The Westminster Kennel Club dog show, which concludes today, sometimes attracts controversy for its focus on purebred dogs - despite inviting mixed breeds to compete in the first-ever agility championship this year.
The American Kennel Club weighs in by tackling some of the most common misconceptions people have about purebreds.
The three most widely publicized myths about purebred dogs include: they were developed only for show; they’re genetically inferior to mixed-breed dogs; and they can only be purchased, not rescued, according to the AKC.
The popularity of purebreds suffers as a result of these notions, says Patti Strand, a Portland-based Dalmatian breeder and former AKC board member.
For one thing, breeds were developed not for their looks, but rather to perform specific tasks to help humans.
“The dogs we have today that we call purebreds were originally purpose-bred dogs,” Strand says. “It wasn’t that long ago that most dogs worked for their keep.”
Breeds were developed to perform specific tasks such as herding sheep, guarding property, pulling carts or sleds, hunting birds or other game or rooting out pests.
As for the idea that purebreds are unhealthier than mixed-breed dogs, the AKC maintains there are no conclusive studies that support this idea.
A study published in June 2013 by researchers at the University of California at Davis found that purebred dogs are not at a higher risk of genetic disorders than mixed-breed dogs.
Responsible breeders work hard to screen their dogs for genetic diseases and eliminate health problems that run in their gene pool, Strand says.
“The whole goal of hobby breeders is to improve or preserve a breed,” Strand says. “Part of that is eradicating a health problem that it possesses.”
Most breeds have an AKC parent club that follows a code of ethics requiring them to screen for genetic diseases that may occur in that particular breed.
Strand also refuted the idea that purebred dogs can only be purchased, not rescued. The AKC’s Rescue Network offers purebred rescue dogs available in almost any breed.
As for the idea that purebreds are only owned by wealthy families, “today’s purebred dog fanciers don’t fit that stereotype,” Strand says. “They are dog lovers from all walks of life who have come to value the predictable traits that specific breeds have to offer.”
For more information about dog breeds, visit the AKC website.