Why Are Bizarre Dogs So Popular?

What do white Boxers, blue eyed Whippets and oversized Chihuahuas have in common? They are all dogs that were routinely killed as puppies as the direct result of what many people believe to be 'p...

What do white Boxers, blue eyed Whippets and oversized Chihuahuas have in common? They are all dogs that were routinely killed as puppies as the direct result of what many people believe to be 'physical abnormalities'.

It is often reported that Boxers should not be white, that Whippets should not have blue eyes and that a Chihuahuas should not be too large. When any one of these three 'abnormalities' was discovered in a litter of puppies, the "offending" puppies were destroyed. You may be shocked to learn that it is estimated that more than 20% of all Boxers born in the U.S.A. are put to death because they are white!

In much the same way that undesirable pure-breed puppies were once regularly put to death, it is also true that mix-breed puppies were often exterminated simply because they were of mixed heritage. While all of this may prove shocking to most readers, there exists a large community of reputable breeders and veterinarians who strongly support the culling of undesirable puppies, they argue that genetically inferior dogs gives rise to a multitude of problems that risk the overall integrity of well bred animals. What some people choose to view as simple color or size variations, others view as the earliest warning signs of future breed tragedies.

There seems to have been a trend with many pure breed dogs, a trend that seems to suggest that a weakening of normal pigment often leads to other, more tragic abnormalities. Robert Dixion, a breeder of Boxers in Edmonton, Alberta, says: "There may not be too much of a difference between white and brown Boxers at first, but it is when the white dogs are allowed to reproduce over and over again that I fear a great weakening of the breed will take place."  To prevent this "weakening" Dixion culls all white puppies that are born in his kennel. He justifies his actions by saying; "Most people who want a white Boxer are people who simply want a pet dog. White Boxers cannot be shown. I fear that providing these white dogs to the pet market will ultimately lead to the back yard breeding of what is often advertised as 'rare white boxers'. As a reputable breeder I cannot let my work lead to a greater social problem from which I do not believe there is a cure."  Dixion thinks well beyond how he feels about individual puppies and considers the future of a whole breed of dog.

Markus Buyens, a breeder of Doberman Pinchers and Rottweilers, spoke to Puppywishes about this issue in a recent interview. Buyens talked to us about an accidental breeding between a Doberman and a Rottweiler in his care. When asked what he did with the puppies, he answered: "I had my vet put them to sleep." Buyens defended his actions by sighting the vast number of designer breeds that are readily available today. He says; "What was once a breeding accident that needed a solution, has now become a way for irresponsible breeders and puppy mill operations to make millions of dollars each year. Where breeders once struggled to produce healthy pure breed dogs, they now simply toss any two dogs together, provide the offspring with cute names, and sell them as designer breeds."

Notwithstanding the number of valid arguments that justify the culling of problematic pure breeds and mix breed puppies, the modern social view is that it is altogether wrong to kill a puppy because it is an inappropriate color or of mixed heritage. Along with the forever growing number of vegetarians, animal rescue shelters and lobby groups that speak up for animals (some of which are so extreme as to suggest a dog should never be leashed), there now exists a public sentiment that not only supports the existence of controversial dogs, but also champions some of the most extreme examples of canine aberrance.

Some of the most radical ideas are born from a simple desire to address a real injustice. Of course it is wrong to kill a puppy simply because it is white, although the color white may be seen as a genetic deformity in some breeds, in our view the deformity is so minor that it is irrelevant.

 The worlds ugliest dog.

 

Now deceased, Sam, a Chinese Crested, won the title "the worlds ugliest dog" as the result of eye, skin and behavior conditions. These conditions taken one at a time are not enough to make any dog super ugly, but when combined in one package (and in this case that one package was a dogs body), you end up with a canine monstrosity that is bizarre enough to win the worlds attention. The question is, why keep a dog that has so completely been degraded by age and illness? Many people believe that Sam was exploited. As the direct result of his ugly looks it soon became possible to buy Sam T-Shirts, Cups and Calendars. On the other hand many people admire Sam's owner for saving such a hopeless dog and giving it a home where he lived out his life as a dearly loved pet.

Although Sam was ugly, it could be argued that his health conditions were not enough to have him euthanized. In much the same way that many people find it unacceptable to killing a dog simply because it is ugly? With this in mind I would like to introduce you to Victoria (pictured left). Victoria is a four year old Italian Greyhound that is in the running for the world title as the "most ugly dog". Victoria suffers from seizures, has an amputated tale, is blind in her right eye and has a head deformity caused by hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a neurological disease in which there is excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricular system of the brain. Causes of hydrocephalus in young animals include congenital defects, intrauterine or perinatal infections, perinatal trauma, and central nervous system tumor. The most common cause of hydrocephalus in young animals is congenital defect.

Keeping sick animals alive and displaying them in public competition is not only reserved for independent dog owners, it is now a practice that has been adopted by a number of 'no-kill' animal shelters. Rather than euthanizing dogs that suffer from terrible illness, many 'no-kill' animal shelters will keep these animals alive as they try to find special people to care for them. Dogs with no legs, eyes, or even the ability to breath without great assistance are kept alive, and are even celebrated as unwitting heroes as humans watch them struggle to stay alive. One such dog was even featured on the Oprah Winfry show.

Faith (pictured left), a two legged mixed breed dog that was born without her two front legs, learned to walk and even run using her two hind legs. This two legged dog reached a degree of celebrity when television personality Oprah Winfry featured the dog on her afternoon talk show. What makes the story of Faith so special is the degree of courage and zest for life that Faith shows. As a dog Faith is undoubtedly a canine oddity, but as a symbol of hope, endurance and success,  Faith inspires us to do better. On some level we think: if a dog can rise above life's obstacles, why can't we?

The problem with using dogs as tokens of hope is that dogs, like children, should never be placed in a situation where they are made to parent. When we cling onto dogs to make ourselves feel good about our own humanity, we inevitably become less humane. This lack of humanity becomes apparent when we start to parade sick dogs in front of the masses so that they can be awarded for the very attributes that cause them grief. Selfishness often appears disguised as genuine love, and when people keep dogs alive only because it supports their own narcissism we run the risk of celebrating canine suffering, when in truth we should be delivering peace.

Do not misunderstand, in every community there will always exist astonishing examples of canine spirit. Some dogs thrive no matter what and their zest for life cannot be ignored. However, great care must be taken to ensure that we do not become lazy thinkers, we must stay sharp and do everything in our power to prevent the glorification of dogs that are suffering, no matter how good it makes us feel to 'do the right thing'.

Article Tags: White Boxers, Many People, Puppies Were, Simply Because