Are pedigree dogs better?

[golok]

Recently, I visited my cousin and she showed me her pedigree dog which was of a breed whose name escapes me right now. All I know is, it has a "cavalier" in it.

This little shaggy pedigree costs her a princely sum too. And I thought, "wow, so much for a little one!" But then, I know little about dogs and their bloodlines.

My guestion is: Are pedigree dogs so special that they are considered a class above the ordinary mongrel?

Pedigree dogs are usually fussy about their food and are given first class care by owners who are often charged hefty sums by vets.

Unless you really love dogs, you may not want to invest so much in a little mutt or a big mutt.

Coming to the fundamentals, what separates the pedigree from the ordinary canine on the street?

 

[beezaur]

Originally posted by golok


Pedigree dogs are usually fussy about their food and are given first class care by owners who are often charged hefty sums by vets.

Lots of reasons for this:

A lot of pure-bred dogs are more prone to certain ailments than mixed breeds, so require more care in the first place. My German shepherd has a food allergy, for example.

Second, most people who shell out multiple $k for a pet aren't content to let their expensive companion work his way through some unknown (read possibly fatal) ilness. They take their dogs to the vet far more often.

Third, because these owners are much more familiar with the local vets, they use the best clinics, who are usually more thorough, and therefore charge more. Mutley's owner usually only wants a $40 once-over and some pills, while Sir Houndifer's owner expects a full blood workup for the same problem. It is one thing if you lose a pound dog, but quite another if you lose a $4000 dog you searched for months to find.

Anyway, the worth of such a thing is in the eye of the owner. I really love the qualities of my GSD, and am not really interested in another kind of dog. A well bred dog has more of the desired qualities of the breed, and they are much more reliably present throughout the dog's life. Nevertheless, if you buy from a low quality breeder, you are playing "dog roulette" and can expect a lower quality dog, papered or not. A European bloodline GSD from a reputable breeder is worth it to me, but another breed is not.

Sometimes you can get great pure-bred dogs through rescue organizations (for displaced dogs, not search-and-). I'd be careful with a bigger breed acquired that way, since you have no idea what kind of cruel training the previous owner may have put them through.

Scott

 

[Classified00]

As stated above many Pedigree dogs, because of there limited gene pool, have tendancies toward certain ailments. That doesn't make them a bad choice by any means. You should however learn about a particular breed you are considering before taking the plunge.

I have had dogs my whole life, both Pedigree and mixed, in terms of "being a pet" there is no difference.

There are some advantages and disadvantages to both options:
* Pedigree
- You know basically what the dog will look like when it matures.
- You know basically what size the dog will be when it matures.
- You know something about it's temperment.
- You know what medical issues to watch out for.
- If you're into that sort of thing, a Pedigree is more "yuppy".
- They cost more, sometimes much more.

* Mixed
- The price is right
- Because of their diverse gene pool, assuming they come from basically health parents, they are less prone to breed specific medical problems.
- They can turn out to be surprizingly small or large

Determine what you want in dog. Is size a big issue, must it be s/m/l, or doesn't it matter much to you? Learn how to pick out a healthy happy puppy. Above all, get a dog that you're happy with.

Brent...

 

[beezaur]

golok, is this the dog?

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/ckcs.cfm

Cocker Spaniels have frequent problems with their skin, ears, and teeth. If one found a "CKCS" from a bloodline with a healthy history, I'd say to go for it. They sound like a great house dogs and companions, especially if you aren't so active or don't take your dog with.

Scott

 

[Cyblade]

pure breds arnt always as great as some want you to think. Example I bought a cocker spaniel from a local reputable dealer and spent alot more money than I should have on it. I saw the parents papers and everything so when the time came I brought her home with me for the first day she was fine, slept right next to me and was so loving then after about a week she became quite insane, she would bite anything she could get her teeth into flesh being preferred one night my hand was draped off my bed and I woke up with it being ripped to shreds, she would attack anybody that tried to pick her up or pet her, I called the breeder and got sorry all sales final, went to the vet and they couldnt figure out what was wroung and they got bit, nobody would beleave me that such a sweet looking animal would bite them until they reached down to pet her and came up bloody. I finally had to put her down as she was attacking everybody. I've had dobermans, rotts, chows, and many other large breeds that were supposed to be mean and aggresive and never had a problem with them, kids would climb on them my niece and nephew would ride them like horses and wrestle with them and not even so much as a growl, but this little tiny cute puppy was trying to rip everyone to shreds. I think that pure breds are starting to become inbred and it's causing problems.

 

[beezaur]

Then your breeder was a jerk and not what he or she advertized to be. Most who I know of will guarantee against some health problems and often temperament. That's part of what the extra money is for.

My local GSD man would have replaced the dog in this case. Good breeders can't afford to supply bad dogs to people. They depend too heavily on their reputation. It is cheaper to do something else with the dog and give the owner a replacement.

You are right about the problems due to overbreeding. It is actually very difficult to control problem traits in some breeds. This is why some breeders seem a little classist. They have to deal with every inexperienced guy and his brother trying to make a quick buck raising dogs, without any concern for what they are sending home with people or any knowledge of what they are doing. It only takes a few bad pedigreed dogs to do a lot of damage in the breeding population. Some people say Rotts are starting to show problems for this very reason.

Some breeders even interview buyers and check out the facilities at home before they will sell a dog. "All sales are final" is a real red flag.

Scott

 

[Josh Feltman]

They all taste the same
--Josh

 

[frank k]

There are a few things that you should know about how pure bred dogs get their pedigrees. The breeder sends in a check to the breed registry (such as the AKC) along with a form naming the parents. The registry cashes the check and sends the breeder paper work that is used to sell the puppies as pure bred (the new owner sends this in with another check to complete the registration of the puppy).
At best all that the “papers” mean is that both of the parents were registered, pure bred and that the breeder and owner have paid the required fees. Since no one from the breed registry checks anything, they rely solely on the breeder to tell them who the parents are. If the breeder lies about who the parents are, most likely no one will ever find out.

Normally the breed registries are not willing or able to investigate anything, even when the breeder is accused of misconduct - investigations cost money and bring no immediate return to the registry. And why investigate if a breeder keeps sending in checks to cash? This is how puppy mills and disreputable breeders continue to operate and why there are so many problems with pure bred dogs.


In contrast, the standards needed to be met for the German Shepherd in Germany are the most rigorous. Before a breeding takes place, both parents need to have earned traffic sure companion dog certificate and working title (schutzhund, police or military service, search and rescue, guide dog for the blind, sheep herding, etc.). They also must pass a physical endurance test and have their hips x-rayed and checked for hip dysphasia. They also must have gone through a breed survey to ensure proper physical conformation to the breed standard and temperament (including a courage test).

Proposed breedings must be approved based on the pedigrees, hip certifications and the results of the breed surveys. A breed warden checks to ensure that the dam is well cared for during pregnancy and the pups are checked after they are born. All pups are tattooed for identification before they are sold. Allegations of breeder misconduct are taken seriously and investigated. This is how all breed registries should work.

You can breed German Shepherds to the German standards and receive German papers, but outside of Germany there are still some loop holes which dishonorable breeders can use to cheat, so you have to be careful who you deal with.

If you want a real working dog get the best bred one you can find. If you want a house pet, an adult or older pup from a rescue organization (pure bred but not suitable for breeding) or a mutt from the pound are probably a good bet. I would recommend having an experienced trainer to help you select the dog and have a vet check the dog before you bring him/her home.





-Frank

 

[Clydetz]

Are pedigree dogs so special that they are considered a class above the ordinary mongrel? Only in the minds of the pedigree loving people! I've had mostly mongrels or all-Americans or Heinz 57 or mutts or whatever you want to call them, as well as a couple of pedigree Scottish Terriers throughout my life. I never thought or treated the pedigree dogs as a class above the ordinary mongrel except for the price. To tell you the truth, the mongrels seemed to be more loving & friendly than the 2 Scotties I've had, even though the Scotties were fantastic pets. Could be because of the breed but I feel it is because the mutts had a harder life before I found them (or did they find me?) & appreciated some kind, human companionship more. Some people I know are down right snobbish about their pedigree dogs & turn their noses up at a mutt. Sometimes, when asked what breed my dog is, I say something which sounds fancy like..."Oh, he's a Tahitian Tallygrounder", and they usually respond with something like..."That's a rare breed, isn't it?" OH! Yeah! Granted, if these mongrels would stop finding me, I would love to have a couple of Scotties again. I still wouldn't consider them '...a class above the ordinary mongrel'...though! They are just great pets in a compact package!

 

[golok]

By the great sword of King Charles, that's the dog.
You got it right, Beezaur.

 

[lifter4Him]

Clydetz,
You got ripped off. Any reputable breeder would have replaced the dog.
I've had many mutts and pedigrees, and have one pure bred black lab with papers now along with a black lab/shepard mix. Without fail, the mutts are always smarter than the pedigrees.

 

[Gadget54]

Pedigree or not 'Breeding' and lineage is the key. I have a field trial dog whose sire is a Versitile champion and the Bitch has strong tests herself. I know that from my dogs litter of the 7 pups 5 passed Natural ability tests within the North American Versitile Huntin Dog Association. The 6th didn't test and the 7th should have passed but was a little (OK a lot)stubborn on test day. This earned my breader his first Breeder award. Since then he has gone on to earn breeder awards for each litter since.

There is definately a noticable difference between a pet store pup and a hunting line.

Gadget54

 

[beezaur]

I think that, in general, one kind of dog is not any "better" than any other dog. It just depends on what you want in a dog.

If you couldn't give a hoot about showing or competing, then a mixed breed will serve very well. You just have to do some investigating about the line and have a good sense for what kind of dog the pup will turn out to be.

But if you are looking for something specific, like the unique personality and appearance of a Boxer, then you will be pretty hard pressed to find those qualities in a mixed breed. The only way you are going to reliably find what you want is to go with a pure bred dog. Often times this isn't so bad on the budget - a Boxer without papers might cost $400.

Either dog can give an extremely high level of service with TLC and training. You just have to keep in mind that different dogs are good at different things. The trick is finding a dog, mixed or pure in breed, that has an instinct for what you want out of it.

Another way to look at it is that if you spend $6000 on a German shepherd fit for police work, but never work with it, then all you have is a $6000 mut.

A really great book on training any kind of dog is "How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend," written by the Monks of New Skete:

http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/

Scott

 

[Clydetz]

lifter4Him - I kept looking at my reply & couldn't figure out what you were trying to tell me. All my dogs have lived long & healthy lives, even the 2 Scotties gotten from breeders. Then I re-read Cyblades post & just figured out that you were responding to him, not me. I agree that mutts I've had were definitely no dummies but the 2 Scotties were smart as a whip, too!

 

[dobe1776]

While pedigree may not be important if you are not into showing dogs or breeding the dog, pedigree can be very important for certain working dogs, such as shepards, dobermans, rottweilers, etc. Generally, pedigree dogs can have better temperments than "puppy mill" dogs. Also, most pedigree breeders will sell you a working dog with a temperment to match your needs, such as companion, watch dog, special needs dog. However, there are always exceptions to these rules. The best bet: research your breeder and ask for references.

Brian

 

[Jagged]

I have had great fullblood/registered and mixed dogs. Each dog will have its own characteristics, but the advantage to a registered dog is that you have a much better probability of obtaining a dog with the traits you desire with a fullblood dog from a reputable breeder.

General tips:

Figure out the total cost of owning a dog and decide if you really want one as opposed to letting impulse decide. Do you really have the time to care for and train one?

Figure out what type of dog you want or should rationally have. Do you have room for a large, active breed of dog to run and get adequate exercise? If not, they may release that energy in non-desirable means...

Visit the pup's parents to see what they are like. Research the dog's lineage. Then spend the most time researching the breeder. Don't buy from a pet shop or puppy mill. Don't buy someone else's problem. Get a pup between 8 and 12 weeks or a trained dog. If you get a trained dog, have the seller show off its training by running it through a routine. Watch the interactions between it and other dogs and people. Does the dog seem alert, aggressive, playfull, timid?

Get trained yourself. Most dog problems are owner problems. Considering how much it costs for dog food and etc., the purchase / training costs aren't normally all that high.

 

[Jagged]

Forgot to mention... The really high premiums you hear about are often for show dogs. These typically are bred for a very specific body size, profile, coloration, etc. and fetch much higher prices.

Since I'm not in to shows, I tend to look for traits such as intelligence, personality, etc. and not care whether meets some "ideal" criteria for the breed.

Show dogs may be the ultimate animals, but they also may just display those physical characteristics.

Basically, if you are considering a dog, buy and read some books first.

 

[Danbo]

Never paid anything for a dog, and probably never will. I just dont see the need, when there are so many dogs out there for free. I would, however, pay the adoption fee at the Humane Society to take a dog home.

On a side note, we are currently watching my StepSon's purebred Rotteweiler while he is overseas in Okinawa for a year. Talk about the worst, most destructive animal a person could ever imagine! Not a day goes by, where this dog doesnt piss on or crap on, or chew up something. Since it is below freezing outside, my Wife insists on keeping the dog inside all the time. Maybe I am missing something about the appeal of a Rottewelier, but this dog doesnt seem to have a lot of positive qualities. I say this, and I am a dog lover from way back.

 

[DaveH]

Cyblade,

Spaniel Rage is a well known problem, if the person you bought it from doesn't know that, they're stupid, sleazy or both.