Breeding To Better

[oakway]

http://www.mercer.edu/psychology/Faculty_Staff/Wright_JC/downloadable_articles/Is%20There%20a%20Relationship%20Between%20Canine%20Behavior.pdf

I'm not sure if anyone will find this relevant , but this article is making the point that even obedience trained, show dogs can have behavioural issues/ problems.

Read through this article and I found it difficult to infer anything much from the data. No efforts are made to define "formal obedience training" - I have certainly seen plenty of people show up to 1-2 obedience sessions and then never come back and in my mind at least this is quite different from the people like myself who engage in formal training twice every week.

I also am not sure of relevance and validity because I think the greater issue here would be dogs not having contact with the outside world and reduced interactions with their owners. I certainly take my dog with me on errands and feel that this has actually been a part of the socialization process. I think in this instance people are worried that these ex show dogs have not accompanied their owners anywhere beyond the show ring - hence the phenomen of "seeing the world for the first time" when rehomed.

I would like to reply to you.

About show dogs seeing the world for the first time as it may give many of you an insight to the way many of our Show Dogs lead their lives.

Soon after the puppies are born we as breeders are looking for that RIGHT puppy to keep for ourselves and show.

Many people may handle the pup as many other breeders may be invited to stack and give their opinion on the puppy. This will mean many people will be handling the pup. This selected pup will then be shown. This pup may possibly taken to show training where it will be handled by others and also get use to other dogs.

Then off to the show where the dog will be crated or kept in a trolley or X pen. When it is called for its class it will be in an assembly are with other handlers and other dog's. It's number may be called by an assembly steward then passed onto the ring steward then passed onto being examined by the judge. If the pup is lucky and wins it may be sometimes passed onto another judge who may do the Group specials and if this pups wins at group level it will be passed onto the judge for Show specials. This pup has had all this exposure to all these people and don't forget this pup may be entered for a show the next day, so the process starts all over again.

When the show season is in full swing we may get clusters of shows that last for days some over 10 days and don't forget many of these shows consist of Agricultural Show and we the dog people can often get stuck near side show ally. Just imagine all the show patrons and sights the dogs are exposed to.

If you live on the Eastern seaboard may even travel you dogs to the major Royal shows, just think of the exposure the dogs get there plus the travelling weather it be in the car, the trailer or by air and don't forget the ship if you are travelling to Tasmania to do the shows there. Our show dog’s are usually very well socialised dogs. I am stating to wonder if we the reader's and posters are talking about two totally different aspects of re homing. The genuine breeder rehoming or a BYB dumping one they don't want. Their is a big difference as I would want mine to go to a very loving and caring home and may put restriction as to where that dog may go. Until "I" find the right home they stay with me. :)

:clap:

To me it seems that a lot of non-show people have very little idea of the lives of most show dogs.

My dogs are show dogs for 2-3 days a week, the rest of the time they are pets. They do things that most dogs do with their humans. Plus all of the above which most family pets aren't exposed too.

I would never try and argue that every breeder is the same, that would be impossible. I am only saying I know what the OP is talking about, registered breeders are not all the same and I personally met dogs that had show titles who had known health problems but used for breeding and weren't socialized. I've also since met breeders who would never think of doing this. They're all out there and being registered and having show titles is no guarantee that healthy, well socialized dogs will be provided. That's just the system as it currently stands.

Lets face it we have a lot of people that are gaining a registered prefix from our controlling bodies and they may have purchased a pup and titled it no matter how long it took or where they had to take it to win. The dog may have some health and temperament problems even if they are man made ones and by the sheer virtue of the nature as to how these dogs may be handled and cared for. These, "maybe" the breeders that are causing the problems the OP is talking about. Some of these may be breeders that breed and sell for profit and they may never show again.

They may breed from their bitch that should NEVER be bred from and keep the bitch pups and then in turn breed them. These are not what I call ethical registered breeders breeding for the betterment of the breed just a bunch of cowboy back yard breeders that happen to hold a prefix.

Buyers beware and do your home work first not after you purchase. Also remember when you re home be aware that the dog may not have come from a great home in the first place.

Readers you will have to forgive me, I only deal with and talk about the people that care.

Edited January 13, 2012 by oakway

[asal]

Lets face it we have a lot of people that are gaining a registered prefix from our controlling bodies and they may have purchased a pup and titled it no matter how long it took or where they had to take it to win. The dog may have some health and temperament problems even if they are man made ones and by the sheer virtue of the nature as to how these dogs may be handled and cared for. These, "maybe" the breeders that are causing the problems the OP is talking about. Some of these may be breeders that breed and sell for profit and they may never show again.

They may breed from their bitch that should NEVER be bred from and keep the bitch pups and then in turn breed them. These are not what I call ethical registered breeders breeding for the betterment of the breed just a bunch of cowboy back yard breeders that happen to hold a prefix.

Buyers beware and do your home work first not after you purchase. Also remember when you re home be aware that the dog may not have come from a great home in the first place.

Readers you will have to forgive me, I only deal with and talk about the people that care.

now you are on the mark.

everyone and anyone can become interested in becoming a registered breeder. just as there are billions of people now on this planet there are equally billions with very different ideas.

the big mistake members of the canine bodies made was decide to begin witchhunts for "backyard/puppy farmers" among the registered breeder ranks.

instead of witchhunts in which as usual no one can even agree on what that actually constitutes.

why couldnt it intead be an education program.. on the lines of..

What are you looking for in a Pedigreed puppy.

educate puppy buyers what to look for!

bright eyes, clean coat, health checked parents etc etc

learn the breeds strong points and the problem points.

do you mind if your puppy's parents have 3 hernia's as long as they are australian champions.?

do you mind if the parents never saw a show but look lovely AND dont have hernia's?

the list can get pretty long but isnt educating a buyer what to look for themselves going to help? always ask can you return the pup if your vet finds something not right? if the answer is no, keep looking. ... does mum and dad walk normally, do their eyes look normal? what does their mouth look like?

if they look odd then the puppys could too.

surely this would sort out things far better and less damage to the membership than witch hunting?

i asked this question a very looooooong time ago and no one seems to be learning much and look where its got them. running scared because now all registered breeders risk being branded...just like they were warned in the first place.

told u so has a nice ring to it.

Edited January 13, 2012 by asal

[asal]

if breeders got off their collective butts and began addressing reducing the incidence of breathing , walking, u name it problems that puppy buyers find in their pets......

surely a breed that needs constant vet care needs reevaluating by the breeders long before a doco like "pedigree dogs exposed " ever got the chance to be made?

its been a long time comming.

now the pidgeons have come home to roost and there is more butt covering than proacting.. pity

[asal]

I know how disappointed when a old time breeder sold me a "brood bitch" 12 months old knowing she had grade 4 luxating patella.

being a novice i didnt have a clue what i was looking at, but sure learned fast.

if there were photos of the different grades walking, newbies would know on the spot what they were looking at.

who knows, maybe even that old breeder didnt realise what it was. my vet sure did.