The National Dog Show Presented By Purina 2012: Best in Show

To the vet tech - in reality your statement is totally skewed. The only reason people know that these purebreds have hip dysplasia is because their owners TEST for it. Pet people will not spend hundreds of dollars to know if their dogs have genetic faults. BTW - there are more intelligent breeds then the BC ( try the cattle dog bred to think for itself and incredibly trainable in many sports) and your statement is so not true...BCs too are bred for many physical and mental attributes just like other breeds. They are bred for working and showing just like other breeds. They have bad hips, also they have Collie Eye Anomaly that affects the retina of the eye, what about Osteochondritis Disease that affects the joints.

In truth the main reason that people know the genetic problems of purebred is that concerned breeders like those that show at this show -- test the dogs before they breed them. THAT is how they know what each breed is affected by. Someone who gets a rescue or dog bred by their neighbor does NOT spend the $$$ to see if the eyes are healthy, or if the dog has hearing in both ears. x-ray to see if the hips or elbows are correct so the dog has a lesser chance of arthritis or worse as it ages. So many people breed dogs "just so the kids can share" and have no idea if the pups they have will develop any problems later in life, go blind, be deaf, have poor and potentially dangerous temperaments. They give the dogs away, sell them to anyone and often to people that are not right for that puppy. THAT is why so many end up in shelters or rescues. Dogs placed wiht people that should not have that breed or that dog. Once the pup is out of the house they no longer feel any responsibility about that pup. Breeders that have pups whose dogs are in shows like this will take their puppies back even if they are 7, 8 or older just so they do NOT end up in a shelter. They take the time to breed dogs that will live long lives as healthy as possible, will keep in touch with people that have pups from them, often help support rescue for dogs that uncaring so called breeders produced and are in shelters or rescue.

You tell me how many people you know that breed their dogs or mixed breeds and actively offer to help dogs bred by total strangers?? Without people who love the breeds they do there would be no rescues and many of these rescues are supported by ethical breeders and what is called a parent club for the breed. Maybe if all those that ever bred their family dog for whatever reason HAD to be responsible for the pups for their lifetime there would be less pups in shelters. The majority of dogs in shelters come from people like your neighbor down the block who just had to have a clone of the dog they have, OH and everyone loves their dog and they have 10 people who want puppies -- until there are puppies to be had anyhow and then they really just said it but did not mean it

Nothing wrong with breeders that love and breed quality dogs for the betterment of the breed. It's frustrating when people lump "breeders" and puppy mills as one in the same. Quality breeders that breed for show more often than not, breed extremely healthy dogs. They have to or they wouldn't be able to show or breed. This is a far cry from a puppy mill or "backyard breeder". I have a show quality Dane that is 2 and very healthy. I also have a 10 year old rescue mutt that at 1 year of age had to have hip surgery in both hips....to the tune of 1,500$.

FOWL!! Clearly the Great Dane was a shoe in! He should've won!

Why is it all the picture comments talk about "he", when the picture is of an obviously female dog? It's really not that hard to tell a male dog from a female dog. All you've got to do is look. Dangly bits? It's a boy. No dangly bits? It's a girl.

There is so much butt sniffing in dog shows, and it isn't just the dogs. The best of breeds is so politIcal and unfair that I don't know why anyone wants to compete.

Everyone needs to help the shelters get homes for the ones in there that need homes so badly, that would also cut down on breeders and puppy mills. I've had rescues that have more personality than any high strung pure bred, and my mixed were actually healthier.

I have a purebred min.pin. that lives with me and my family. I rescued her when she was 1 years old from a family that was not nice to her. You people are all wrong, it doesn't matter if an animal is pure or mixed they all deserve to be loved and cared for. My min. Pin. Is 11 now and neither of us would know what to do without the other.

These pompous a$$es have ruined man's best friend. These poor animals have gone through hell just for the arrogance of their owners.

Rip off !!!! The Great Dane should have won.

oops! correction....the AKA is NOW trying to ruin the most intelligent breed, not "not". Rescue dogs and mutts are the ONLY way to go!