Search

A BU GUEST EDITORIAL
by Liz Sullivan, Shadow Boxers

"PETS"

While I agree with almost everything that was said here, I do think the last comment in particular [an admonishment to stud owners to make sure their dogs were not being used just to fill the demand for pets], may show an unfortunate attitude toward "pets."  I think one thing that has seriously damaged pure-bred dogs in recent years is the idea that it is all about showing and "improving the breed" and all the other "PC" jargon used by show people to justify their hobby.  I think we should remember that the only reason shows exist is to assist breeders in finding the better animals to use as breeding stock for the next generation of dogs -- dogs that will, by and large, live as companions to wonderful families that love that particular breed.  Many breeds arose originally to perform a service for man -- herding, hunting, drafting, guard duty, or any one of dozens of other jobs that early breeders created "specialized" animals to fulfill.  These days, however, very few dogs of any breed actually perform their original function and the one and only "job" left to the majority of dogs is to enrich the lives of their human family.  We all dislike being viewed as a bunch of effete snobs, but then we act or talk in a way that looks down upon the "pet market" -- instead of realizing the pet market is the only true justification for the majority of pure-bred dogs these days.

         Those of us who do show, may have forgotten that shows were not created for our sake, for our own ego gratification.  They are just one tool, among many, that ethical breeders use to help them produce dogs with good breed type, which will mainly be sold to people as companions -- as they should be.  IMO there is nothing unsavory in breeding a litter of healthy Boxers with good breed type and temperament that are all destined to become someone's beloved pet.  I can't tell you how many emails I get from people, really nice people, who are looking for a Boxer puppy to add to their family.  These people are trying to do the right thing.  They've heard about puppy mills and BYBs, they are trying to find a good, conscientious breeder to buy their puppy from -- and what happens all too often?  That breeder doesn't have any puppies available, often has a waiting list that may be a year or two long, and really doesn't want to bother with these pet people, anyway. These are the comments I've heard again and again from people trying to find a good puppy, when they describe the lack of response they get from most of the breeders they contact.  I'm not going to pretend that I don't fit this description as well: I seldom breed (often years between litters) so I rarely have puppies available, but I do try to answer these people in a courteous and (hopefully) helpful way in referring them to others who may have some puppies available.  If all of these people looking for good puppies are turned away by show breeders -- the so called ethical breeders -- where can they go?  There is nothing left to them but puppy mills and BYBs!

         We say we care about the well being of the breed.  Well, I can tell you for a fact that the breeders who comprise the "fancy" (i.e. who show and breed for show) are producing only 6% of all the puppies in this country.  That number comes from the AKC's own High Volume Breeders Committee report to the AKC Board of Directors.  I don't know if the percentage is the same in Great Britain, but I would be surprised if it was drastically different there, or anywhere else.  If we claim to care about this breed, then we have to care about the whole breed, not just our tiny fraction of it.  If someone comes to you (as a stud dog owner) with their pet bitch and wants to breed her to your dog, the easiest thing in the world is to turn them away because their bitch isn't "good enough" to be bred to our dog (after all, chances she isn't going to produce a bunch of champions to enhance our guy's reputation or SOM standing, will she, so why bother with her?).   But if they really want to breed her because they have family and friends wanting a puppy, because they all feel this bitch is totally adorable and sweet, where will they turn?  Perhaps to the people down the street with their pet male, who has as many conformational faults as the bitch, because he is the only dog they can breed to?  How does this scenario "improve the breed"?  Remember folks, 94% of the dogs in our breed (or any breed) are not coming from the fancy.  The chances are these people mean well but don't know much about the health problems in the breed and the testing that should be done on every animal that is used for breeding, without exception.  If these people have a bitch whose temperament is so wonderful that people fall in love with the breed because of her, and if they are willing to be mentored and do all the necessary testing and if she tests as healthy, why not help these people do what they wanted in the first place -- breed a litter of healthy, sound dogs with perhaps better breed type than their mother (after all they came to you because your dog was a champion -- therefore allegedly a good example of the breed, who should sire better puppies than their bitch).  Isn't that what we are all supposedly trying to do as well?  Breed the next generation of dogs better than the last?  Are we going to continue to act like a bunch of misers clutching our precious "gold" to ourselves and never using it to improve the world?

         This whole attitude reminds me of that parable in the Bible of the rich man who was going away and called his three servants to him and gave each of them some money to invest for him while he was gone.  One servant was lazy and afraid of losing the master's money, so he buried it, the second was also afraid but he made small, safe investments and the third did as his master had instructed and used the money to invest in the future and increase his master's wealth.  Anyone who is familiar with the Bible knows how this story turned out -- the third servant was richly rewarded for his efforts, the second's efforts were accepted but without joy, and the first was beaten and thrown out into the dark for wasting the opportunity the Master had given him.  We are the stewards of this breed and like those servants, we've been given an opportunity to improve things.  I feel we have an obligation to help others who want to do the right thing to get started, as we were no doubt helped by our mentors when we were new people, who probably had a pet bitch we loved.  How much more can we accomplish for the true betterment of the breed, if we accept that responsibility and help others and our breed?

         If we were all knowing, maybe we could look at a "pet bitch" and truly know that she has nothing to offer, but I'm not so sure that along with her possible conformational faults, she might not have wonderful genes for good health.  Maybe she doesn't have a great head or topline, but she may also not have the genes causing the cancer and heart disease that is so rampant in our breed -- including our precious "show lines."  I'm not talking here about a bitch that has serious temperament or health issues -- obviously she should never be bred -- and if we take the time to explain why in a tactful way, keeping in mind that her people probably love her anyway, we may have done not only the breed, but that bitch as well, a great service by taking the time to teach her owners why she shouldn't be bred.  Here is something else from the Bible that I think we should all keep in mind:  "You, who are without sin, may cast the first stone."  So, everyone out there reading this who has bred a truly perfect Boxer, you have permission to turn away anyone who hasn't, and who is merely trying to improve on the stock they have and learn to do the right thing by this breed; and to turn away all those other people who aren't looking for a perfect Boxer with a string of titles in front of and behind their names, but merely want to share their lives with a good dog they can love, who will love them in return.

Liz Sullivan
Shadow Boxers
liz_sullivan@harvard.edu