Me vs. Dog Breeding: Part 1

At one point in time dogs were bred to yield offspring that would perform a specific task better than the previous generation. Dogs were bred so that they would be more useful to their owners. It was only after dog fighting was outlawed that the concept of “breed” even became necessary for competition purposes. As a result, people stopped breeding a better dog and began breeding a better line of what was suddenly determined to be a unique “breed” of the same species. The notion of breed became so important that people shied away from actually selecting traits that would make the animals better fit into a changing society. Dogs were continually bred for traits that were advantageous to their predefined attributes rather than breeding for traits that the owners would actually benefit from. Hunting and herding skills are great to have in a dog if you live on a farm in the 19^th century, but in 2013 most people don’t need Rover’s help to catch a meal. When an animal spends its days outside, shedding isn’t a concern, but most homes look nicer without a thick layer of fur on every surface. Energy and intelligence can be a useful trait if the animal is cornering game or herding livestock, but if left alone for 8 hours a day the animal might use those traits to disassemble your couch. Rather than chasing some sort of perfect standard determined by a kennel club, people should be breeding a dog that fits the needs of modern life.