You've heard the quote 'follow the money', right?
I was reminded of this concept again recently when I came across another flyball announcement posted from someone else regarding their acquisition of a puppy for the specific purpose of playing flyball. The puppy was said to be from a flyball lineage; both male and female parents were great flyball dogs. From the announcement, it appeared the breeding was purposeful and strictly for flyball. Also, it appeared there was great pride associated with both the breeding and the acquisition of the puppy.
Dog breeding has always struck me oddly compared to how some of my dog friends feel about it. I try very hard not to judge those who choose to purposefully breed and sell or give away the puppies from the breeding. It's tough for me and I readily admit that.
My dog acquisitions have all been rescue dogs. Shelter dogs, rescue group dogs, fostered dogs looking for a new home. I have never thought about nor desired to get a dog from a breeder nor to subsequently breed any of my dogs...never. To me, there are way too many dogs who need homes out there and I could never purposefully contribute to any more of them.
Those are my thoughts and I believe most folks who also rescue may have some if not all of the same thoughts.
I have no idea how or what a dog breeder thinks. I've heard others say why they think breeders do what they do. To better the breed or to continue a good breed is all I can truthfully remember as sounding like possibly legitimate reasons in my perspective. And maybe these are motives I can relate to on some level. That's where my ability to relate ends.
Over the past several years, some breeders have taken up breeding specific 'sport dogs'. These dogs are said to be designed for optimal physical traits that contribute to highly successful athletic abilities. Also, over the years I've heard of flyballers who specifically breed their team dogs and then sell or give away the puppies to other flyballers.
Here's where the phrase 'follow the dogs' comes in.
There are some big names (i.e., flyball teams) in flyball who are now in the business of breeding for the sport. Perhaps their motives are all good. Since I am unable to relate to this type of business, I have a lot of reservations. I know my motives are all good. I want the best for flyball and for flyballers.
And, my most important desire is for what's best for the dog(s).
In my mind, there are tons of dogs out there who can be rescued and who would be great at flyball. I think I'll always look there first whenever I decide to add to my family again.
And, I will pray.
Sincerely,
I Like Flyball!
1 comment:
Yes, it's a thorny problem.
Between us, my wife and I have 5 rescue dogs. Three of them play flyball reliably, one poorly, and one can't be trusted anywhere near the ring. Of the three that can play the game, none of them would rate on a division 1 team.
From what I've seen of others, those numbers are quite typical. In fact, those kinds of numbers are typical for any collection of non-sports-bred dogs, rescue or otherwise, with the exception of working breeds like Border Collies.
In other words, if flyball is a big part of your lifestyle and you have limits on how many dogs you can have at a time (bylaws, home, yard, vehicle size, training time, etc), then next time you're looking to get a puppy, the temptation to go to a breeder for a "sure thing" is going to be strong. That temptation is going to increase as you get older and start thinking about how many more years you'll be able to keep playing the game. And when you're around others who are showing up with these bombproof "point and shoot" puppies while you're on your third year of trying to convince your most recent rescue to do a full run in public...
I get it.
If it wasn't human nature to look for easier and faster ways to get what we want, we'd still be sitting naked in a cave banging rocks together to light a fire. Without dogs.
I don't really like or agree with it, but I can understand the motivation that drives a market for sports puppies.
I can somewhat accept the record-chasing teams with their own breeding program having extra puppies. It's how working dogs have evolved as long as they've been domesticated. Whether chasing records in any sport is a good excuse for breeding dogs is debatable, but breeding for performance is a far, far better motivation than breeding for looks. These dogs are in demand, there's more takers than there are puppies, and you typically have an established team standing behind each puppy sold. I agree that it's disquieting, but I can't condemn it.
I'm definitely down on people pumping out litter after litter intended only for sale, particularly if they don't participate in the sports they're pushing puppies into. At the same time, every puppy that comes from these breeders seems to be physically sound and with a decent owner will likely do well at their intended sport(s). Compared to what I see from the dog show people, these breeders are the height of responsibility.
As I rescue person, it's frustrating.
On the other hand, finding a rescue dog intended for sports isn't easy. Shelters and rescues just aren't good at evaluating dogs for sports. Fostering is great in that it allows you to do your own evaluation and training, but it's not fast or easy; you might wait years for the right dog to pass through and you're often fostering adolescent or older dogs with baggage. If you're interested in specific breeds, the options are even fewer. Word-of-mouth in the sports community will sometimes help find a candidate, but it still comes down to luck and timing.
I don't think there's any good answer.
c.
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