Your Letters are one of our most-read features!  Open subject...

Dalmatian Problem: I’m dating myself, but I remember about the “crossbreeding” being done with the good of the Dalmatian breed as it’s goal.  My understanding at the time, was that the AKC had been aware of and approving of it’s goals and the methodology.  For the Dalmatian parent club to refuse to consider the help for their genetic base, was I’m sure disheartening for it’s supporters.  I am glad to know that some kept on with the program.  My suggestion then, was the same as my suggestion now.  Allow the LUA Dalmatians to be registered with the AKC with an * on their name (or number).  This leaves the ball in the court of the breed’s fanciers (where it belongs).  One look at the dog’s papers, or a pedigree, will allow people to make their own decisions.  They can breed “lily white pure”, or breed for health.  In the end, judges don’t see the catalogs, so hopefully the best dogs will win.  I admit, Dalmatians are not my breed.  But if I loved a breed with such a serious health problem rampant in their gene pool. I like to think I would want to help my dog, and it’s whole breed. Mary Pyle RaisinL Hounds

President, Show Chair Walked: Having been involved with AKC dog showing since finishing my first dog in 1990, my husband & I walked away in 2007.  The club politics, I was club president & show chair and my husband served on the board, the lack of concern from AKC as to damaging legislation, affecting breeding programs & ownership, existence of & profitability of clubs,  and the fact that somewhere other than either coast exists with different problems, and more open political wins made us say enough.  We missed it the first year or so but have moved on with other interests but will always own our beloved chows.  Watching judging at local shows and then Westminster says we made the right decision for us.  I knew Chuck and hired Skip for a show panel.  It is a shame AKC won’t acknowledge the GOOD OLD BOY system and work to change it so the sport could continue and change.  Larry & Darlene Kofoed KoLaDa Chows

The Rattlesnake Story: You guys may have a problem with Snopes.com debunking a lot of the stuff you spread around the internet, but that's no excuse for doing some simple fact-checking!  I suggest you read the following; ALL of it, including the footnote references at the bottom, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_rattlesnake  You will see that Snopes WAS right about the maximum size of the Florida Rattlesnake (long list of snake names copied from Snopes is omitted) Fact-checking is a good thing, and a widely-used tool of (sentence ended) Jewel Waldrip Editor's response to the two dozen readers who wrote to refute size, teeth, etc.- *We would find it hard to frame a deputy Sherriff into posing.  * The internet is easily seeded by corporate interests and in this case, the developer has a lot to protect.  * We would not have run the story if we hadn’t found it 90% credible through independent research in St. Augustine news outlets. * You are right about the size but it was part of the original report which we did not change.  * In my stupid analogy to a Bull Mastiff, I was thinking of mouth size :) * Sorry to disagree on fang size in the photo - if you ever saw a rattlesnake being milked for venom, you would agree the fangs are well over an inch.  We thank all who responded to this story and especially those who got the point about small dogs, vulnerable fencing, watch where you walk, etc. which was the point of running the story...  We do verify and document 99% of the information we present, which is why I wrote the intro.

Pedigree: No, mix-breeds do have their fair-share of problems and are unpredictable temperamentally and genetically.  I worked as a shelter volunteer & manager for 5 years so I think I understand the importance for breeding for temperament and health.  I feel I am preserving my breed for future generations so they won't go wayside as the dinosaurs.  Pedigree is interested only in the $$ and to dupe the public, just as AKC is proving to do by registering curs and allowing the prestige of owning a pure breed to slip away.  They are both the same - hungry for the dollar.  I will never purchase another bag of Pedigree-never!  Norma Editor: Responses are still coming in so staff selected these for Letters.  Readers were overwhelmingly on the same page!

Pedigree & Shelters: No! The purpose of televising the show is, or should be to highlight our finest purebreds, and the dedicated ethical breeders behind them. I feel very sorry for the shelter dogs, and donate regularly to support them. But as responsible breeders we do everything we can to reduce the number of dogs that end up in a shelter. We do the right thing for our breeds, and end up getting blamed for the mixed breeds in shelters. Makes no sense at all. The show should educate the public on responsible breeding practices, and the benefits of buying a puppy from a dedicated ethical breeder. they can highlight the poor shelter dogs every other day of the year. I can't say I won't feed Pedigree anymore, because I wouldn't feed that anyway, because I don't feel that it is a quality food.  Thanks, JoAnn Hetherwick

Westminster: No, Westminster is SUPPOSED to be about PURE-BRED DOGS!  PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!  Carol R Hamilton

WKC & Pedigree:  However, WKC has apparently accepted Pedigree as a sponsor, thereby accepting the airing of its ads. Is WKC willing to ask Pedigree to support purebreds in its ads or cease sponsorship, or is WKC too concerned about the sponsorship $$?  J. Breinholt

Purebreds: No, a few commercials are OK but the whole point of Westminster is to celebrate purebred dogs!  Lisa Pearson

WKC Not supportive: No, Westminster is a show for registered purebreds, therefore commercials about mixed breeds is in poor taste and not supportive of the event at all.  willow