[pyrnet] Breeding, Ethics, Imparting Information, etc.

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

I was just recently involved in a discussion on breeding on a Pyr
LGD list. A woman was asking about breeding her unregistered Pyr.
She has a farm and breeds cattle, etc. and seems to know a lot
about genetics and good animal husbandry practices pertaining to
livestock. She knew about checking hips for dysplaysia. Seems
that several people replied to her query on breeding her bitch
affirmatively, not to mention enthusiastically! (BTW, she got the
idea of breeding her bitch from her Vet, who, of course, had the
perfect stud dog in mind) I tried to impart to her information on
other health problems within the breed as well as pitfalls of
breeding. Her responses to my emails were very thoughtful. I
brought up the subject of spay/neuter contracts, etc. She again
responded in a thoughtful manner. Now, from the emails received
on the spay/neuter portion of the discussion, it would seem to me
that most of the breeders on that particular list are farm
breeders that breed only working dogs and many do not believe in
spay/neuter nor do they feel they have the right to tell a new
owner of one of their pups what to do with said pup. Someone else
on the list who is heavily involved in Rescue (and you know who
you are! <g>) jumped into the fray with her thoughts on
spay/neuter and the Rescue situation. This person's emails were
thoughtful and carefully written to impart the facts. She was
jumped on BIG TIME! So, once again I composed an email in
response. I'd love to send the entire email to this list, but
without also sending the previous ones, you would not get a
balanced picture. I will however, include my closing paragraph
at the end of this message. I do not know if she and I changed
any minds, but it seems that those who were so against
spay/neuter at the onset are at least thinking about what was
said. I hope this is a good thing and that we've made some
headway on the other list. I do know that we were not just
"preaching to the choir" so to speak! Below is that final
paragraph.

>>Animals are animals, they think and do by instinct. We, as
humans, have bred dogs to serve one or more specific purpose(s).
If left in the wild, as the population increased by more than the
territory could support, the excess would die off. The weak would
be killed off and only those who were strong and healthy would
reproduce. Since we, as humans, have interfered in this natural
selection process, do we not also have a responsibility to what
we have produced, beyond out of sight, out of mind?<<

Barb Bowes
Bo & Chelsea (Pyrs) & Flopsy (Pyr Shep)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com