I am not and have never been a fan of dog shows. However, I have heard a lot about these events. Unfortunately, the truth is that where the money is, there and scams too. Far too often, unfortunately (at least in Poland).
The saddest thing for me is what mass of misery led to the overbreeding of dogs.
Few people realize that certain breeds – due to selection focused on appearance – are doomed to suffering.
Bassets (almost all) have diseased eyes, ears and joints;
German Shepherds and Labradors (from the show lines) practically all have hip dysplasia;
Pugs, Pekingese, French and English bulldogs, so breeds with extremely short noses and flattened skulls (so-called brachycephalic) sometimes faint while playing due to brain hypoxia. These dogs have breathing problems, as a result of which they do not tolerate high temperatures; they are not suitable for long-term effort, even of medium intensity – their respiratory system is not efficient enough to provide the correct dose of oxygen to the brain or provide adequate thermoregulation. It is also rarely said that some individuals fall out of their eyeballs during exercise (too shallowly embedded in a flattened skull, which is supposed to make dogs look “sweet”. Unfortunately, at the expense of health).
A significant percentage of Cavaliers struggle with syringomyelia. In short, a dog’s brain is too big for its skull. As a result, the constant pressure causes difficult to imagine the pain. So it is hardly surprising that it also causes behaviours that worry caregivers (from extreme apathy, through hunting for non-existent flies, to aggressive behaviour).
The white coat is associated with an increased risk of allergies and vision loss.
I could go on for a very long time.
If you are wondering about a breed – enter it in the google search along with the word “diseases”, and you will get a list of diseases to which representatives of this breed are exposed.
Personally, I know very few purebred dogs that do not suffer from diseases “typical for a given breed”…
If you want to have a dog less exposed to diseases, I strongly encourage you to consider the option of a multi-breed dog. Of course, some mongrel dogs also get sick, but for sure, less often than purebred dogs.
Among dogs with a pedigree, the primitive types seem relatively the healthiest.
When choosing a dog that is right for you/your family, don’t be guided by the appearance or size of your dog.
Learn about the needs and predisposition of the breed.
I encourage you to read the post “Mismatch: what is it?”
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