Should people stop buying pedigree dogs?
Selective breeding in dogs is a widely debated topic in today’s society because many people believe it is immoral and playing god, whereas other believe it to be a way to perfect a breed of dog.
Biological Background: Selective breeding is when breeders intentionally reproduce the animals together with the desirable traits, so that their offspring will inherit these desirable traits (Biology-online.org, 2014). For example in pugs it has been deemed that the more rolls the dog has the more desirable it is, so the breeder mates the two dogs with the most rolls together so that their offspring’s will have the desirable trait (Tory, 2014).
Alternative Views:
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Know what the dog will be like- When buying non pedigree dog it is always a gamble whether or not the dog you have bought as a puppy will end up being like. But when purchasing a pedigree dog due to selective breeding you will know what traits it has because it’s parents have been mated together due to these traits.
Ideal for show dogs- Desirable traits both physical and behavioral have been put forward for each type of dog, and having pedigree dogs you will be able to get the dog traits that you wish to put you in the best position to win the dog show you are competing in.
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There are two sides of the argument, one side debating that controlling the dogs traits is good so that we can put those desirable traits to use as best we can. The other argument is that selective breeding is immoral and can cause damage to the dog physically. I believe that we should find a middle ground and that dogs should be bred naturally unless there is a special need for selective breeding to be done (ie needing a calm dog in a retirement home). I also think if selective breeding were to continue it should only be through behavioral traits but not physical because that leads to many health issues for the
Year after year people buy puppies from big breeders. Have you ever wondered where that puppy grew up? What kind of conditions the puppy lived in? Most puppies that someone would buy from a pet store are raised in puppy mills. Puppy mills are well-known for their “inhumane conditions” and the endless breeding of “unhealthy and genetically defective” dogs only for income. People should adopt rather than buy from a pet store or breeder. By adopting from a shelter, one could give a dog a second chance at a happy life.
Since the invention of the internet, shopping online has become the new big thing. Puppy mills are using this to sell their dogs to people nationwide. Doing research on the breeder before buying from the website is the best option when buying a puppy online.
To show, from A Closer Look At Puppy Mills, “To maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little to no recovery time between litters. When they are physically depleted to the point that they no longer can reproduce, breeding females are often killed” (ASPCA 4). According to, Caesar Milian and Melissa Peltier, animal experts, “lifespan of the breeding dogs is often cut in half.” To add on, the animals are in pens and cages that are not large enough for them. ( What is a Puppy Mill? 6). In the mills the puppies are overcrowded in small spaces. Puppies need the room to exercise and have to room to be comfortable. Moreover, “ In some cases, their matting and confinement are so extreme that their fur actually grows into the cage, pinning the dog in one spot.” Dogs can’t live just sitting in one spot. They do not have room to lie down, exercise, eat, etc. If the dogs even try to move, they can pull their fur out or cause pain. As well, the puppies are removed from their mothers when they are only about 7 weeks old. Then, ten or more puppies are crammed in a small cage to be transported causing the puppies to be scared and have many illnesses or conditions caused by neglect and stress (Puppy Mills, Pet Shops, and the AKC Basic Facts 6). When the puppies are 7 weeks old, they should be with their mother and their littermates. The puppies are still learning at 7 weeks old and they miss out. When they go home with their owners they could end up being nippy or not socializing
There are breeds that can be classified as outlaws. How can that be? It is like judging a book by its cover, and is not that frowned upon? Society has gone so far with this that there are even laws banning pit bulls in certain counties. Fines have been put in place and outrageous insurance policies must be purchased simply to own a dog. A dog is just that, a dog, until someone comes along and makes it into a monster. A dog may be bred to do something and can be trained to do an entirely different thing. For example, pit bulls have been bred to be nanny dogs. They are supposed to protect babies and ultimately care for them like they would their own pups. Some people have taken this instinct and turned it into something horrid. They have twisted the dogs mind into thinking that it has to fight to protect something all the time. Pit bulls have been classified as vicious and harmful animals. This is discrimination and is because of media skewing stories, ignorant people that refuse to listen to hard facts, and public attitudes and opinions. These laws against breeds are unconstitutional; there is no legislative basis for these laws.
How much is that doggy in the window? The one with the waggly tail? Well, if you knew where that puppy came from, you may think twice about purchasing the canine. Puppy mills have been around for over fifty years. (Madonna Of the Mills) In these mills, the people who are in charge of the dogs, also known as breeders, are breeding female dogs left and right. Not only are they breeding them every chance they get, but they are performing this task in very unsanitary conditions which causes serious health issues to these animals in the mills. While puppy mills can help people who want to find a breed of dog that is hard to find, puppy mills need to be terminated due to the puppies being mistreated and abused, the overpopulation
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 shelters where they may never escape. My interest in this topic caused me to look into seeing what other people felt about it.
Throughout the world there are many different countries that contain diverse cultures, religions, and life styles. There is however certain aspects within these countries and cultures that acts as a common ground between one another. One dominant aspect is the existence of dogs within these cultures. Dogs are common throughout the world, either as a domestic pet, a protector on a farm, or an assistant for hunting; amongst others. Regardless of the reason for having a dog most people have either owned one for themselves or has known somebody who has owned one at some point in their life. Despite the relative normality of having a dog in your life in one way or another, the reasons for dogs coming into existence is not common knowledge among most people. Throughout a great portion of mankind’s history dogs have been an essential part of life. The truth is dogs were actually created in part by man. It was evolution from wolves in the form of natural and artificial selection that brought dogs into existence (Harris 3). This is the most modern and widely excepted theory at this time, however this was not always the case considering the theory of evolution in of itself is relatively new in our society. After evolution as a theory was accepted there were several other variations on the theory such as, the evolution being from jackals opposed to wolves, and artificial selection being the only form of evolution to have taken place. According to Jarret A Lobell and Eric A Powell of Archaeology magazine “The idea that dogs were domesticated from jackals was long ago discarded in favor of the notion that dogs descend from the gray wolf (2)”. As for the theory that artificial selection ...
Every competitor has a question when showing. The question that may come up is what breed of horse do judges prefer? The real answer is that judges don’t necessarily care what breed of horse you have. Their real focus is on the the horse's structure and confirmation. Confirmation includes your horse’s balance and degree of muscling. However, some experts say the American Quarter horse is the best breed to show, “perhaps nowhere else is the breed’s versatility, heritage and work ethic more apparent than in the show arena” (“AQHA Competition Classes”). American Quarter horses are better for showing because “they change leads precisely, easily, and simultaneously” (“AQHA Competition Classes”). Regardless of the horse’s breed, any horse can be trained to do well in the show ring.
The downfall of artificial selection is that it decreases variation in a species. Pure bred dogs are highly susceptible to many different disorders and diseases because of the lack of variation in their genotype. With these two processes, today we have friendly canine companions.
The history of breeding purebred can be traced back to a long time ago. The culture of purebred dogs is also abundant such as purebred dog beauty competition and purebred dog club. However, why people are so fond of purebred dogs? According to statistics, the major reason that people like purebred dogs is that purebred dogs are beautiful and adorable. Another reason may be that some people subconsciously feel that purebred dog is the best. Some other people buy purebred dogs because they want to show their identity. Moreover, there are also some people seize this opportunity to breed purebred and sell in order to make money. Breeding purebred is not wrong, but some people inbreed purebred dogs results purebred dogs suffer serious genetic disease. This is the problem. Perhaps, many ...
The organism I have selected for selective breeding is a retrieve Labrador dog because retrieve Labradors are the most popular breed worldwide. Although the research has made great progress in the development of a healthy large breed companion retrieve Labrador dog, the research is not yet complete, which means that there is still a long way to go. Labradors are selectively bred for their hunting qualities. They have been bred to have webbed paws so they can swim into water to retrieve the fowl. When retrieving the bird, it is desired that the dogs must have the softest mouths so that the bird may not be damaged.
... -- research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources.” Recognized on a federal level, the injustice of Breed Specific Legislation is still misunderstood by states and counties in America. Something you can do to help is be aware of your own considerations of dogs based on their breed and spread the word. We all know dogs are naturally gentle creatures and no group should have a negative stigma attached to them. The easiest way to make a change is to inform those around you- you can go to www.facebook.com and like the page “STOP Breed Specific Legislation” to become involved and aware of the policy’s status across the nation. If these discriminatory laws don’t change, we might not be able to walk our poodles and beagles down the street either. Remember that dogs cannot speak, so we must be their voice.
I have seen so many great dogs and cats get adopted by so many people that I just don’t get why people buy them. What does that benefit? Nothing. I have rescued more than 13 dogs from the streets and never have I purchased one. It makes me sad and angry when I see people selling animals on the internet or in person because probably more than 50% of them do not even care about the poor animals, they just want to make money. And the fact that they do not even know who the animal is going with is worse, because the person who is taking the pet might be a bad person or someone who wins money from dog fighting, which is very common to this
The concept of designer babies is a highly disputed topic. Some say that it is mainly beneficial because it can enhance and cure, but some would say otherwise because they see it as unethical and ultimately causing problems within society. Most parents would want the best for their child, so ‘improving’ them or ‘making them better’ makes sense. Which school a child goes to and which hobbies they take part in can be choices that a parent makes, which in turn hopefully makes the child’s life better. Genetic engineering could become a common practice and be another choice for parents to make, but is it just going too far?
I was in a local pet store buying food for my cat when I started discussing my potential new pet with the shop owner. He informed me that some people try to breed dogs with specific desired traits in mind. In this case it could have led to inbreeding and there was a chance that the dogs would have temperament issues as well. I felt bad for the dogs but I didn't feel comfortable a large dog that could have temperament problems.