| Okay, lets suppose that suddenly nobody buys from a professional breeder, What we would have instead? 1) Less healthy dogs on average Zero selection against genetical disorders. Zero surgical procedures by a licensed vet to fix bone problems at birth, why to care if "any dog is beatiful as is"? Is a myth that mixed-breeds are free from diseases. Any health problem suffered by a pure breed, can appear in a mutt. Dogs are wolves (with a hint of other canines from all around the world, but bassically the same species as gray wolf) and anything that deviates sensibly from a wild gray wolf will have huge health problems by comparison. 2) Randomization of behavioural problems Owners would just play lottery with this trait. A recipe for disaster when your dog must be trustable in society, specially when children or smaller pets are around. I know at least two cases of very good dogs, equilibrated, well feeded and with loving owners that suddenly go berserker and killed other pets at sight, in front of the owners of both pets. I know also a case of dogs escaping, attacking and tearing-off both arms from a old man The solution of "just adopt because any dog can be a good dog with love" is delusional because not any dog owner is a good owner, a wrong idea of love will spoil your dog, and many breeds are notoriously difficult to manage. Would be a big mistake to think that pure breeds "are evil by default", therefore mixed breeds "are good by default". They can combine the best of its parents, but also the worst of both. A mixed breed is unpredictable in many senses. For example, if your mutton has blood of akita inu hidden under a furry poddle facade you must be aware of this. Akita are solitary and monogamous, whereas gray wolves are more tolerant to the idea of a group. So in the end is clearly a lose-lose situation. Bad for dogs and bad for humans. Maybe we would alleviate a little the situation of irresponsible shelters taking more animals that they can manage, but we would create several bigger and potentially serious problems in the process. |
Additionally, you would be shocked at the number of people who buy a cute puppy and then are surprised because they didn't realize their adolescent goldendoodle needs more exercise then a 20 minute walk everyday, or that their once friendly cattledog puppy is grown up and barking and lunging at every dog that walks by. Again, that's when the onus is on good breeders to ensure that the new owners know what they're getting into. Usually the facebook/craigslist breeders are not good about explaining or requiring this - they'll give away a puppy to anyone who pays. If those same people go through a rescue, they're usually informed by the rescue the amount of work involved, and can do things like foster-to-adopt to ensure the dog fits their lifestyle.
I love good breeders! They're absolutely fantastic about keeping their puppies healthy, and frequently have clauses about how the dogs must go back to them if the new owners want to give them up. They have careful screening processes and are good about making sure the owners will do the requisite work and training for the dog to be well-behaved and for everyone to be happy. Bad breeders do none of these things, and make the likelihood of genetic disorders higher, not lower. These breeders don't get their puppies checked for the 'bone issues that can be fixed at birth' as you say, and let the unaware owners deal with the fallout.
I'm also confused about your point about irresponsible shelters. Where do you think the animals would be if the shelters didn't take them? They'd be running around on the street, unvaccinated and untrained. Do you really think that's better?