Re: [pyrnet] Transfer of Information

[Christine Hansen <greatpyrenees@att.net>]

Tim said there were 3 kinds of breeders.   I'll go a step beyond that.
The only kind of breeding that should be done is from responsible
breeders, but what is the definition of "responsible?"
Some people who consider themselves to be "responsible" breeders are
breeding too much.  In their quest for the "perfect" dog, many
"responsible" breeders over-breed, resulting in many perfectly wonderful
puppies, who some judge determines aren't perfection,  will not win
championships and could, themselves end up as rescues, or worse.
"These" breeders are deluding themselves, thinking they are the only
one's doing the right thing when they, too,  are adding to the
overpopulation of dogs in the world where others will die because their
puppies were born.  There are so many great dogs and puppies being
killed, shouldn't the breeders who think of themselves as "responsible"
face the reality that they might be contributing to this horrendous
overpopulation problem?
On the ark, if you believe in God, which breed did God choose as the
orignal pair of "dogs?"  Who decides, outside of the obvious traits for
health, agility, personality, etc., what characteristics should be
prized above all others?   Traits that are completely subjective and
subject to the whims of a judge/breeder?
I can't speak for pyr judges, but in the pygmy goat world judge/breeders
decided to change the body type of these little creatures to squat boxy
little things that now require countless goats to have c-sections in
order to deliver these honking broad chested little guys and countless
deaths, especially with the backyard breeders who will not pay for the
operation, resulting in the mother's death also.  Man has free will but
that doesn't give him the moral  right to play God with their basic
structure since it was not in the animal's best interest.   They have no
intention of changing this "standard."  The judge/breeders have caused
countless deaths and expense as a result of their personal preference,
because it was something they had bred and decided was to become the
standard.
Then there's the poor little cat with short legs that's become a
"legitimate" breed.  Those people should be tarred and feathered, just
for starters.  This is not a mutation for the positive evolution of a
cat.  This is not the nature or body of a cat.  This is not what a cat
is.  This is a cruel abomination.   What if these breeders started
getting their hands on some african lions and shortening their legs!  I
shudder at the consequences of that genetic interference.  In the case
of cats, a cat is a cat is a cat. Just because you can do something,
doesn't mean you should.
Outside of breeding true to form in personality, temperament and health,
who has a right to decide that these dogs, or any other breed of any
animal, should have something about themselves that's so extremely
subtle that people have to keep breeding in order to match this
requirement.  This crossbreeding has already been made perfect enough a
couple of thousand years ago.    Why wouldn't the average typically
beautiful  pry win in the show ring if it is sound and meets all the
reasonable requirements for the breed?  I can certainly understand an
agility competition or obedience, but how can the slight differences in
each healthy pyr really matter when the consequence of trying to get  an
even number of whiskers on both side of the muzzle means thousands of
pyrs must die because there's too many in the world?  Why should a
magnifying glass be required to claim one pyr is better than another.  I
think most breeders know when they have a beautiful sound dog, but
someone else determines they must keep breeding because some  judge
determined someone else's dog was more perfect?   We all know what
healthy and beautiful is and I don't understand  why that isn't enough
without validation from a judge.
I have never shown any animal nor would I ever want to.  I could afford
to buy the most pricey animal out there, so money has nothing to do with
it.  To me, every single animal I have is perfect, and no person can
tell me otherwise, but I'm not "showing" my pets.   My opinion of my
animals is all that matters.  Maybe all this is just me wishing we lived
in a perfect world, but nothing could be further from the truth.
This is not an "attack" on anybody and does not even apply to the truly
responsible breeders who must breed if the world is to be able to have
healthy, strong, correct specimens of any breed.   I just wish so many
people didn't need validation for what they already know, and then be
crushed when someone tells them something contrary to what they know is
true in their heart, something that is so miniscule and unimportant in
the scheme of things.  Christine