Don’t listen to the hype. The best dog companion one could ever have is a non-inbred canine. It also happens to be the most ethical.
While animals have been known to be companions to men since the beginning of time, it’s only been less than two centuries ago dog progeny have been purposely manipulated towards acquiring certain behavioral & or outward characteristics.
Right around the same time the field of eugenics started to be scientifically developed, so also dog breeding selectivity began to be seen more commonplace in Britain during the time of Queen Victoria. It wasn’t by accident these two fields of study started in a similar era.
Sadly, it was to put more emphasis on the show of having something unique. Up until then having a dog approached a more practical aspect. But afterwards, it was more about something to be seen with. To expound on said perceived clout, a canine classification system provided a way to create preeminence.
With resulting shapes, sizes & behaviors, so too were prices of obtention raised accordingly. In order for more specific definitions to be given on what was being sold, regulatory policies arose. That’s the reason for the 1873 Kennel Club founding.
They’re charged with being responsible to have a dog commanding a specific prize just because of some exclusive trait it would possess. Pretty soon, it was less about a personal tangible benefit but more about creating clout. As if wanting to let others know about a certain social status, character, lifestyle.
Nowadays there’d be those that wouldn’t mind having a Tesla vehicle in order to be associated with brainy nerdiness. In a similar fashion, obtaining a hunting dog would let other seem to know about your disposable income prowess in being able to engage in the sport of killing animals for ‘fun’.
Blame it on the brits for exporting the idea of how to try making those you’d interact with even more jealous, through the act of animal companionship. Canine breeding has been more about seeking to optimize intangible characteristics from having a couple dogs with said characteristics to copulate.
It sounded simple enough. Get two calm dogs to mate in order to get an even calmer one. But this has been seen to be achieved through multiple mating generations, in order to accentuate said desired traits.
But that has its consequences. A strictly regulated dog lineage, in order to maintain their trait purity, may have a big enough population but have an extremely low gene variability. For example, on a 10,000 british pug population, they were found to have a variability of just 50 canines. (Btw, pugs are bred mainly to really accentuate how ugly they can get; imagine that.)
What’s the healthier alternative? Tune in next to find out.
