Herd Mentality
Finding Inspiration from Livestock Breeders BY DAN SAYERS, Photography by Yann Arthus-Bertrand from the book Good Breeding
T he breeding of dogs for the conforma- tion show ring is rooted in the tradi- tions practiced by livestock breeders. However, unlike their farm animal counter- parts, today’s show dogs are largely produced with no greater expectation than to look the part of their ances- tors while running around a ring in hopes of garnering a
ribbon. Though many modern-day purebreds remain capable of performing their time-honored roles to some degree, the emphasis on their propagation and performance has increas- ingly strayed from their historic functions. As dogs become increasingly viewed by society as “people” instead of “pets” (or property), their very essence is being diminished. Some dogs can even appear so spoiled as to put their owners — and breeders — to shame. This is hardly the case for animals bred for the butcher, even those entered at livestock shows. After all, a cow’s conformation depends less on reach and drive and more on flank and sirloin. When it comes to pro- ducing animals intended for the dinner table, breeders must remain true to their animals’ heritage. They cannot afford to put undue emphasis on the “trimmings.” In this regard, dedi- cated dog breeders might do well to adopt a “herd” mentality and find inspiration from cattle, sheep and alpaca breeders.
Landrace Gilt Pig, Anslet, presented by her owners, Arthur and Joan Uglow of Devon, England. (Royal Show, England)
Charolais Bull, Jupiter (son of Érudit and Colombe), four-year-old, with his owner, Jean-Guy Vannier, of Valette-La Chapelle in Le Mans, France. (Agriculture Show, Paris) 52 • S how S ight M agazine , J anuary 2018
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