 Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
Unfortunately the pure breds are not living as long these day's. My folks had to put down their golden retriever last year. The Vet said that the larger breeds are living anywhere from 8 to 10 years now.  When we first got married, we bought a Golden from a "Backyard Breeder". We subsequently joined the local Golden Club. We quickly found out that (according to them) we should have bought from a "reputable breeder". So....we bought a second Golden (Pet quality - not show quality) a year later from a Club member. The second dog was, indeed beautiful and much closer to the breed standard - and we loved both dogs as they were our first "children". Long story short, the second dog died at age 7 after a bout with cancer. The first dog (who will forever be "my dog") lived to 15 years. I think that the breeding practices carried out by "reputable breeders" is a primary cause that sparks your Vet's comments. Too much inbreeding can't be good?
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
|
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
That is why I will always have a mutt, likely obtained from a shelter or rescue org. They're cheaper, hardier, and often smarter. Some of those purebreds -- I'm thinking of quite a few labs I've met, in particular -- are too simple-minded for my tastes.
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
That is why I will always have a mutt, likely obtained from a shelter or rescue org. They're cheaper, hardier, and often smarter. Some of those purebreds -- I'm thinking of quite a few labs I've met, in particular -- are too simple-minded for my tastes. Funny you should single out labs. I have a German Short Haired Pointer that I got from "Hunting Stock" as opposed to "Show Dog Stock". Smartest Dog I have ever been around. Show him something 2 or 3 times and he has it down. On the flip side, we have a mutt that my daughter got from a former boyfriend (and then she went off to college). He is probably 3/4 black lab with some type of sled dog (his tail arches back over like a Samoyed). We call him Dufous. He is big and loveable but does not have much edge over a box of rocks. 
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,301
connoisseur
|
|
OP
connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,301 |
"Too much inbreeding can't be good?"
That is true, many breeders like ours do Linebreeding it is a method that they will use to improve upon and try to eliminate structural and health problems from their dogs. It is the breeding together of dogs that have a well bred superior common ancestor who has attributes that the breeder is attempting to reproduce and improve upon in their own dogs. Things such as health, longevity of life, structure, movement and temperament of a dog that one is planning to linebreed on must be taken into account. Linebreeding is an attempt to concentrate the genetic contribution of an outstanding ancestor in the resulting offspring.
Finding the right dog and breeder is not an easy task, we did tons of research before we purchased our puppy, longevity, temperament and free from genetic problems were our priorities.
Granted you will pay more up front for most quality dogs, but if anyone has ever had to take their pet into the vet for serious health or physical problems, they know that the money spent up front to insure you have a healthy pet and family member was more than a good investment.
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
|
|
axiomite
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955 |
We wanted a purebred lab to be guaranteed (as much as possible) their temperament, a shared love of the water, the fun that can be their playfulness, and admittedly to satisfy my memory of boyhood dogs. My friend was also interested in a hunting dog so we spent a long time together checking out breeders. We settled on one who did just that and took care to show us the histories, health and longevity of all his family trees. At thirteen he is developing bad arthritis in his hips and hind legs that is common to the breed and large dogs in general and he has lived a pretty decent number of years for a large dog as well.
I may not go purebred again but if you do, it pays to be selective about your breeder for the reasons stated by Homedad and many others. Nothing made me sadder than when I went to a 'recommended by a friend' breeder and saw signs that it was obviously a poorly run puppy mill. I wanted to take all the dogs home with me but my wife would have divorced me so I settled for reporting him to the authorities. He was raided and shut down a week later.
With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
"Too much inbreeding can't be good?"
That is true, many breeders like ours do Linebreeding it is a method that they will use to improve upon and try to eliminate structural and health problems from their dogs. It is the breeding together of dogs that have a well bred superior common ancestor who has attributes that the breeder is attempting to reproduce and improve upon in their own dogs. Things such as health, longevity of life, structure, movement and temperament of a dog that one is planning to linebreed on must be taken into account. Linebreeding is an attempt to concentrate the genetic contribution of an outstanding ancestor in the resulting offspring.
Finding the right dog and breeder is not an easy task, we did tons of research before we purchased our puppy, longevity, temperament and free from genetic problems were our priorities.
Granted you will pay more up front for most quality dogs, but if anyone has ever had to take their pet into the vet for serious health or physical problems, they know that the money spent up front to insure you have a healthy pet and family member was more than a good investment. Sooo....is it second or third cousins that it is ok to kiss? I can never remember. 
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
|
|
axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
Rob, is your GSP tense? Ours sure is. Sweet and not stupid, but there isn't enough Xanax in the world for her. She's almost 12.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
|
|
|
Re: Dog Owners.
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443
connoisseur
|
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,443 |
Rob, is your GSP tense? Ours sure is. Sweet and not stupid, but there isn't enough Xanax in the world for her. She's almost 12. I would classify Levi as "In"tense - he is 6 (I think) and definately has to work off the energy every day. We have a nice sized dog lot - he runs a circuit and Jumps at the posts. the posts are about 6 1/2 feet from ground to top. They all have a groove worn in them where he jumps and hooks his canine on the top - obsessive behavior but it does work off the energy. I bring him in the house when I get home and he is for the most part calm and well behaved inside.
"A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" Churchill
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics24,943
Posts442,465
Members15,617
| |
Most Online2,082
Jan 22nd, 2020
|
|
|
0 members (),
694
guests, and
4
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
