I shouldn't have called your breeder out. I was trying to make a larger point about show dogs and the dangers of breeding dogs that adhere to the physical standard, but not necessarily the mental.
Temperament is a funny thing. It is always confused with personality, "Oh, my dog has a great temperament, look how happy he is." That's incorrect. Temperament is simply the mental capacity of the dog to perform his task. Unfortunately, it is a somewhat nebulous and difficult thing to measure which is why trials exist that test the dog's breed worthiness. Many would argue that even those are pale imitations of actual work. I don't disagree.
It is also a very easy thing to lose in a breeding program. Though show breeders delude themselves into believing their lines still posses it, all evidence is to the contrary. That is why the Border Collie group, the JRT people and the Cav club fought AKC recognition so hard. They knew it meant the ruin of their beloved breeds.
Not sure it's fair to compare circumcision and castration. One removes the foreskin with no apparent physical or mental damage, the other removes the ability of the animal to produce hormones necessary for it's maturity. The growth plate info alone would be enough to stop me.
As Norcal pointed out, the attitudes are changing with regards to spaying/neutering. I'm hardly dogmatic about it but do like to point out that what we've been taught over the last 20 years doesn't hold up any longer.
Any way, your dogs; your business.
lefty
Temperament is a funny thing. It is always confused with personality, "Oh, my dog has a great temperament, look how happy he is." That's incorrect. Temperament is simply the mental capacity of the dog to perform his task. Unfortunately, it is a somewhat nebulous and difficult thing to measure which is why trials exist that test the dog's breed worthiness. Many would argue that even those are pale imitations of actual work. I don't disagree.
It is also a very easy thing to lose in a breeding program. Though show breeders delude themselves into believing their lines still posses it, all evidence is to the contrary. That is why the Border Collie group, the JRT people and the Cav club fought AKC recognition so hard. They knew it meant the ruin of their beloved breeds.
Not sure it's fair to compare circumcision and castration. One removes the foreskin with no apparent physical or mental damage, the other removes the ability of the animal to produce hormones necessary for it's maturity. The growth plate info alone would be enough to stop me.
As Norcal pointed out, the attitudes are changing with regards to spaying/neutering. I'm hardly dogmatic about it but do like to point out that what we've been taught over the last 20 years doesn't hold up any longer.
Any way, your dogs; your business.
You should see the tropical fish people go at it.
lefty
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