Showsight - April 2018

says HAVE STRICTER BREEDING LAWS AFFECTED YOUR BREEDING PROGRAM? IF SO, HOW? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REVERSE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF PUREBRED DOG BREEDING?

All of the above is not easy and takes time and commit- ment from the fancy. After 38 years in my breed, I am proud of what my dogs can do and I always attempt to get the mes- sage out about purebred dogs. This is not going to change overnight and possibly never because the number of breed- ers, owners and handlers are dropping as for the number of shows. The cost of showing is growing significantly and I have cut back on my show schedule. Bottom line is advertising, spend the money on television in prime time and we as breeders/owners/handlers need to spend the time promoting our dogs, no matter where we are, walking the dogs, in the park, traveling our neighbors , etc. —Anonymous Have stricter breeding laws affected your breeding pro- gram? No, because I made sure to live in an agricultural area of Virginia. What can be done to reverse public perception of purebred dog breeding? First, breeders themselves need to stop being anti-breeding! Too many love to criticize others if someone is having more litters per year than someone deems acceptable. It is more often than not about simple jealousy that they can’t do it themselves, either because of where they live or their inability to put in the time and work. Stop attack- ing each other and give some respect to those who are work- ing to save purebred dogs. —Anonymous Not at this time since we only breed infrequently. Some- how we need to fight back the “adopt, don’t shop attitude” and educate the public that both options are fine depending on your situation. Possibly by making the public aware that purpose bred dogs are helping keep our country safe as well all the other jobs purpose bred dogs. —Anonymous I believe several things have effected breeders: • The ban on cropping/docking/dew claw removal • SPCA licensing and inspections • Right wing extremist groups anti breeders • Changes in legislation which put most breeders into the same category as commercial breeders and kennels. Most are totally not! It is a hobby, not expected to be an income or even make a profit after expenses. This hurts the small hobby person. We should be in a class of our own “hobby breeder” and it should be defined as such and not treated the same as commercial breeders. Our dogs are in our homes. I don’t agree with ‘home’ inspec- tions. If a separate building, yes. I just feel a persons’ home is crossing the line unless there is a complaint or reason to be concerned otherwise. What can be done to reverse perception of purebred dog breeding? Maybe make people aware of the reality of the hor- ror stories of the opposite. Promote the successes of pure- bred dog owners at Montgomery or Westminster etc. Educate people on the integrity of a pedigree and respon- sible breeders stand by the pups they produce and the homes they put them in. The myths around mixed breed dogs being hypoallergenic or healthier is a lie, maybe educa- tion of people who were told this and it was not true. Social media campaigns. Support for breeders effected by docking or removing dew claws when the CKC supports breeders rights to have it done. Fight to have breeders rights respected. —Anonymous

As a small hobby show/working dog breeder, I only breed a litter every other year and occasionally once a year. As for what do we need to do to reverse public perception. 1. Advertise. The A/R’s have been using television for years and that alone has given them the biggest mar- ket to spread their anti-breeder message. The general population sadly relies on television and popular media to influence how they make decisions. My education and background is in marketing and as an executive in the hotel industry. In my over 20 years in that business the one thing that was used extensively with great success was television advertising. Does this cost money, yes, but since the AKC and the fancy in general have buried their heads in the sand for so long, the effort to climb out of that hole is not going to be easy. The A/R’s have successfully paid celebrities to spread their message and celebrity worship is rampant. 2. Get into the elementary and middle schools. This is hard because we all work and the students with such a heavy classroom work schedule. I myself would like to do a few programs a year at my local schools but getting in is hard because we do not fit into their ‘programs’. 3. Getting factual information in the hands of the general public. I myself has will call pediatrician offices, general family practice offices and offer to give them my copies of The Dog Chronicle, Dog News and other dog related publications. What do people do when they sit in the doctors waiting room (yes I know we now play on our phones) but some do read. Children’s hospitals wait- ing rooms should be automatically mailed a copy of the magazines for their waiting rooms. 4. Promote the breeds and the job they were bred to do. I personally have a Miniature Longhair Dachshund that is a nationally certified Search and Rescue K9, she is also a Grand Dual Champion. We need to have breeders approach all of the local events and offer to demo their dogs. I personally never miss an opportunity to ‘show off’ my nine pound blonde dynamo!

“STOP ATTACKING EACH OTHER AND GIVE SOME RESPECT TO THOSE WHO ARE WORKING TO SAVE PUREBRED DOGS.”

148 • S how S ight M agazine , A pril 2018

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