Dog inbreeding is a practice that has been around for hundreds of years. Although it has helped keep breeds “pure,” it also comes with negative effects. The defects caused by inbreeding vary from physical disorders to life threatening diseases. Though most disorders caused by the effects of inbreeding are treatable, there are some which put the life of the pet in danger. Due to inbreeding, purebreds have become vastly inferior to their mixed cousins. The problem lies in that purebreds have developed various disorders due to their malign genes. Inbred dogs are commonly plagued with a plethora of diseases. These diseases are a direct effect of their weaker immune system. The breeding takes place in a small family of dogs; a highly reduced gene
Labrador retrievers are one of the most popular pets in the United States, but not always for the right reasons. Many times people will get a lab hoping it will fulfill their dreams without even considering the pros and cons. Labs are typically very loveable, and energetic, but they can also be very detrimental.
Dog breeding is dangerous because to make a perfect dog they too often inbreed and cause birth defects and other health issues in dogs. Terry Allen, an “In These Times” senior editor who has written the magazine’s monthly investigative health and science column since 2006, argues in “We’re Breeding Dogs to Death” that “neither price, pedigree nor being loved like a member of the family can shield a dog from the pain, breathing difficulties, cancer, panoply of debilitating genetic disorders, mental illness, crippling physiognomy and shortened life span that disproportionately plague purebreds.” The article “Selective Breeding or Artificial Selection” explains that in dogs, the “frequency of being homozygous for rare recessive disorders increases when inbreeding occurs, potentially causing severe
If you are allergic to dogs, the Goldendoodle or Groodle is the perfect fit for you! This lovable and playful breed is a cross between a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Ready to learn more? Here are some amazing facts about Goldendoodles:
English bulldogs are no longer a fit healthy dog, and people are now saying that there is no such thing as a healthy bulldog and their poor health and survival is a result from selective breeding. English bulldogs suffer from almost every possible disease. A 2004 survey by the Kennel Club found that these dogs die on average at an unfortunate age of 6.25 years. Over the years the English bulldog’s physical traits have been breed to the extreme. Their faces have become flatter, the legs have shortened, head is larger and the well-known under bite has grown as seen in Fig.1. Although these traits seem to look ‘cute’ or ‘desirable’ to humans it is having a massive effect on the dog. The shortness and shape of the English bulldog today means that
If you are considering getting a new puppy or a dog, especially one of the larger dog breeds, you may want to consider getting a German Shepherd. They are one of the most popular breeds in the world, beautiful, highly intelligent, and easy to train. They are best known to many as working dogs, working with the police department, military, and as service dogs to the blind.
As anyone who has seen a televised dog show can attest, some dogs are deformed in disturbing ways. One might look at the “excessively wrinkled skin of the Chinese Shar-Pei,” the “the flat face of a bulldog,” or the “low-slung eyelids of a Bloodhound” (PBS), and think, “That can not be healthy.” The fact of the matter is that these deformities are far from healthy. As the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) points out, the Shar-Pei’s skin (due to it’s “excessively wrinkled” nature) is prone to skin infections, the Bloodhound’s droopy eyes are practically magnets for eye infection, and the Bulldog’s face is so squished that it can never breathe correctly. While these deformities may be more obvious, overly large or small pedigree dogs have their own slew of health problems (Rooney and Sargan). As Rooney and Sargan disclose, very small dogs (known as toy breeds) often have dislocated kneecaps, heart problems, and trouble staying warm. Big dogs, such as Great Danes, can suffer from heat prostration and orthopedic issues (Rooney and Sargan). According to Rooney and Sargan, almost every purebred breed of dog is more likely to have at least one genetic disease compared to mixed breeds. However, physical problems are not the only thing purebred dogs have to face: behavioral problems are also more prevalent in certain breeds (Rooney and Sargan). Rooney and Sargan reveal that
When deciding to purchase a dog, the characteristics and traits of specific breeds take on added importance and a Dachshund is no different. Knowing how your specific dog thinks will help greatly and since you are the leader of the pack, it behooves you to learn as much as possible about the personality traits of a Dachshund. The following list of traits will help you during this process.
My dog, Ava, and I have been best friends since she came to our home five years ago. Dachshunds are a fantastic breed that come in many colors and textures, they are great snugglers, and hunters too.
The Dachshund is a small dog. With a body that is very long dog and short legs, they can be bigger in length, but they are small in over-all size. The American Kennel Club even described them as “Low to the ground; long in body and short of leg…” They also described the Dachshund as “…Robust muscular development…” The fur of a Dachshund comes in three types: Smooth, Wirehaired, or Longhaired. The Dachshund goes by many names such as “The Weiner Dog” and “Dachsie” which are very popular nick-names among them. The American Kennel Club also described the Dachshund as “Curious, Friendly and Spunky.” With this adorable little foot note; “Look up ‘spunky’ in the
The grey wolf has been transformed into what we, today, call a dog. After years of traveling with humans, the wolf began to change and became adapted and tame enough to socialize with humans. The environment it was placed into was one of the causes for change, and another was the role it played for humans.
One of the most meaningful acts a breeder can do is provide their puppies with the best start in life, but it doesn't stop there. As a responsible breeder, your dedication surrounds helping prospective puppy owners raise happy and healthy dogs. As a dog lover, connecting caring, responsible individuals and families with their forever pet is your passion. By encouraging and endorsing products that promote the wholesome development of dogs, particularly during the first year of life, breeders can be a part of ensuring a long and active life for the pups. Breeders hold themselves and their clients to the highest standards and the goal is improving the life of each puppy.
Take a moment and picture a dog in your head. What do you see? You may see many different things depending on your own personal encounters with the species. There are many types of dogs out there. Some small, some large, long-haired or short-haired. There are many variances in what a dog can look like. One thing that does not change, or should not change, is the importance for every dog in this world to be given love and affection, no matter its characteristics. This is what leads me to believe that the obsession with producing and owning purebreds needs to come to a halt. Continuing to create these so-called “best dogs” is dangerous to not only the purebred’s health, but also devalues mixed breeds and can cost them their lives in animal
Inbreeding depression was between -0.27 to -0.65 for litter breeding and about -0.13 to -0.76 for dam inbreeding. There was no significant difference with breed size. This result is shown by the reduction of BMD of 0.8 puppies with litters that had an inbreeding coefficient of (-- removed HTML --) 12.5% (Figure 2). There was a significant difference in longevity of > 1 year between dogs with inbreeding coefficients of (-- removed HTML --) 12.5% in the breeds EPB and GSD.
The reason dogs have become domesticated was the synergy between humans and the wolves who were the ancestors of modern dogs. Dogs were attracted to humans by scavenging their left over food and the humans liked the dogs protecting the human settlements with their warning barks and fending off other predators with their constant presence. This meant the dogs natural diet of raw food was changed over the years and adapted to include cooked food left over from human consumption. This means that dogs who were essentially carnivores were eating the same food as humans, who were essentially omnivores. It is only since the late 1800′s that commercial dog food has been available, and not until the 1950′s did it become popular. It is also in the same
Moreover, breeders are another issue to the overpopulation of dogs. Let me explain. There are two types of breeders: “responsible” and those that are not. Irresponsible breeders are motivated by profit and are not educated on how to breed dogs. One of the methods that irresponsible breeders use is a form of inbreeding called, “line breeding.” This is when dogs mate between relatives. The breeders’ purpose is to intensify certain breed characteristics. And as an effect, dogs are prone to develop genetic defects and diseases. (Bert Stoop) Irresponsible breeders might also separate a pup from the mother and litter before 8 weeks of age, and by doing this, a newborn puppy would not get the appropriate nutrients needed for its development. Studies