As for being overbred, sadly that depends a lot on the size of the foundation stock, too.
That is a good point, and one I frequently forget. I imagine this can compound issues in Australia in general where the cost to import dogs from the Northern Hemisphere is very high, and always compounded by the fact that dogs - no matter where the come from (barring New Zealand) - must spend three months in a lifeless quarantine, risking the development of behavioural problems in that time, as they are not allowed to interact with each other during that time (aside from barking incessantly), and may only have one visitor, once a day, for a limited time (barring staff cleaning cages and so on). It's the strictest quarantine in the Western world, I think. It works on one level, we don't have rabies here, and many other diseases found elsewhere; but on the other level, when it's important to breed for temperament as well as conformation, that three month quarantine can be tough on some of the breeds.
The advent of being able to important frozen semen has really changed diversity in bloodlines, and it's very common and popular here, because it's usually cheaper than alternatives. But some breeds seem to be more conscientious than others; I'm not sure frozen semen has been introduced much to golden retrievers here, for example. Though it has very much for bloodhounds and finnish lapphunds to keep the pool diverse.
I don't mind staffies, though I find them a bit... well, they're just not for me. They're so popular here, that I forget that elsewhere in the world they're considered 'violent' breeds, since I just think of them as loving, super friendly, super muscly family dogs. Heh. All the ones that I've met have been goofy and loving, and I see them everywhere when I walk. Running alongside bikes, being walked by the whole family, going on a jog with some jock, etc. I think my dislike is actually more aesthetic than anything, I just don't like 'muscly' anything - from really 'built' men, to dogs, to... *thinks* other muscly things. Lol.
![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonvoice's journal
no subject
Date: 2011-11-23 12:35 pm (UTC)That is a good point, and one I frequently forget. I imagine this can compound issues in Australia in general where the cost to import dogs from the Northern Hemisphere is very high, and always compounded by the fact that dogs - no matter where the come from (barring New Zealand) - must spend three months in a lifeless quarantine, risking the development of behavioural problems in that time, as they are not allowed to interact with each other during that time (aside from barking incessantly), and may only have one visitor, once a day, for a limited time (barring staff cleaning cages and so on). It's the strictest quarantine in the Western world, I think. It works on one level, we don't have rabies here, and many other diseases found elsewhere; but on the other level, when it's important to breed for temperament as well as conformation, that three month quarantine can be tough on some of the breeds.
The advent of being able to important frozen semen has really changed diversity in bloodlines, and it's very common and popular here, because it's usually cheaper than alternatives. But some breeds seem to be more conscientious than others; I'm not sure frozen semen has been introduced much to golden retrievers here, for example. Though it has very much for bloodhounds and finnish lapphunds to keep the pool diverse.
I don't mind staffies, though I find them a bit... well, they're just not for me. They're so popular here, that I forget that elsewhere in the world they're considered 'violent' breeds, since I just think of them as loving, super friendly, super muscly family dogs. Heh. All the ones that I've met have been goofy and loving, and I see them everywhere when I walk. Running alongside bikes, being walked by the whole family, going on a jog with some jock, etc. I think my dislike is actually more aesthetic than anything, I just don't like 'muscly' anything - from really 'built' men, to dogs, to... *thinks* other muscly things. Lol.