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Why Get a Purebred Dog?

Ask your people on the street and you're likely to get highly emotional responses and old wives tales. We'll try to sort through to some accurate information.

You know what you're getting with a purebred

Breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) take
years to develop and boy is the AKC finicky. You can research the characteristics of a breed, such as the Yorkshire Terrier, and know what to expect in size and temperament.

Many AKC breeds have pedigrees that can be traced back more than 100 years. This creates a level of predictability in size and temperament that cannot be easily duplicated.

Breed clubs maintain standards and health

Official breed clubs, such as the Havansese Club of America,
(HCA) are members of the AKC and dictate the breed standard and
practices for breeders who want to be members of the club.

To be included within the HCA breeder's referral service, a breeder must meet strict health testing requirements through Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) testing for hearing, The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) for eyes and Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hips and knees.

That's just the required minimum; there are other tests that serious breeders may do and there's a huge push by the AKC and breed clubs to collect DNA.

AKC designation means something

AKC breeders are subject to regulation and site inspections by the AKC, and breeders/kennels may be suspended for infractions. One month in 2007, the AKC identified 25 individuals/kennels and 32 clubs that had some disciplinary action ranging from a $100 fine to ten years suspension.

That's one reason why I don't pay any attention to club registrations other than the AKC or the United Kennel Club (which is reputable but more family oriented than the AKC).

Anyone can start a dog registry. These clubs are profit centers, not non-profit groups (as AKC and UKC are) dedicated to dogs and their owners. Just ask them if they are approved by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as non-profits (that will separate the adults from the children).

Mutts are not guaranteed to be healthier

I think this idea comes from romantic distortion of survival of the fittest. Mutts have to be strong to survive in the wilds. Unfortunately, the 'wilds' ended 100 years ago, and today's stray is unlikely to avoid cars, animal control or irate property owners with weapons.

As noted in the club description above, groups like the Havanese Club monitor defects to eliminate them. There are no groups that track the health and genetics of mutts or cross breeds. How could they?

You can have romantic old-wives tales; I prefer genetic testing.

Purebreed breeding stock is narrow so all genetic problems will never be eliminated

This is reality. The AKC requires that offspring come from the mating of dogs registered with the club. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of champion male dogs bred repeatedly so any defective gene becomes more common throughout the breed.

Then the chances are much greater that two dogs with the SAME defective gene will get bred together and the defect is expressed.

Even if the current canine diseases were eliminated through DNA testing, different diseases might occur in a closed, weakening gene pool.

Crossbreeds do not automatically get the best of both breeds

I'm disgusted when I see Internet ads about cross breeds claiming that a Poodle mix will automatically be allergy free and non-shedding while getting the best quality of the other cross. (No dog is 100%
non shedding; Poodles happen to be 98%.)

Try asking the advertiser for a guarantee that the coat will be a Poodle's and non-shedding. There's just as much possibility that an individual dog will inherit the WORST characteristics of each parent rather than the best.

It takes up to eight generations of breeding and genetic monitoring to create a consistent dog breed.

You're not immoral to get a purebred

For all the reasons stated above, it makes sense for someone, especially someone who isn't experienced with dogs, to go for a purebred.

If you want to get a purebred but through a rescue group, all the AKC breed clubs have rescue groups that offer purebreds. Visit http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm.

If a crazed animal rights activist bothers you, ask them if they believe it's immoral to have a biological child with so many orphans and foster-care children available for adoption. Ask them why they aren't trying to place these needy children.

Bottom line, when you get a dog from a breeder or breed club rescue group -

You know the breed and what to expect.
Your get a breeder who will serve as a resource throughout the life of your dog.