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HEALTH PROBLEMS IN PEDIGREE DOGS?
Pedigree
Dogs Exposed” in UK and The Today Show attacked purebred dogs without
science or genetic basis. Animal rights inspired, supported? Read and decide
who knows dogs, TV’s talking heads or dog breeders and geneticists with
clinical experience?
Donna Noland ©
The Dog Press
01|12|10
/ In December 2009,
NBC’s Today Show aired a segment on the British production of
“Pedigree Dogs Exposed”, the documentary which aired in the UK in
August 2008. BBC America aired the piece that same night. The basic
premise was that the majority of purebred dogs are diseased and full
of genetic problems that create heartbreak and financial ruin for
their owners. Even worse, the broadcast insinuated that the majority
of dog breeders knowingly and deliberately breed this type of animal
for nothing more than a hand full of brightly colored ribbons
Not to be outdone, The Today Show interviewed Dr. James Serpell, a
humane ethicist from the University of Pennsylvania. Their segment
opened with the comment that dogs were being bred to death in the
quest for the perfect purebred dog. To his credit, at one point Dr.
Serpell made the astute observation that “of course, [there are]
many dogs that are perfectly fine” but that avenue of inquiry
was not further explored by the host as it was not in keeping with
the charges made by the British documentary.
The Today Show again set off
Internet controversy regarding “Pedigree Dogs Exposed”, as comments
ranged from “this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to
watch…..if we don’t move away from our shallow standards by which we
judge everything, including our furry friends, we will all share a
special place in hell and deservedly so….always pound puppies!”
to this: “I have owned many dogs over the years, starting with
dogs that belonged to my family when I was a small child. Every
purebred dog that I purchased from responsible breeders has been a
healthy, trainable, long-lived companion. I did careful research,
selected a knowledgeable breeder, and paid for the type of dog that
best fit my lifestyle…”
And therein lays the tale (tail).
Are there people out there breeding unhealthy dogs? Yes. Are they
doing it deliberately to make money or win ribbons? Yes, some are.
Does the dog fancy recognize this? Yes. So much so that almost every
club of every breed has a written code of ethics for its breeders.
That’s why hundreds of thousands of dollars are donated every year
by reputable breeders and responsible pet owners to breed health
committees to research the origins of particular health problems and
eradicate them.
Hands-on dog people know what John Q doesn’t: breeding animals is a
science, but it’s not exact; and, it’s also an art. Any domestic
animal, or plant for that matter, is selectively bred for particular
genetic traits. Good breeders try their best to only get the “good
stuff” from their litters: better conformation, better temperament,
better health, better brain, a better TOTAL DOG. Genes being what
they are – which is to say still a mystery to even the most
brilliant geneticists – that doesn’t always happen. Still, they
soldier on, ever mindful that the object is to establish and
maintain stable traits that can be passed on to succeeding
generations; breeding “the best to the best” to develop and enhance
their chosen breed. Do they know that the gene pool is limited in
size and therefore poses certain health risks? Sure they do. That is
why they spend so much money on health screenings for each dog in
their breeding programs.
And while we’re at it, let’s look at this notion of
“hybrid vigor” which is one of the main arguments against purebred
dogs. (Cattle, chickens, horses are never mentioned.) Proponents of
“hybrid vigor” maintain that a crossbred dog will always be
healthier than a purebred dog and therefore there should be no
breeding of purebred animals. There are two problems with this:
- In order to be a hybrid,
an animal must be the product of two different SPECIES of
animals; for example, a donkey and a horse produce a mule. All
domestic dogs are the same species (Canis familiaris). Crossing
BREEDS of dogs does not produce a hybrid animal, so there is no
such thing as “hybrid vigor” in dogs
- Crossing two breeds can
give you more than one outcome. You may produce the best traits
of both breeds, but you may produce the worst, or something in
between the two. And there’s no way to tell beforehand. Any
breeding has a chance of producing undesirable and/or unhealthy
traits, whether it’s a planned breeding between 2 top ranked
show dogs or the two backyard dogs down the street.
Mixed breed dogs have more
varied genetic make up than do purebred dogs, but this in no way
signifies greater health. That Labradoodle designer dog you’re
looking at may be cute, but he’s not necessarily healthier than
a well-bred Labrador or Poodle. He’s really just a mutt that was
produced by two purebreds whose ancestries you might be able to
verify, for a price... As Dr. George A. Padgett, the
well-respected veterinary pathologist and canine geneticist from
Michigan State University, pointed out in his 1997 articles in
“Dog World” magazine, there are over 102 genetic issues that
cross bred dogs can have. So, while it may appear to casual
observers that purebred dogs have more health problems, that’s
because purebred dog breeders focus on health matters in their
respective breeds. Therefore more problems are publicly
recognized and fought. Mixed breed dogs have plenty of health
problems too but nobody recognizes them for what they are
because nobody’s really looking or keeping track of them. As the
American Kennel Club states on its online Canine Health Resource
Center:
“It is important to note there is no comprehensive study of
genetic diseases in the general population of dogs. Thus, while
the purebred community diligently and scientifically monitors
canine health issues, there is no such corresponding or
comparative effort concerning mixed breeds or dogs in general.
Therefore there is no definitive evidence of the superior health
of mixed breed dogs.”
Perhaps the next time the Today Show wants to talk about the art
and science of breeding dogs, it should talk to the people who
actually do it. They should interview purebred dog breeders who
eat, sleep and live in their whelping boxes and kennels; the
ones who cry when that perfectly formed newborn puppy doesn’t
make it despite all attempts to keep it alive. These are the
people who are walking the talk. I wonder if Professor Serpell
has birthed any puppies lately?
Donna Noland’s blog
www.doublenickellife.blogspot.com
http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/Pedigree-Dogs-Health-10012_Noland.asp
Donna Noland Handy links:________________

What do
COWBOY ETHICS have to do with politics, animal welfare vs. animal rights, and standing up for
our rights as dog owners? Noland’s heroes will get your
attention! |
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