Dangers of show breeding & pure bred dogs

Bryant,

It isn't all ab breeders who don't breed true to type. It is just like any other pure breed - you have the breeders who breed true and breeders who don't.

These days we are using dna testing to prove parentage as well as diagnose genetically linked diseases and malformities like cataract propensity, hip displasia, and the collie linked gene that makes some aussies sensitive to ivermectin. We get x rays inspected by the orthopedic foundation for animals to verify that a dog is free from hip abnormalities. We get the eyes checked by a veterinary opthemologist to ensure that there are no eye abnormalities. It isn't all purebred dog breeders who breed recklessly for the sake of the show ring. As I stated before, I raise working aussies, but I most certainly keep my dogs within my breed's standards. Proving my working dogs in the show ring is just confirmation that our aussies are physically what the breed should be.

Cheers
M