What is a purebred dog?

Becoming a dog owner seems as simple as picking a dog, but dogs are multifaceted. Let’s ask you this question: If you were to look at your dog right now, would you be able to confidently say my dog is a purebred or my dog isn’t a purebred? 

What about their biological parents? Are they purebred? Are they not purebred?

If you’re already puzzled, then keep reading. We’re getting straight to the point.

What is a purebred dog?

A purebred dog is a dog that comes from a line of other dogs of the same breed. A purebred dog’s biological parents are of the same breed as are their ancestors. Purebred dogs continue through the breeding process. You might also hear this referred to as “cultivating varieties”. 

The goal is to maintain consistent, replicable, and predictable characteristics with the dog breed. There are risks though. If dogs are bred from a small gene pool, the result can yield the passing of undesirable traits, or worse: the collapse of a breed population. 

Is it ethical?

Breeding ethics is a continued discussion but from what we gather, most roads are pointing to NO, it’s not. Since continued pure-breeding creates a small gene pool, the animals directly affected are vulnerable to a spectrum of congenital health problems.

Just take one look at the Wikipedia page for purebred dogs and you already feel uneasy about it. The page says, “This problem is especially prevalent in competitive dog breeding and dog show circles due to the singular emphasis on aesthetics rather than health or function. Such problems also occur within certain segments of the horse industry for similar reasons. The problem is further compounded when breeders practice inbreeding. The opposite effect to that of the restricted gene pool caused by pure-breeding is known as hybrid vigor, which generally results in healthier animals.”

Do you want a purebred dog? How do you get a purebred dog?

Some dog owners will seek out purebred dogs because of the convenience of knowing the general physical and behavioral characteristics they’ll have, but should you get a purebred dog? Again, the breeding ethics are a hot topic of debate. Some sites will advise you to obtain purebred dogs from “responsible breeders”, but it looks like even those responsible breeders are operating in moral gray areas.

In a Los Angeles Times piece, it was said, “There is no such thing as “responsible breeding.” Common dog-breeding practices, including inbreeding and selective breeding for the distorted physical features required by the American Kennel Club’s “breed standards,” cause many purebreds to suffer debilitating, lifelong and even life-threatening health problems.

What’s more, all of the puppies that breeders produce rob lovable, friendly and healthy dogs waiting in shelters of their chance at a home. Other purebred puppies end up homeless themselves: One in four dogs in shelters is a purebred.”

As always though, it’s recommended to find your new forever family members at the shelter. #AdoptDontShop

What you’ve just read is a sampling of blog posts we offer at Joyride Harness. We cover current events, informational posts, interviews, and more! You can find more content including tips and tricks and how-tos for caring for your dog on our blog at this section.