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I
just returned from an impromptu visit to NY on April 20 to publicize the two
part PBS “Nature” special on canine evolution “Dogs that Changed the World”.
Going to New York was so GREAT. First of all I
need to say when you get that phone call about an upcoming event JUMP ON IT.
Even though it was short notice, PBS bought my plane ticket ,sent cars for me
and Rita, put us up at the Affinia hotel in midtown Manhattan and took me to
lunch to meet everyone involved with the show, Susan, Fred, Donald, Kathleen,
and Janice.
Although the Nature special featured several different breeds, they decided to
use only Xolos for the advance publicity. I can’t overestimate what a great
publicity opportunity this was for our breed. My lovely black miniature hairless
bitch, Miss Krystal's Rita Moreno appeared on more than a dozen TV Satellite –
interviews shown in over 500 local TV and Radio broadcast two days before the
PBS series aired.
As
soon as I arrived at the hotel and got into the elevator five people were saying
the
word itzcuintle. I do know that's what the Latinos call these dogs. They petted
Rita, she wagged her tail and I never understood another word they said, but
I'll bet when they go home they'll say (in their language)" You'll never guess
what we saw in NYC.”
Getting to NY on such short notice was not easy. I worked all day Thursday, went
home and packed, took care of my dogs, got a ride to the airport (they didn't
send a car here) caught the redeye Jet Blue flight to JFK. Two days before I was
to leave I got word that the person I was counting on to care for my dogs had
school tests and she canceled on me at the last minute. Without the help of one
of our new member James Crawley (a disabled person, has no use in his right
side) I would not have been able to go. He volunteered to stay at my place and
watch my dogs.
When I got to JFK I could not find the car PBS sent to pick me up, left my bags
outside on the sidewalk, moved 5 feet to try and look for the car that was
suppose to pick me up and boom two armed National Guards with rifles were on my
butt like instantly. Good thing I like guns and service guys or I could have
fainted right there.
As
soon as Rita and I got to the hotel we ordered some breakfast from room service
and took a nap. That was a good thing because I didn't get very much rest in NY.
It seemed like there was always something to do. I met the Canadian researcher
and author Susan Crockford and the producer of the series, Fred Kaufman soon
after I arrived. Susan Crockford is great; she loves dogs and has studied dogs
for over two decades and has written a book entitled “Rhythms of Life” Susan is
a Doctor in more than one field; she was called in for her knowledge of the
origin of dogs. It was great getting to ask her educated questions about her
studies. I really liked her!!!
Amy
came over to see me at the hotel. I love seeing her. When she was leaving Susan
showed up, and we took some pictures with Rita. We went up to the room and you
know those Canadians love to socialize.
On
Friday morning Rita and I were up at 5AM Friday and off to the channel 13, PBS
studios. Susan and Fred loved and petted Rita from 7AM to 12:30 PM. In fact,
everyone at the channel 13 studio loved her.
But
Rita really loves her Mom so that was a little bit of a problem; she kept
looking for me and did not want to sit with Susan even though Susan was
fantastic in the way she handled Rita. Finally the folks that really run the
show decided to put me right in front of Fred and Susan, behind the lights but
in front of the cameras, which are way over our heads. Then Rita looked right
into the cameras and finally went to sleep in Susan's lap. It was so cool you
guys because once in a while Fred would reach over and pet Rita and just
lovingly stroke her naked body, IT WAS WONDERFUL.
When we finished all the promotional spots, it was back to the hotel. NYC prices
are way up there; so it is probably good that I didn't get a chance to go
shopping and buy any souvenirs. Rita and I had lunch and a little rest and then
it was time to the airport. The dumb driver who they sent to take me to the
airport at 4:30 decided he wasn't going to let me in his car with a dog, I've
learned a lot from NYC folks. You just do what you need to do. I got in the car
and told him to call Channel 13 because they were paying him to drive me to the
airport, so he'd have to take it up with them. Wait until I tell Kathleen on
Monday, she works for PBS and was in charge of my travel arrangements. She is
very small but she makes things happen. And I love strong women who get the job
done.
Of
course my plane was late getting in. My friend Charlene picked me up at the
airport. She was doing a fund raiser the next day and had to have her horse
trailer loaded by 6:00AM to go on a Trail Ride with children with disabilities
and their horses. When I finally got to bed but some puppy wanted to play, and I
finally got that straightened out, about 3:AM. I was up at 6:30AM did the
chores, picked up my daughter at 9AM, and went to work, cleaning our Sat family.
Now
that I have had a chance to catch up on my sleep I feel much better and knowing
how important this mission was gives me energy. I'll post some photos of Miss
Rita Moreno ASAP.
I
personally want to invite all XCA members to Please take part in any opportunity
you are offered to help promote the beautiful rare breed we all LOVE. You must
participate because people look to us for our opinions, especially Xolo
breeders. After all the horrible coverage our breed has received thanks to Ugly
Dog contests we have lots of work to do to correct those negative perceptions. I
love NY and I plan to go back in September to help represent the XCA at the AKC
Responsible Dog Ownership Day. We also need XCA members in North Carolina to
take part in the AKC event there on the same day. There are lots of
opportunities out there, but you have to be ready to jump on them when they come
along.
In contrast, the popularity of designer dogs is predicated
on the fact that no selection process is involved in their creation. Randomness
is the desired end result. They are marketed as the ideal solution to securing
the good qualities and avoid the faults of purebreds. Although this contention
is debatable it rarely garners much publicity.
The major difference between creating a new breed through
crossbreeding and creating a designer breed boils down to form and function.
Variations of size, structure and temperament are inevitable when any breed
begins to take shape. But there are objective reasons directing the choices
leading to the next generation. Stabilizing a predictable type normally requires
ten, twenty or even more generations before unusual surprises and problems slow
to a manageable trickle. That is just one of the potential complications
downplayed in designer dog breeding.
At its best designer dog breeding includes no safeguards to
discourage extreme or faulty traits. In the purebred world, hurdles include
registration eligibility, health testing, peer pressure and dog shows. Although
this system remains open to criticism, “you don’t know what you got till it’s
gone.” Regardless of the breeds involved, crossbreeding can have regrettable
results unless the parents are good representatives of their respective breeds.
That’s seldom the case because serious breeders generally refuse to contribute
stock to such ventures.
For instance, Pugs are supposed to be slightly undershot.
And undershot bites are incorrect, but not uncommon in Beagles. Breeding a Pug
with correct undershot dentition to a Beagle with an incorrect undershot
dentition inevitably doubles up on the genes for that trait. The resulting
puppies can end up with teeth wildly out of alignment and a cosmetic problem
becomes a major structural defect. Likewise, breeding a slightly oversized Pug
to a slightly oversized Beagle often produces puppies far larger than either
parent- which are then marketed as miniature Mastiffs.
Another consideration is that the designer (hybrid)
qualities carry though a single generation. Crossing a Labrador Retriever to a
Poodle will produce Labradoodles in the first generation. Breeding a Labradoodle
to a Labradoodle inevitably starts the ball rolling towards gene pairings.
Second gen doodles won’t possess the coveted hybrid vigor promoted as an
all-encompassing health guarantee. In reality, its effects are dependant on the
genetic health of the parents.
Crossbreeding hybridization cannot prevent unwanted genetic
combinations simply because it involves crossing two related strains of the same
species. (This technicality also receives little airtime in designer dog
endorsements). Every dog, purebred, random bred or hybrid- possesses at least
five defective genes. Numerous disorders like hip dysplasia and PRA are
widespread in many breeds. The fact that the parents come from two different
breeds will not prevent their transmission to progeny.
Whatever they’re worth, designer dogs are here to stay.
The money, publicity, and outlandish guarantees attached to
designer dogs have obscured a bigger issue. Whether you are a breeder, a buyer
or a judge, at some point all dog evaluation becomes subjective. Our choices are
an ongoing reflection of our priorities. Even though the absence of purebred
predictability is a major selling point for designer dogs, consumers seldom
prefer uncertainty. Predictable expectations about ownership responsibilities
-rather than genetic variability- have made designer dogs a hot commodity. They
don’t require training or grooming and are guaranteed never to fall ill. We
recognize these claims as mere = hype encouraging irresponsible ownership. It’s
annoying, but it’s nothing new to the dog business. Nor am I really bothered
that the idea that designer dogs are anti-purebred. What worries me is that this
entire marketing campaign is thoroughly anti-dog. The supposed shortcomings and
demands of purebreds are precisely the issues any dog owner might encounter. . I
have yet to live with a dog that did not come with baggage. grooming, training,
vet bills and dog damage come with the territory
A December 28, 2006 Times article presented an equally disturbing picture of
consumer delusions about dog ownership. Undersized purebreds have become the
latest focus of Japan’s insatiable mania for status symbols. Exceptionally tiny
or unusual specimens sell for unprecedented sums. the resulting irresponsible
breeding practices have given Japanese dogs the world’s highest rates of genetic
defects, estimated to be four times higher than rates documented in the US and
Europe. The article detailed unprecedented consumer demand for a frightening
distortion of canine companionship. Inbreeding was cited as the mainculprit
although many of the defects highlighted in the article were typical results of
double merle breeding. What was more interesting was the acknowledgement that
these tiny dogs are mainly intended as surrogate children. Not just average run
of the mill children, consumer expectations have elevated them to the status of
prodigies and superstars. The times noted that Japan’s pet dog population
doubled to 13 million last year to surpass the number of children under 12. An
expert interviewed for the piece had this to say “Indeed, many of these buyers
want dogs they can show off like proud parents. […] Households with few or no
children are turning to dogs to fill the void,” he said. “For a dog to be part
of the family, it has to be unique and have character, like a person.” That’s a
tall order for any dog.
Breeders and dog clubs have excelled at realistically
presenting their breeds to the public. Poodle breeders admit their dogs need
extensive grooming and cannot be guaranteed non allergic. Pug breeders freely
admit that shedding and snorting comes with the package. When someone asks me
about Chinese Crested temperament I tell them it’s like having your own private
stalker. Every breed has its own unique charms and drawbacks. We happily take
the good with the not so good. We love our chosen breed, but more than that, we
love dogs. We enjoy sharing our lives and homes with living, breathing,
unpredictable often messy and annoying animals.
This is what really worries me about the marketing tactics that have sent
designer dogs and Japanese mini pets to unprecedented heights. Their primary
appeal is the expectation of a “dog-free” companion. These marketers are not
merely selling a fantasy of an idealized human/animal relationship. They are
offering consumers the opportunity to reinvent themselves via dog ownership
without the inconvenience of actually having to live with a dog. The scariest
part is that so many purported dog lovers are buying into it.
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