Message #13 of 176
The best way to get dogs that are good pets, ISN’T by breeding more show or sport winners, it’s simply by breeding pet dogs who are healthy, normal, good with kids, easy to house-train, non-destructive, and quiet.
Show breeders will often gang up against people who breed dogs for pet qualities (like being good with kids, or not yapping too much).
Many show breeders seem to believe the propaganda that they have been saying for 50 years: only dogs who are show winners should be allowed to breed, and having a pregnant dog who isn’t a winner in their sport should be a crime.
Some show breeders know that they are babbling propaganda (lying), but are trying to maintain the situation where they are the major producers of puppies in their area.
Show dogs are better at being show dogs. They are not better at herding sheep, being pets, or helping the police. Showing is an end in itself.
“Better” is a relative term. Is a (high priced brand name) sports car better than a 4-wheel drive pick up truck? Depends on what you are going to use it for, doesn’t it? If you are out west, driving across your uncle’s cattle ranch, you don’t want to be stuck in a sports car. If you are driving along paved but narrow, twisting, single lane mountain roads, then you want a low wheel base sports car, not a high pick up truck.
Same with employees, “best” is a relative term. The best doctor might not be the best driver, the best coach might be a terrible chef, the best salesperson might a bad bookkeeper, the best student might not be the best son, and the best employee might not be the best parent.
Dog shows are an end in themselves. Show dogs are best at winning ribbons in their particular company’s show, each club has it’s own idea of “best show dog”.
Few individual dogs are bought to be used for the task their ancestors were bred for, or for the task their breed is known for. Most puppies are bought by people wanting a pet, often they want a puppy who will be good with the kids and easy the housetrain.
It makes little sense to comb thru Fox Terriers, selecting those who are good at killing foxes for your breeding stock, and spaying and neutering those that don’t have what it takes to dispatch a fox, when 0% of the puppies you sell are bought to hunt foxes.
If you are selling puppies as pets, then you should be selecting for the traits that make good pets.
If you actually do use your fox terriers to hunt foxes, and select the best hunters for breeding, then you should not advertise your puppies as “pet quality”, advertise them as “bred to be good hunting dogs”.
To get puppies who will be good pets, breed dogs based on their having the qualities that make for a good family housedog.
PLEASE CROSSPOST
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/political_dog_law/message/13
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Doghome 
