Once a year, large
numbers of purebred dog owners, breeders, and exhibitors get out the spit and polish, pack up their old kit bags, and head for the breed's national specialty, a celebration of their dogs, an occasion to conduct club business and enjoy social interaction with other owners and enthusiasts, a chance to attend breed seminars, and an opportunity to raise money for breed health and rescue committees.
In the process of tallying
the numbers of purebred dogs in America — or at least those that are registered — the American Kennel Club detected some interesting trends, such as how the nation's most popular dog, the Labrador retriever, is losing ground in some towns.
If you are open to adopting an adult dog, let the staff of your local shelter or humane society know what you are looking for - a surprising
number of purebred dogs wind up there.
Those for crossbreeding in this way claim that it will result in the widening of the gene pool, eradicating or at least reducing inherited illness and disease found in a significant
number of purebred dogs.
The latest surveys of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association and the American Veterinary medical Association estimate more than 60 million dogs in 38 - 40 million US households, and other estimates place
the number of purebred dogs at slightly more than half the total of owned dogs.
It is also important to note that a considerable
number of purebred dogs can be found in local shelters and rescues — being a purebred does not exempt a dog from landing in a shelter.
by Patti Strand The number of dogs entering US shelters has reached an all - time low, and
the number of purebred dogs found in shelters has dropped to about 5 %, according to a study just released by the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA), an advocacy organization for responsible animal ownership.
Not exact matches
Therefore many breeds
of purebred dogs today represent a limited genetic pool, with disease predispositions that derive from one or a small
number of recent genetic founders.
Yet,
purebred dog breeders are always the ones catching hell for swelling the
numbers of the homeless, abandoned, or callously bred animals entering the shelter system.
The AKC, the nation's oldest
purebred dog registry, doesn't release raw
numbers of dogs.
While millions continue to own
purebred dogs, entries at
dog shows continue to decline and the trickledown effect from these factors impact not only the supply
of show
dogs, but the
number of new breeders, exhibitors and the sport itself.
As most
dog owners know,
purebred dogs often have a
number of inherent diseases and conditions.
• Total
number of nationwide animal shelters 5,000 • Number of companion animals that enter into animal shelters nationwide annually 5 million • Average annual number of companion animals that are euthinized at shelters 3.5 million • Percent of dogs in animals shelters that are euthanized 60 % • Percent of cats in animal shelters that are euthanized 70 % • Percent of cats that are returned to their owners 2 % • Percent of dogs returned to their owners 15 % • Total percentage of dogs claimed to be spayed or neutered 78 % • Total percentage of cats that are claimed to be spayed or neutered 88 % • Total number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10 % • Percent of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20 % • Percent of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25 % • Total number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25 % • Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
number of nationwide animal shelters 5,000 •
Number of companion animals that enter into animal shelters nationwide annually 5 million • Average annual number of companion animals that are euthinized at shelters 3.5 million • Percent of dogs in animals shelters that are euthanized 60 % • Percent of cats in animal shelters that are euthanized 70 % • Percent of cats that are returned to their owners 2 % • Percent of dogs returned to their owners 15 % • Total percentage of dogs claimed to be spayed or neutered 78 % • Total percentage of cats that are claimed to be spayed or neutered 88 % • Total number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10 % • Percent of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20 % • Percent of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25 % • Total number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25 % • Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
Number of companion animals that enter into animal shelters nationwide annually 5 million • Average annual
number of companion animals that are euthinized at shelters 3.5 million • Percent of dogs in animals shelters that are euthanized 60 % • Percent of cats in animal shelters that are euthanized 70 % • Percent of cats that are returned to their owners 2 % • Percent of dogs returned to their owners 15 % • Total percentage of dogs claimed to be spayed or neutered 78 % • Total percentage of cats that are claimed to be spayed or neutered 88 % • Total number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10 % • Percent of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20 % • Percent of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25 % • Total number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25 % • Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
number of companion animals that are euthinized at shelters 3.5 million • Percent
of dogs in animals shelters that are euthanized 60 % • Percent
of cats in animal shelters that are euthanized 70 % • Percent
of cats that are returned to their owners 2 % • Percent
of dogs returned to their owners 15 % • Total percentage
of dogs claimed to be spayed or neutered 78 % • Total percentage
of cats that are claimed to be spayed or neutered 88 % • Total
number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10 % • Percent of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20 % • Percent of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25 % • Total number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25 % • Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
number of animals that end up in a shelter that are spayed or neutered 10 % • Percent
of dogs brought to shelters that were adopted by a shelter 20 % • Percent
of dogs and cats that are adopted from shelters 25 % • Total
number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage of dogs in shelters that are purebred 25 % • Total percentage of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
number of dogs and cats that are bought at pet stores 6 % • Percentage
of people that get their pets free or at low cost 65 % • Cost
of taxpayer money annually to round up, house, kill and dispose
of homeless animals $ 2 billion • Total percentage
of dogs in shelters that are
purebred 25 % • Total percentage
of U.S. homes who own at least 1 companion animal 63 % • Total
number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million •
number of homes that own at least 1 companion animal 70 million • Tags:
However, mixed breed
dogs appear to outnumber
purebreds by a substantial
number, possibly because more
of them enter community animal shelters and fewer are likely to be reclaimed by their owners.
In
dogs, a sale is NOT final and we would go a long way in lessening the rescue
of purebred dogs from shelters and the horrific euthanasia
numbers if people would be responsible for the animals they produce.
In the same way that inbreeding among human populations can increase the frequency
of normally rare genes that cause diseases, the selective breeding that created the hundreds
of modern
dog breeds has put
purebred dogs at risk for a large
number of health problems, affecting both body and behavior.
The
number of licensed breeders in this country has been steadily dropping due to lies from the animal «rights» groups about the quality
of purebred dogs.
The crux is that hobby breeders need to make an intensive group effort to reduce the
number of abandoned
purebred dogs in shelters now.
These adoption fees have created a large
number of dogs, especially those that appear to be
purebred, to be stolen every single day, only to be taken to another city or state to be put up for adoption.
There was a published survey a
number of years ago on where most «AKC»
purebred dogs originate from.
The AKC has come under fire from an increasing
number of critics including veterinarians, breeders, trainers and animal advocates that who charge that it has done
purebred dogs irreparable harm.
Whether it's the impact
of bad publicity or the recession cutting into
purebred dog sales, the
number of commercial
dog breeders licensed by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture is declining, from 3,486 in 2009, to 2,904 in 2010 and 2,205 in 2011, according to USDA spokesman Dave Sacks said.
A quick perusal
of Pet finder will verify the
number of shelters and rescue organizations seeking adopters for displaced
dogs, whether
purebred or mixed breed.
Secondary objectives include pet education, decreasing the
number of purebred animals being born with our policy
of spay / neuter all
dogs before adoption, and educating adopters on the importance
of spay / neuter.
These
numbers are fairly conistent with information from a 2009 Petsmart / Ipsos study (which Christie, I imagine you've seen) in which 8 % were bought at a pet store, 21 %
of dogs from a
purebred breeder (2 % for cats), 19 % came into a home as a stray (8 % for
dogs, 30 % for cats), 24 % from adoption and 25 % from a family member.
Purebred dogs are the only system for undertaking this study for a large
number of reasons, including low within - breed genetic diversity, high between - breed morphological diversity, and similarity to humans.
The actual
number of purebred, pedigreed, registered
dogs is difficult, if not impossible, to estimate.
If you would like to adopt a
purebred puppy or adult
dog, please click on the Atlanta Rescue List which consists
of the names and phone
numbers of purebred rescuers throughout the Atlanta area who have
dogs and puppies available... Read more
Like all
purebred dogs, the Malamute has a
number of congenital health problems.
As
numbers began to decline, the rising popularity
of «pedigreed»
purebred dogs and the «sport»
of dog shows saw to it that the ranks
of the common farm
dog continued to dwindle.
About a third
of those
dogs were
purebreds, with a
number of Dalmatians among them, said Mary Beth Lake, the shelter's animal care supervisor.
Like all
purebred dogs, Border Collies are susceptible to a
number of genetically - based health problems, including hip dysplasia and osteochondritis dessicans, both
of which affect the joints.
Because not all
purebred breeds are designated into the AKC breed groupings, the
number of dogs used in the analyses was 88,635.
Data presented as mean OR (with 95 % CI)
of the
purebred group relative to mixed - breed
dogs, mean P value
of the matched control sampling sets, and the
number of times (
of 50) that those matched control sampling sets indicated a significant difference in probability that mixed - breed and
purebred categories differed in prevalence
of each condition (denoted in italics)