Why would you want a pedigree dog?

When you breed a pedigree dog, you are deliberately choosing to mate one particular dog, with another.  You examine their breed lines and consider their individual characteristics.  I am going to write about choosing a stud dog separately, as this is a whole challenge in itself.  But basically, the breeder decides what kind of dog they want to create.

Personally, I started out by wanting a red and white border collie – Sunny.  Then I wanted to have more red and white dogs, so I found a stud dog who was also red and white (actually Sunny is a chocolate and white, as she is so dark, so that led me down an even more specific path).  The choices I have made since then have created puppies with very particular characteristics.

Family likenesses

I can show you many examples of my puppies and dogs and how alike they look.  I can also give you many examples of how alike my puppies are in their temperament.  Because I have so much contact with my puppies, I know that they continue to bear a strong likeness to their parents. Here is just one for you:

I like this particular example because Oz has such distinctive ears!  And this is a trait he has clearly passed on to his daughter(s)!  If you met these dogs in passing you would struggle to tell them apart, wouldn’t you?  When my friend Jane and I put Luna and her sister Nell together, even we struggle to tell them apart!

If anyone has ever told you that you look just like your parent(s), or that your children are the spitting image of you, then you can go some way towards understanding pedigree dog breeding.

What is a pedigree dog?

Let’s look at a definition:

“A pedigree dog is the offspring of two dogs of the same breed, which is eligible for registration with a recognised club or society that maintain a register for dogs of that description. There are a number of pedigree dog registration schemes, of which the Kennel Club is the most well known.”

The Kennel Club is the organisation responsible for managing the registration of all pedigree dogs in the UK and they also register all dogs whose owners want to take part in dog activities, such as obedience or agility competitions – these dogs can included crossbreeds and dog of unspecified origin.

Breed standard

The Kennel Club start off by setting a breed standard for each pedigree.  The KC website defines a breed standard as follows: “A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance including the correct colour of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Absolute soundness is essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions or exaggerations which would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.”

In other words, the very definition of a pedigree dog is that it is fit and healthy, with a good temperament and being fit for purpose.  Breed standards then go on to define aspects of each breed in more detail, which for a border collie includes:

Characteristics

Tenacious, hard-working sheep dog, of great tractability.

Temperament

Keen, alert, responsive and intelligent. Neither nervous nor aggressive.

Conclusion on pedigree dogs

ALL dogs have been ‘designed’ by humans. Over time, the dogs that are classed as pedigree are the ones that consistently have the same look and nature, or temperament. We are still changing and fiddling with dog design, creating new models all the time, because that is what humans enjoy doing. Speeding up ‘natural selection’ for our own choices and whims.

We need to remember this when we choose a particular look, or type. Has it been bred responsibly and rigorously? Or just to satisfy customer demands?

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. This book is a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely! Find out lots more by looking at the Contents page.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

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