To breed or not to breed... Why?

I agree that breeding outside the breed is not something we want to do on a regular basis. But this isnt what created the over population problem nor will it affect it that much if at all. Irresponible owners not keeping their dogs in their yards created and keeps going this problem of over population not to mention the puppy mills, now that I will agree on. I am not worried about my favorite breed evolving to the point of having the hair-doo of a poodle if someone wants to breed a rottweiler and a poodle. If that is what turns them on then whatever. If this thread was about people letting their dogs run loose and could care-a-less that Thumber was running around boinking all the dogs in heat and Thumpers owner thought nothing of it then you'd be barking up the right tree here. Thumpers owner is irresponable, doest care etc (theres a lot of thumper owners!). But a person who wants to go as far to breed a turtle and a rabbit should be able to if that is what they want to do (In fact Id be curious myself). Its not going to change the over population of animals in the pound by stopping the few people who want to do this. If you really want to change the over popluation harping on a few rather then creating new legislation that dictates you get a permit, etc. Something that will give the authorities some teeth to go after Thumpers owner. Not the turtle and the heirs owner :) !

Rottie...I understand with what you said about keeping a dog that is related to your dog..I ws going to so that as well...sadly Loki died from cancer. You were breeding a pure bred animal that had tests and papers and a wonderful personality. You can see by the pic on the left that Loki was a wonderful example of what a APBT should be and I would have loved to still have a piece of Loki with me, but sadly I don't I do have a puppy I found that he helped raise and that's Auggie. The first pit I had was a shelter dogand she had helped raise Loki and Loki raised Auggie and now Auggie will halep raise Loki "replacement" so they may not be geneticly related, but they are 'family" to me so I still kinda have that unbroken line back to my first baby. Some one said here that there are rare breeds in danger of dying out..i understand that you sometmes need to breed in a similar but difffernt breed inorder to save them. However what I do not understand is pet breeders WHY? why breed mixed breeds? there are too many inshelters! Did you watch that video? People will always want puppies..I understand...but there are enough without homes and there is NO need to breed more. If you are breeding your dogs..they should be a betterment to the breed in general i.e. parents healthy and tested and have excellent conformation and a great temperment.

Wolfwitch said: "If you are breeding your dogs..they should be a betterment to the breed in general i.e. parents healthy and tested and have excellent conformation and a great temperment." That's what I was saying, though. That if you breed healthy, compatible dogs with great temperament, why do they need to be pure bred? I know there are alot of mixed dogs in shelters, but no one can know about their parents' health, behavior, etc. -- but you CAN know with puppies who were bred purposely and responsibly. (I don't breed dogs, I just dislike pure-breed elitism. Mixes are just as good!) And although I personally HAVE a mix from a shelter, I can see how some owners might be more comfortable with a mix whose lineage they know rather than a mix from a shelter... you know?