The Nez Perce Indians developed and bred the appaloosa horse. They paid particular attention to conformation and disposition.
If a horse wasn't mentally sound, they were neutered or killed.
When the "white man" saw the colors and blankets, they bought horses and bred them and sold whatever hit the ground with no thought to disposition OR conformation!
Into the 1950's and 60's, appaloosa horses were considered unstable. I helped my dad shoe horses. The appaloosa was definitely disturbed.
Not until the 1990's did the horse industry eventually ck3an up the appaloosa breed.
Same happened with Arabian horses. They are slowly turning that breed around.
Sadly, the traits that dog fight breeders look for aren't conducive to good family pets.
I have a Rotweiller. Dude runs 110 pounds. He got into it with another dog. I figured I was going to get chewed up, but I stepped in to break them up. He broke off immediately when I grabbed him. He's 11 years old now. He's never bitten anyone or even become aggressive to any human.
Skunk, cat, chicken? Dead!
The AKC has done good.
And they have a part in the decline of many breeds.
"Having papers" is the key to the bank,
AKC gives those papers out by bloodline. Period.
At shows, their confirmation is so abstract it's ridiculous.
Based almost entirely on asthetics. Not on much of what makes a particular
breed desirable.
AKC Beegle standards are for two types.
Under 13", and over 15".
If you have the best rabbit hunting Beegle known to man, have won numerous hunting competitions with him, are selling his services for thou$and$, but he is 14" tall?
AKC will not allow him to be shown. Because, this otherwise great dog, a master at doing what the breed exists for, is 1" too tall. Or 1" too short!
German breed clubs are OCD about confirmation.
Of hair quality, health, body structure, health, deameanor, health, abilitieS to
perform their intended jobs, health.
I know of Drahthaars that were required to be neutered due the having and underbite.
They require several hunt tests, with both graded and pass/fail portions.
Health and sound confirmation checks at every test.
Fail something, and they will never give you "papers" for your dog, never certify it a
Drahthaar, never recognize its pups.
Because, they love the breed.
Their goal is to make it the best it can be, and excluding bad performers, bad attitudes,
unhealthy genetics... makes the future dogs better.
AKC, allows anyone with a registered dog, who claims to have bred with a registered dog, to certify the pups. You could literally breed a bitch born blind to a male born three-legged and with severe jaw problems. The sell the AKC certified pups to someone wanting a hunting dog.
"See the parents!"
How can you be sure the adults you see are the parents?
