Show Dogs

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

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TheBlackPhilosophy
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Show Dogs

Post #1

Post by TheBlackPhilosophy »

I just watched a documentary about show-dogs, or pedigree dogs.. It showed how many of these dogs suffer from chronic diseases caused by breeding and domestication. Because I understand evolution inside and out, I can safely say that this type of breeding has become more and more unnatural over the years. In our current time, it is inhumane. No better than permanently mutilating someone as a baby and letting them live out their life that way.

The advocates for show-dogs are completely ignorant about biology or evolution, they have almost made a religion out of it. They refuse to see what this type of breeding does in animals. They would rather believe than see the truth in front of them.

Here is a link to said topic... http://www.jaisiyaram.com/blog/nature/8 ... ul-11.html

Is breeding "Pure-breed" show dogs immoral?
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Seek Kolinahr
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Post #2

Post by Seek Kolinahr »

This is something that's pretty close to my heart.

My husband has kept dogs all his life. I never had a pet dog until I met him.

When we first moved in together, he had two: Bub, a mutt pit bull/rottweiler mix, and Winston, a pedigree pit bull.

Bub was incredible, intelligent, everything you'd want a companion dog to be until the end of his days. Winston was beautiful, stupid, and eventually developed a brain issue that turned him into Cujo. When he and our new, also pedigree, Dachshund attacked my then 7-month-old son, their lives were over. (Fortunately, I was able to get the boy and get away, double-quick.)

After living a year without a dog, we received an Olde English Bulldogge puppy from a breeder friend as a gift. He also was awesome for a year or so, then started getting violent toward the baby (he's three now).

Now, apart from the fact that any Oldie pup is going to live a life of loud snoring, constant drooling, and fighting to breathe through a squashed muzzle, these deliberately inbred dogs are losing the parts of their brain that made dogs "man's best friend" to begin with.

Evolution by artificial selection, just as with natural selection, has side effects. Sometimes they work out in the breeder's favor. More often, they do not. Unfortunately, with artificial selection, the unfavorable traits are commonly ignored in favor of the breeder's supply demands and profit margin.

connermt
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Re: Show Dogs

Post #3

Post by connermt »

TheBlackPhilosophy wrote:I just watched a documentary about show-dogs, or pedigree dogs.. It showed how many of these dogs suffer from chronic diseases caused by breeding and domestication. Because I understand evolution inside and out, I can safely say that this type of breeding has become more and more unnatural over the years. In our current time, it is inhumane. No better than permanently mutilating someone as a baby and letting them live out their life that way.

The advocates for show-dogs are completely ignorant about biology or evolution, they have almost made a religion out of it. They refuse to see what this type of breeding does in animals. They would rather believe than see the truth in front of them.

Here is a link to said topic... http://www.jaisiyaram.com/blog/nature/8 ... ul-11.html

Is breeding "Pure-breed" show dogs immoral?
Breeding pure breeds constantly is mind boggling to me, but some people want "the perfect dog". Without some genetic variation, you will quickly learn that the perfect dog isn't always pure bred.
To answer the question, I would say YES, but that's JMO. But I don't care if a dog is a pure breed or not, so long as it's a great dog. My dog will be 14, has great teeth and, with a few minor issues that come with age, healthy. He's part german shep, great dane, sharpei and poodle. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

CagoGuy
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Post #4

Post by CagoGuy »

Actually, many responsible breeders take appropriate cautions in their breeding to reduce the possibility of negative genetic traits. A responsible breeder has their dogs tested for diseases and/or genetic problems and won't breed unless they are clean. A responsible breeder will also check the lineage of the male and female to reduce the possibility of inbreeding by as much as possible.

Of course, the amount of testing and/or caution depends on the breed. We need to better educate the public on these issues so they buy from responsible breeders and not puppy mills.

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SilenceInMotion
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Post #5

Post by SilenceInMotion »

From the Abrahamic perspective, hypocrisy is heavily frowned upon. This in fact does carry over to animals to a degree.

God gave us preeminence over animals, to have them serve our necessary needs. However, there is a Jewish custom in which they treat animals with respect before slaughter and are dignified toward them in general.

I personally see no issue with dog breeding so long as it is handled with caution and respect. Purposeful harm, if not for the sake of slaughter, should be frowned on.

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Eternal
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Post #6

Post by Eternal »

I have had several dogs and purposely have never had a pure bred. I would usually go to the dogs home and find the dog that looked like the biggest mish mash of breeds that I could, all have been good tempered and healthy.

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Molly
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Post #7

Post by Molly »

It's not just dogs -> fish breeds can have similar problems.

Balloon fish are bred to have a spinal deformity that crushes/damages the organs. These fish are sickly, can have problems breathing (gill deformities), etc -> and this is in the best of homes/tank conditions. Many have problems swimming and shorter lifespans as well.

Tattooing and dyeing fish too is very cruel, and done purely for aesthetic reasons (much like dyeing chicks or clipping a dog's ears).

"Blood Parrot" fish are also bred horribly. They are a man-made hybrid and suffer from numerous problems due to being bred for aesthetics only (starvation due to mouth size/deformities, swimming problems do to problems with the swim bladder and spinal deformities, etc).

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