moosmum

These days, Thai Ridgeback and Kangal. Kangals are out of the question at my age, have way too much hair and neither breed at all suited to the environment I could provide. Way too risky! There have been so many other breeds I have liked at various stages though, from Lakeland Terriers to Akitas Airerdales and Giant Schnauzer or Black Russian terriers.

As above. Argue you have not had duty of care for an entire Dog in this instance. The fee you are being asked to pay is for an entire dog, and thats not what you took delivery of, nor should you be responsible for a late fee if that duty of care was undertaken in a reasonable time frame of accepting delivery.

Happy to say 'Done' T.

Happy to do that, Thanks T. Enjoyed your link too. While they do represent all stake holders, there needs to be clearer incentive or direction for people to support that. At the moment, most pet owners are happy to sign these petitions in support of legislation they have no real understanding of, under the impression its not going to impact them, only improve practices. Blissfully unaware of broader repercussions. But there still needs to be not only provision, but an expectation on, all owners to support a genuinely representative body. Tying to a national data base/chip org. creates that expectation, and that those services and knowledge provided be used as part of responsible pet ownership. If the information provided by Embark (or similar, if shown to be more useful) is expected for all entire dogs and provided as a matter of course, those unplanned litters with unknown parentage and no real purpose are going to be far less appealing. Esp. when people doing the right thing are made aware of things they never knew they should.

We are closer than most realize. I think the changes I have proposed are essential, asap, if we are to have any chance of avoiding that future. With changes being proposed and enacted, the quality of the dogs we have to select from as pet owners is going to be so impacted any value to had will be in terminal decline. Embark provides COI, breed breakdown and tests for over 200 genetic conditions and more and more as they become available. Maybe not always 100% accurate, but the best available atm. So called solutions so far are all restrictive/constrictive. They don't provide better abilities of response.

I don't think that will change until there is a body to represent the general pet owning public, made up of same. Seems we pay for registration, but get little benefit ourselves from the processes. I believe if we are to pay for registration fees that assist with animal management, that must in fairness include real and informed (and Informing) representation of just what these fees are supporting. A portion of any fees collected should be used to support inform and educate the public on such matters, and encourage participation for real effective ability of response by the pet owning public. Responsibility can't be effective while its not presented either to or by those its expected from. Much more effective solutions to problems are out there- But as you have pointed out, their isn't effectively representation. Ie, I believe instead of discouraging breeding through high fees for entire dogs, they could include genetic testing of all entires through Embark( for the extensive and inclusive range of genetic conditions tested for, and the research it funds) this automatically fosters greater understanding of risks or benefits associated with breeding that animal, and the responsibilities that might go with it. The results could be tied to microchip details and be made available to any purchaser of pups/dogs. I have 100% confidence that such a move would revolutionize responsible dog breeding, management and community responsibility. Fees could also fund the running of a site similar to DOL, but for all pet owners and interests where links to upcoming legislative debates, research results etc must be posted, and can be effectively debated before enactment. A single national microchip data base, community forum and information hub, plus mandatory D.N.A testing of entire dogs where results are made available to prospective buyers could combine with sales pages for buyers and assist with financing. The community must be more involved. This gives them the tools to take responsibility. Not just for breeding that takes place, but for buyers as well. There is always risk, those who can demonstrate they have done all they can humanly do to avoid it, should not be penalized.

Hybrid vigor is a real thing. Its effects are only in 1st crosses, not subsequent mates and won't help much if both are carriers or positive for the same issues. Many genetic ailments these days are found across multiple breeds so health testing would still be required. That was not always the case, more so as time passes with out addressing the issues effectively. I see no reason why it should be discouraged. The poor results in examples cited are not simply because they are cross breeds, more that the pure breeds used were not effectively screened for those faults. You can not with hold quality health screened pure breeds, then condemn breeders for not using them. A good example of crying 'Irresponsible!' while the ability to respond any better is withheld. I do agree with both @sandgrubber and @tdierikx though, that 'hybrid vigor' is not a cure for most genetic conditions with out proper health screening. it can be of great use though to reclaim traits lost, give new ones, modify extremes, increase diversity or modes of inheritance for those maybe tied to faults in one breed, but maybe not in another.

Yes, I think we are on the same page. People seem to have a poor understanding of what environment is, and how it applies to either an Organization or an Organism. One breed can thrive in many different environments/situations, and gain support for that enhanced response ability. Increased diversity follows, with breeders able to focus on the traits they value for their purpose, or elimination of faults/disease that interfere with their effectiveness. Labs are in a unique place where K.Cs Standards as defined in the show ring are not such absolute arbiters of the dogs worth. Its easy to censure individuals who put their own purpose before breed standards, Not so easy to discredit breeders with the backing of organizations with broader representation than show line Lab breeders. Labs are in a better place for it. Motor vehicles evolve for performance, efficiency and safety. They are not stuck with the limitations of their original templates or split into different classes based on color. The Form limits function and value to be had from it. Which is why function dictates form and not the other way around.

Homozygosity is the inevitable result of breeding to type or standard in systems where deviation from the recognized (ie, what is familiarly seen) is discouraged. As it will be when a standard is imposed before other considerations can be met. The refusal of K.Cs to recognize cross breeds or non-pedigreed Dogs simply speeds up the process, But also ensures it. The early days of the breed standards included much more diversity. Differences were seen, and recognized as some thing not foreign to to the standard set. The less they are seen, the more they are regarded as foreign. There was more room for breeders to focus on their own priorities. Line breeding increases, not decreases the homozygosity of breed standards because its inevitable that lines will mix over time. You are right though that whats lost is very hard to get back....Impossible in a closed system, since you only have access to whats left. Domestic Dogs were selected in a natural process for the purposes they served their Human environments, and their abilities to respond to its demands. Dogs evolved according to the purposes they were bred for, and types emerged to suit. Form follows function. Breeds were recognized from those types, with much diversity from both individual preference and priority, and local conditions. Standards take precedence over individual preference and priority. Over Environment. You have a Pedigree system in decline or entropy because it has put all its value into a state, rather than purpose. A breeds Statehood has become the purpose, and all states are in entropy when maintenance of the state succeeds its purpose. Problems arising from this are difficult to address when there is no recognition of alternatives within the recognized 'Standard" or state of the breeds. When environment is recognized, problems can be readily addressed as recognized at the individual level. When Environment is not, problems tend to remain unrecognized until they are near universal to the Standard, and then a universal strategy is employed or imposed across the state, while other problems gain traction. To top that off, the only avenues available to address the problems are to reduce the state of the breed or adherents in question to disclude the problem. A viable state, standard or Objective is one that serves a purpose to its environment, and responds to its demands. Evolves and alters to meet them. One that values its own statehood above the demands of Environment can't do that. The Objective has no value. Negative Value. All value is subjective. When the value is put into the Objective, It can only manifest in the negative. Thats the reality.

You manage better than I do. Good to see you back! The dogged pursuit of purity, and the statement that that nothing 'less' be recognized. An 'Objective' with a negative bias, is a negative objective. It destroys the foundations Domestic Dogs were built upon, and undermines their foundations leaving them nothing to stand on. Like it or not, Domestic Dogs were developed by back yard Breeders, Selecting for their own needs, in their own back yards, to complement their own values and objectives. Thats what gave us the 'pure' breeds we love, and kept them 'working' reliably for their intended purpose(s), in multiple environments. No other singular objective can viably replace that.

Yes. So its in their interests not to eliminate 'backyard breeders'. When they could encourage them instead to make use of the knowledge and tools out there to do it better. It would provide a healthier environment to draw these dogs from. And a more informed/responsible customer base.

Its not easy, and I have a hard time finding how to express it so it is. Basically, we can promote the expectation dogs welfare needs be met. That would mean people need to understand what those needs are, and how meeting them effectively gives better out comes for dogs, their owners and the community. It means recognition of the value dogs bring, and how we can maximize on that. Understanding breed and individual behaviors temperament and needs. How its done evolves, with the dogs themselves, and along with Humanity. Varies situationally, or with the environment in which they are kept.Always has. There is nothing artificial about the Domestication of dogs. Their environment is Humanity and faces the same environmental interplay as other species, in their environments. Or we can take the attitude being promoted by most, and lay out in minute detail exactly how those needs are to be met. But that assumes all dogs will always have the same requirements and all breeding environments are identical. Only dogs that thrive in those 'standardized' breeding environments will contribute to the evolution of Dogs. The conditions set out must be achieved before a dog is selected for breeding, and takes long enough to set up that an individual dogs breeding potential will most likely be lost by the time it is. At least if a person is only considering breeding because they recognize they have some thing really special, worth breeding. It benefits a commercial motive above any other and directs breeding to that end. Other purpose for breeding will be steadily lost over time, because a return on investment becomes essential A majority of people will find the conditions set out beyond their capabilities for financial reasons, space, zoning etc. Regardless of their actual capabilities to meet the needs of the dogs in their care. So we have far fewer breeders, and far less variation in the dogs. The conditions are far more favorable to some than others, taking into account individual temperaments and behaviors and costs other than financial. Also, and most importantly as far as I see, There is no expectation promoted, that breeders understand the dogs needs, the value of what they are doing, or why its done. The standards adhered to replace that need. As long as they provide the specified conditions, they're deemed 'responsible'. But its not to the dogs, its to the 'standard' or objective state of care. Weather its the one that best suits the individual dog or not. They don't need to have a clue about Dogs, so long as they understand the code. All this means that the diverse environments dogs thrive in today, are reduced. They loose environment, because they are not being selected for response to those. Just the cash they can bring at any given time while other contributions fade away from reduced opportunity. This is why breeding out side of the registries should be recognized and continue. Those breeders are the interface between the org. and its environment, whos needs and demands can't be met if they are not recognized.

I don't think this is off topic at all, when the O.P was pretty much about getting all steak holders to realize they have a part to play if any thing is to change. I am not breeding ATM and haven't for nearly 10 years now, but was a similar situation to to yourself @Adrienne(Type @symbol followed by the name you are tagging, a list using the letters you type will pop up and by clicking the name you want it will embed). Looks like I have a good chance of resurrecting my line so so may be doing a last litter depending on the dams D.N.A results. Test just arrived, and litter all spoken for unless its much bigger than usual. Fully agree buyers could (and should) be the biggest drivers if we expect support for the results. Breeders for their part need to stop protecting buyers from their own ignorance by trying to legislate responsibility. All thats doing is restrict it. Its gone beyond stating what should be provided. ie Sufficient clean food and water, shelter, daily social and physical opportunities etc that should be subjectively assessed, to laying out an objective state that can only represent responsibility. Not real, because its not subjective. Not inclusive of environment, objective to. Responsibilitys not a 'state' that can be maintained. The more 'fixed' a state is (thru' legislation in this case) the faster it will decay. its a response, to expectations and demands of the environment. A fixed state can't effectively respond to those in any reasonable time frame to effect long term viability. ANKC is a state 'fixed' to disregard and with hold free flow of information between the org. and its environment. Its not recognized. ANKC is caught or trapped in their own state, in trying to re-enforce its separation from its environment. The 'rest of us'.

Maybe different because theirs was founded by Hunters, using the system to breed more effectively for performance/responsibility rather than presentation. From what I've just researched on them, I'm impressed. Not what I still want- What is the organizational attitude to breeding of dogs out side of any registry system? Are these people discouraged from breeding at all, Or encouraged to make use of the same tools and knowledge? Any shift effective long term is going to depend on improving breeding practices beyond the registries in tandem. That population will prove essential to maintain in healthy condition for dogs to remain accessible and versatile in our communities. Responsibility is ability to respond. If people are going to take it, Providing the tools for getting it right gives it. Demonstrates the value of getting it right by intention. Demonstrates the value of Breeders whos intent that is. There is no other effective way to show the value of what breeders do, than to encourage them to know it. Support for Breeders can't be expected if what people are being offered is too far behind their requirements. The environment of the Organization is the driver of its direction. Or its not viable long term. Like it or not. Its reality, and biological/evolutionary law.

And I'm saying that no ones driving any more. No one can or will take up that responsibility. Instead, every one shrugs or points the finger at every one else as the car keeps on rolling into the abyss. Doesn't matter who is driving. It matters that people are encouraged to, with out being thrown out the window for the mess out side as soon as they take the wheel. Never mind. I'm done here. Can't do it, too late.