It is so sad that a lot of folks, including young veterinarians these
days, buy into the "hybrid vigor" baloney. The vet schools have been
infiltrated by the Animal Rights Extremists, who are teaching them
this junk science in order to push their agenda.

All animals have a certain amount of genetic load, which is to say
there is absolutely no animal without some genetic problem of some
sort of another. Know anyone who wears glasses? Has allergies?
Thyroid problems? Weak knees? Flat feet? A skin condition? Arthritis?
A gap between their front teeth? These are all genetic imperfections.

No human is genetically "clean." Neither is any individual of any
species on earth. So this idea that dogs should not be bred because
they might have a genetic problem, and that breeders are somehow
"evil" for breeding them, is ridiculous. Every single individual of
every single species has at least a few genetic conditions.

To use PeTA's logic, all breeding of all kinds (including having
human babies) should halt immediately. And to be honest, Ingrid
Newkirk (the woman who founded PeTA) does believe exactly that. She
thinks that humans should become extinct, along with dogs, cats, etc.
This ridiculous scenario is precisely what she would like to see
happen.

So folks, if that is what you want...if you agree with Ingrid
Newkirk's whacky views, send your hard earned money to PeTA. They
will help to ensure you are not able to own a dog or cat or hamster
or any other pet in the future. They will see to it that you can't
eat meat or fish or eggs or any type of animal-based nutrition. They
will work to shut down places like Sea World, the zoos, etc. so you
cannot observe the many wonderful animals on the Earth. Eventually,
once they accomplish these things, they may turn their efforts to
making it illegal for humans to procreate. If you don't agree with
their extremist views, wise up and start supporting those who truly
do love, care for and enjoy interaction with other species here on
our little blue planet.

The fanciers of the breeds, those you see exhibiting their dogs at
Westminster and other dog shows, work very hard to eliminate serious
genetic conditions. They screen their breeding stock with every
available test. They research pedigrees before breeding into other
lines, to check for similar clearances in those animals. They
contribute money to research organizations to further the work being
done to track down genetic problems. They contribute blood, cell
samples, etc. from their own animals to help with DNA and genome
studies. They have made great progress so far, and they continue to
work hard at it.

Are there unethical breeders? Certainly, there are. Just as in any
group of humans, you will find the good and the bad. United States VP
Elect Joe Biden, for example, managed to find a not so good one when
he got his new German Shepherd puppy. I don't know who did his
research for him, but they obviously didn't do their homework if they
were looking for a responsible breeder. Joe has the right to get his
dog from whomever he wishes, but if he was trying to set an example
of purchasing from a responsible hobby breeder he went off the track
this time. That's too bad, but it was his choice.

Unfortunately, breeders like that may be a lot easier to find because
of their high volume and high profile. If you are looking for a nice
family pet from a breeder who will be there for you forever, you need
to do due diligence. You won't get that from a pet store. You won't
get that from the guy selling dogs out of his pickup truck in the
WalMart parking lot. You won't get that support from a high-volume
breeder, either. Yes, it takes a little more time and effort to find
someone who really cares and does all the work to breed the
healthiest, happiest puppies possible and then stands behind those
puppies.

This is a living being that will be part of your family, hopefully, for
many years. Isn't it worth a bit of effort to find a breeder who will
be there for you and that puppy forever?

And guess what? Shows like Westminster are a very valuable resource
for finding breeders who do care and who use the best possible
practices, as well as for learning more about the various breeds.