Pros And Cons Of Pedigree Dog Breeding

In the article, “Welfare concerns associated with pedigree dog breeding in the UK” by Nicola J. Rooney and David R. Sargan, the topic of the welfare for pedigree dogs is discussed. Pedigree dog breeding can be summed up as breeding for certain physical traits the Kennel Clubs look for, specifically in the different breeds of dogs. Rooney (2010) states that, “In the UK, numerous pedigree dogs of many breeds experience compromised welfare due to the direct and indirect effects of selective breeding” (p. 133). People are breeding these dogs for looks and in turn the dog’s health is being compromised. Just like in the article by King, people are selective breeding for physical characteristics and Rooney touches upon the consequences of selective breeding for such characteristics. An in text citation states, “The indirect effects of selective breeding for appearance include very significantly reduced genetic diversity unevenly spread across the genome” (Jones et al 2008, p. 134). Dogs that are selected for looks with their genetics ignored are more likely to develop health issues, such as collie eye anomaly, cardiac problems, and diabetes to name a few. In both articles, King and Rooney discuss the trend of how dogs used to be bred for their working purpose and over time their companionship with humans

There are many similarities in the article when comparing it to the previous one. Both articles state there has been a trend between humans and dog’s appearance, the trend being that dogs are bred for looks more than purpose nowadays. They also confirm that the health issues breeds are suffering from directly relates to selective breeding, all due to the fact that people are trying to conform to Kennel Club standards. All in all, King’s article was more background information, while Rooney furthers the discussion into the whys and how people should be changing their breeding