to feel uncomfortable about 'trendy dogs'

[wintersocks]

Currently pugs for example. seems wrong.

Note also that pugs, along with a lot of breeds, are terribly inbred in order to conform with the breed standard, which just isn't healthy. Not only do their physical characteristics harm them, they often have other, unrelated genetic recessive disorders due to the fact that they've been inbred for generations.

Totally agree with kogasa I honestly don't see any way that breeders can "breed out" the health problems of pugs without completely changing the breed.

Honestly I'd reconsider my friendship with anyone who supported the breeding of them.

Yes they are both utterly gorgeous Prue -the saluki was a rescue and is the sweetest dog on the planet. She has won a few prettiest bitch competitions at fun dog shows (she is a bit of a supermodel). Lurcher is a greyhoundxdeerhound (hi Shameful!) and is brilliant. She is such a unique personality, bonkers but gorgeous. Love them both to bits. Sighthounds are the way to go biased.

Sighthounds are definately the only type for us :)..... They're the only type of dogs with a smile apparently :)

My lurcher in bonkers too wit!

I've got two chihuahuas. It was because of how they look, but when I started to properly research the breed, I was delighted to find out how healthy, long lived, and robust they can be if from a reputable breeder. I got one first, after six months of negotiations, with several, very lovely breeders. A year later I got her little sister, from the next litter.

We adore them. They're totally delightful little dogs. They are exercised with our elderly rescue staffie, and tank about like dogs should. They are super cute, really lovely with our ten year old dts, and as a pp said, their poos are tiny! They are a joy for us. I'd be really surprised to ever see rescue centres full of chihuahuas.

Sadly there will always be wankers who breed animals that they shouldn't, and idiots who buy pets they shouldn't, but I don't think it's fair to generalise.

That should read, I was initiallyinterested in them because of how they look! Anyway. There they are curled up on my friends giant saluki. They're like heat seeking missiles.

Oh ffs I give up! initially interested

Sighthounds are addictive! Once you get one of the soppy buggers you are hooked. My two are currently all legs on their sofa in the kitchen -snouts tucked in! Pleased to have found my fellow MN lurcher fans

mine is currently laying on his back on the sofa with his legs in the air :)

As my MN name suggests I would love a sight hound (well I will start with one!) A wolfhound would be my dream dog. Love their character. I have spent ages reading up on the breed and am waiting to hear from a breeder I trust if she has one available soon.
must stay off rescue websites in the meantime!

My parents' dog is a chihuahua/jack russell mix. He's a rescue dog - his chip says he was called Twilight, but he got sold on to another family a fair distance away from where he was chipped, who then left him to roam.

He has the little Chihuahua nose, but has one floppy JR ear. He has little legs, but comparatively big JR barrel of a body. He's very sweet natured, but a little bugger around food.

My theory is that he was got rid of when he no longer fitted into a handbag. My parents adopted him around the time when quite a few people carried chihuahuas around in handbags or under their arms. (Not much different form the apricot poodles that were carried in shopping baskets in the mid 70s!)

Can I point out that I don't have a problem with any of the breeds I mentioned? ( I have a pug and chihuahua, as well as a staffie) And I know any mner who talks about owning said breed will be a responsible owner.

But surely responsible owners of specific breeds ( pugs currently particularly) worry about the fashion around them? - they're on cushions, notepads, adverts etc- Which will encourage unresearched buying, eager Immoral breeding, and eventual innocent pound dogs.

Pops seen to be defending their choice if breed- that's not the point if the op IMO. Responsible ownership is great- but when breed is led by fashion( currently pugs but many a breed has suffered through popularity, sheep dogs, Labradors, etc) problems are sure to arise.

I have a pug. He was a rescue dog and is fit, healthy and walks for miles. His character is fabulous he is charming, loving, funny and very bouncy.
I couldn't resist

wolfie my dog gets mistaken for a wolfhound all the time! But if you actually put him next to a wolfhound he is tiny in comparison!
They are lovely dogs but I love the spritefullness of a deerhound :)

I had a Chihuahua until just over a year ago. I always knew he was bred badly. I 'rescued' him until it became clear that he had no quality of life left and we put him to 'sleep'

I loved him so much. He was a sweetheart, and he had more years alive and happy than we thought was possible. This thread made me dream of him last night.

Hairless breeds, and their crosses.

LittleDog was a Chinese Crested cross, and so is Barty. It's wrong. They are cold and miserable in the winter until you force them into clothing - which Barty hates with a passion; they have to wear tshirts in the summer because they burn. They have about 3 weeks a year when it's fine for them to go without clothes.

Bald dogs are totally unnecessary and shouldn't be bred imo :(

I rather like pugs, though can see how they've been messed about. Here's a pic of an 18th C pug. Quite a difference.

I'll try again

Although I loathe back street breeders, the majority of breed health issues have been caused by the Kennel Club standard breed requirements and the pedigree breeders who follow it.

Back street breeders treat their dog horrendously and there is no justification for it, however often they're breeding two different breeds with known health issues because of KC regs to create the "trendy" dog.

As to why dogs become trendy and fall out of fashion, no idea. French Bulldogs and pugs seemed popular amongst the well heeled but whippets are gaining popularity. Huskies and Shar Pei's (beautiful dogs in China, hideous here due to over breeding) popular amongst the less well heeled.

YY to Alis's post. Our dog has just been recognised as a breed in Australia, and we're well aware of what this might mean for inappropriate standardisation.

A good example is German Shepherds with their ruined hips just so they look shitgood on the show ground. Fucking cruel.

The police require a different type and get it. One that can actually run and jump, and do its job. When I was child, all GSs looked like police dogs.

My sight hound is off lead - it took a hell of a lot of time to get him there...and not much help from the professionals used to training more biddable breeds - if he spots a rabbit I can get him back within a minute - that's not bad!

wizard i know your question wasn't to me but my experience of having a sight hound off the lead is okay. He is scared of sheep, so no issue there. He loves a good rabbit chase though! Mainly he just wants to go say hello to every person and dog he sees so he stays on a lead unless we're in a quiet spot.
His recall is awful! He only stays with us if we're on our bikes due to fear of being left behind I think!
But that is nature of deerhound specifically..... They'll do what they want, when they want (usually very slowly! It's like he's mocking me when I call him over and he waltzes as slow as he possibly can!) but be loyal as anything :)