It’s not nice to mess with Mother Nature
By Dr. Daniel Eubanks
A long time ago, and I’m talking about prehistoric, there was the ancestral dog.
He was a hearty creature of medium stature, proportionate build, standard conformation, conservative hair coat, neutral color in other words, bland and boring.
He was the product of natural selection nature’s planned parenthood.
Along came man, who decided his needs could be better served if he tweaked Mother Nature a little bit. He proceeded to create variants of the dog to fulfill his assortment of needs.
He applied the concept of selective breeding creating genetic variants by mating dogs with certain traits. Size, color, long backs, short legs, smushed-in faces almost anything was possible.
A plethora of manmade “breeds” were created as seen by the hundreds of purebreds we have today. Some were fashioned for appearance, such as the graceful flowing coat of a well-groomed Afghan or a Lhasa Apso or a Maltese.
Some breeds were created more for a desired function such as the greyhound or St. Bernard. Some were designed to fit in your pocket alongside your iPod like the Chihuahua.
None of these purebreds were a product of nature. They were selected by man for various traits, some good and some bad, to create the desired effect.
Not that this was a bad thing. The purebred dog world as we know it today is a fascinating kaleidoscope of sizes, shapes and colors. Few other species of animal have such diverse variation.
I personally have owned four boxers, a German shepherd and a border collie.
Selective breeding hasn’t been without complications, however. Many of the “desirable” traits that were selected have created undesirable physical consequences for the animal.
Brachycephalia the smushed face conformation of pugs, Shih-tzus and Boston terriers creates inherent upper airway obstruction and trouble breathing. Extremes of size and disproportionate conformation Great Danes, Newfoundlands, bassetts, dachshunds have orthopedic consequences.
A classic example of a fad breed that hit the scene a couple of decades ago was the Sharpei. A Hollywood starlet appeared in Vogue magazine sporting a Sharpei.
This uniquely different dog with “all the wrinkles” became a sensational hit. But as fashionable and lovable as the breed might have been, it was accompanied by inherent problems. Congenital kidney disease was common, deformed eyelids required surgical correction before three months of age, and dermatologic disorders seemed to be the norm.
Enter today’s new fad the exact opposite, the hybrid. Nothing new about hybrids.
”Hybrid vigor” is an old term used to describe that the offspring of two different purebreds yields a mongrel, which has a potentiated genetic makeup. It means, from at least some perspectives, the hybrid offspring is better than the purebred parents.
The very strength of our country’s population is the product of immigration and subsequent hybridization. Hybrid corn yields more product per acre with resistance to drought and pests. Detroit is now promoting hybrid cars in response to fuel prices and pollution. Some people simply want a pet that fulfills the companion animal need without inherent defects.
Hence, the recent popularity of the hybrid dog. These crosses were, hopefully, selected to accentuate the desirable traits and eliminate the bad ones.
We have Schnoodles and Cockapoos. There are Labradoodles, Goldendooodles and Jugs.
Heck, a few days ago, I saw a Dalmation and Whippet cross a delightful dog!
A word of caution. Any good thing can turn bad if abused. Any breed, even hybrids, can be ruined by the old concept of supply and demand.
If any breed becomes too popular, charlatans will clamor to meet the demand, producing anything even vaguely familiar to the original product.
When acquiring any dog, use references when selecting a source. Ask other owners of the breed whether they’re pleased and where they obtained the dog.
If possible, “meet the parents” of the litter to evaluate their appearance and temperament.
In theory, the entire hybrid concept makes good sense. Remember, “It’s not nice to mess with Mother Nature!”