I don't think Bassets came over half as badly as King Charles Spaniels, Pugs and Boxers!
When it was put to the Chairman of the Basset Hound Club that they were breeding deformed congenital dwarfs, he rejected that accusation, claiming that current Basset Hounds look very much like those of the 1800s. When shown a photo of a Basset Hound from sixty years ago, he was less than impressed.
I don't think it's fair to make a sweeping statement that purebreds are better, just as I don't think it's fair to make a sweeping statement that mutts are better. A poorly bred "purebred", in my opinion, will probably be worse than a mutt.No wonder the Springbatt people were on their high horse about "Pedigreed Dogs". I prefer purebreds ,myself
I also don't think it's fair to claim that the film is not a documentary. It's not uncommon for documentaries to be incredibly biased. Just look at Michael Moore.It is NOT a documentary. It was put together by a woman who HATES purebreds, they found the worst possible examples and tried to make them look like the norm, they misled the people they interviewed and quoted them out of context, used half-truths, old wives tales and outright lies.
Excellent article on the subject:
The implications of the KC decision on Pekingese; Pedigree Dogs Exposed, part 2 Ruffly Speaking: Railing against idiocy since 2004
Um, but even fewer mutt breeders are any good. In fact, almost none. Therefore even more of them are a crap-shoot.The majority of breeders are bad, therefore the majority of purebred dogs are a crap-shoot
Generally when I'm referring to mutts I'm referring to accidental litters, not litters where there's a "breeder". That is how the vast majority of mutts come into the world.. People that don't have the sense to spay, neuter, or control their dogs. I would trust mother nature putting together two strays before I'd trust some woman breeding her beloved pet boxer with her neighbor's boxer.Um, but even fewer mutt breeders are any good. In fact, almost none. Therefore even more of them are a crap-shoot.
The problem is it is well documented that the majority of such dogs end up their because of behaviorial issues. Most people don't want to have to deal with a problem caused by some else.If people are impatient they can easily find dogs from 8 weeks to 18 years in their local shelter for cheaper than pet stores and cheaper than most backyard breeders
And fresh puppies don't have behavioral issues? I don't believe the average shelter dog is any more work than a fresh puppy that's NEVER been trained. Just because the previous owner was too lazy to resolve basic issues that the rest of us understand doesn't mean the dog is any inherently worse.The problem is it is well documented that the majority of such dogs end up their because of behaviorial issues. Most people don't want to have to deal with a problem caused by some else.
One thing I don't think many realize is the trickle down effect that many of the regulation on breeding that are poping up actual have a more profound effect on the hobby breeder than the commercial kennel ie puppy mill they were designed to reguate. Take the PA dog law which can regulate a hobbie breeder that produces as few as 2 litters in any one year with regulation designed for commercial opperation there are regulations that make it amost impossible for a hobbiest to meet but have no impact on the quality of life for such dogs. So through regulation we are makeing harder for the better breeders to pruduce more dogs yet these same regs have minimal effect on the poorer breeders.
Any behavioral issue is a combination of genetic and life experiences. A lack of life experiences means any puppy issues are ammendable not the case with an older dog.And fresh puppies don't have behavioral issues?
Might be true with an older dog but not the case with puppies as study after study shows the futility of puppy temperament testing.If more people adopted based on the characteristics of that individual dog instead of the characteristics of a breed as a whole we'd probably have far fewer shelter dogs to begin with.
Puppy Evaluations Crystal Ball or Waste of Time?At this time, there doesn’t appear to be a reliable puppy temperament test, because so much of our behavior depends on our environment – especially when we’re young.
Puppy aptitude or temperament tests have evolved over the years in an attempt to predict whether a particular pup will be a good guide dog, police dog, dog sport competitor or family companion. These tests are designed to look at a pup’s interaction with people and reaction to different stresses and stimuli and the idea is that the responses of the puppy will be a good predictor of what kind of adult the pup will grow up to be. There are many tests out there and they are fairly similar but probably the best known is the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test or PAT.
...Studies have been done to look at the predictive value of these puppy temperament tests and in all cases the predictive value has been either none at all or very low. In a study by R. Beaudet, A. Chalifoux and A. Dallaire in 1994 they found significant behavioral changes in pups tested at seven weeks and then again at sixteen weeks. They found that dominance behaviour in the seven weeks pups shifted toward neutrality or submission at sixteen weeks in thirty four out of the thirty nine puppies tested. The other five puppies went in the other direction but the study does not indicate whether that was from submission to neutrality or neutrality to dominance. A study done by Goddard and Beilharz in 1986 found some predictive value but they used a series of different tests performed weekly and started when pups where twelve weeks old.
Essentially it seems that temperament testing of seven or eight week old puppies doesn’t tell us much at all although testing of older puppies has shown some predictive value.
It is highly unlike a puppy in the shelter gets anywhere near the same socialization and habituation to normal household stting a dog from a good breeder gets which is critical in minimizing behavioral problems later on seeThey're not going to have any more behavior problems than a purebred puppy, assuming they are not a special situation (and most are not).
Which is one of the reason show breeders tend to han onto their puppies longer in that they believer they are much better at this task than the average owner and will end up with less returns for behavior problems later on if they do more of this critical task.There is a sensitive period of development in which socialisation and habituation must occur and be properly completed if the dog is not to grow up to be maladjusted. The degree of deprivation a dog suffers in respect of socialisation and habituation will be reflected proportionately in the extent of maladjustment. Accordingly, a dog that has had no experience of a specific stimulus at the completion of the sensitive period will always be fearful of it; a dog that has had some exposure, but not sufficient, will be better adjusted, although not entirely sound; and a dog that has had adequate experience of the stimulus in the sensitive period will grow up to be "bomb proof". Dogs that grow up to be fearful because they have been subjected to stimulus deprivation can be improved by counter conditioning programmes, but the maxim prevention is better than cure was never more applicable than the first few weeks of a domestic animal's life.
The empirical evidence which shows the crucial importance of systematically socialising and habituating puppies during the critical period has been around for a long time.
Puppies are rarely kept at the shelter before adoption age. They are usually in foster homes. While I wouldn't say the care is always as good as that of the best breeders, I would say it is on par with an average breeder. So again I say that the average shelter puppy will not have a disadvantage to the average purebred puppy.It is highly unlike a puppy in the shelter gets anywhere near the same socialization and habituation to normal household stting a dog from a good breeder gets which is critical in minimizing behavioral problems later on see
Puppy Socialisation and Habituation (Part 1) Why is it Necessary?
Which is one of the reason show breeders tend to han onto their puppies longer in that they believer they are much better at this task than the average owner and will end up with less returns for behavior problems later on if they do more of this critical task.
Actually, mine stay with their mother until they leave. She and the other adults teach the pups a lot about proper behavior.At mine the mother is brought back at 6 weeks for adoption and the puppies come back at 8 weeks for adoption.