What is a disadvantage of pure breeds?

Answer 1

Possibly the biggest disadvantage of purebred dogs is that they tend to have rather severe health problems. This is because they are often bred to compete in the show ring, where dogs are judged to a standard for each breed. These standards, which dictate how the animal must look, frequently cause unintentional defects in some breeds of dogs. For instance, consider the Pekinese, a toy dog whose standard indicates that it should have a very short muzzle. Pekinese bred for this trait often have so much difficulty breathing that they overheat very easily and must be cooled down with ice after being shown in the ring.

Another example is the rough collie, which often has vision problems. People breeding collies for better eyesight unintentionally create immune problems in their dogs. Then there are English bulldogs, whose confirmation is so distorted that they cannot breed naturally; they must be artifically inseminated. Another extreme example is the Rhodesian Ridgeback, which actually suffers from a form of spina bifida. Typically, Ridgebacks born without the deformed backbone are euthanized shortly after birth. Larger dachshunds, which have to carry long, heavy bodies on very short legs, often have serious back spinal problems.

Fortunately, some dog breeders today are placing canine health and temperament before the standards when choosing the parents of a litter.