Ruined Dog Breeds
100 Years of Breed “Improvement” shows how dog breeders have intentionally selected for traits which result in diseases. If “improvement” in looks imposes a health burden then it is not a breed improvement. The dogs on the left are from the 1915 book, ‘Breeds of All Nations‘ by W.E. Mason. The examples on the right are modern examples from multiple sources.
I love Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and had three of them. 35 years ago I was not as informed as I am today and did not know that Cavaliers all descend from only six dogs and any inheritable disease present in at least one of the original founding dogs can be passed on to a significant proportion of future generations. Nearly all Cavaliers eventually suffer from mitral valve disease which shortens their lifespan. All three of mine eventually died of it, one at just 6 years old. It was heartbreaking.
We now have Lizzie, a hardy 13 year old mixed breed who came to us from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
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Thanks Bruce!
The German Shepherd Dog is also a breed that is routinely mentioned when people talk about ruined breeds; maybe because they used to be awesome. In Dogs of All Nations, the GSD is described as a medium-sized dog (25 kg /55 lb), this is a far cry from the angulated, barrel-chested, sloping back, ataxic, 85-pounders (38 kg) we are used to seeing in the conformation ring. There was a time when the GSD could clear a 2.5 meter (8.5 ft) wall; that time is long gone. |
I love Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and had three of them. 35 years ago I was not as informed as I am today and did not know that Cavaliers all descend from only six dogs and any inheritable disease present in at least one of the original founding dogs can be passed on to a significant proportion of future generations. Nearly all Cavaliers eventually suffer from mitral valve disease which shortens their lifespan. All three of mine eventually died of it, one at just 6 years old. It was heartbreaking.
We now have Lizzie, a hardy 13 year old mixed breed who came to us from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
More here
Related post
Thanks Bruce!
Speaking of dogs: http://martinusborne.com/dogs-in-cars.
ReplyDeleteRob I posted Martinus Borne's work a while back: http://nagonthelake.blogspot.ca/2010/12/dogs-in-cars.html
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