'Fashionable' dogs suffer from inbreeding - club
Dogs such as the Alaskan malamute had become so popular as fashion accessories, especially in the Auckland region, there was dangerous inbreeding going on that caused serious genetic defects leaving some dogs temperamental, aggressive and suffering from eye diseases such as day blindness, New Zealand Malamute Club President Dave Fraser said yesterday.
The husky breed had become very "in" after movies such as Snow Dogs a couple of years ago and Eight Below earlier this year, he said. "Something needs to be done about breeders especially those in the north who breeding the pups as fast as they can without any thought for line or how close they are breeding them. Then they're sold without papers for under $500 because the demand is out there and we're absolutely powerless to stop it."
Mr Fraser said anyone wanting a Malamute husky pup shouldn't go near a pet shop.
"That's where you'll run the biggest risk of getting a pup that is diseased and has a temperament problem." The malamutes were originally pack dogs and they still were, he said.
The right owner was selected for a malamute pup, not the other way round, Mr Fraser said.
The husky breed had become very "in" after movies such as Snow Dogs a couple of years ago and Eight Below earlier this year, he said. "Something needs to be done about breeders especially those in the north who breeding the pups as fast as they can without any thought for line or how close they are breeding them. Then they're sold without papers for under $500 because the demand is out there and we're absolutely powerless to stop it."
Mr Fraser said anyone wanting a Malamute husky pup shouldn't go near a pet shop.
"That's where you'll run the biggest risk of getting a pup that is diseased and has a temperament problem." The malamutes were originally pack dogs and they still were, he said.
The right owner was selected for a malamute pup, not the other way round, Mr Fraser said.
1 Comments:
At 9:51 a.m., Anonymous said…
i agree with the last statement, and it shud stand 4 all dogs. the owner shud b matched to the dog not just give it to any person hu cmes along with money.
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