When I got my first lab, we named her Beauty, because we thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world. We paid $100 for her, and I remember thinking how "expensive" she was. I also remember once saying "She's always been the perfect lab, never gawky or anything, she's just gorgeous!" I wanted to breed. I was an "ignorant" and "uneducated" dog owner back then. Luckily I met the right people who helped me learn.
Beauty was beautiful, in her heart. But as I learned more about dogs I discovered she was probably the ugliest lab you ever laid eyes on. She was 4 inches taller than standard, built more like a GSD than a lab. She had a beautiful head, but that was one of her few good qualities. She had a flag tail, one she carried high and curled a little over her back. It feathered about 3 inces. Her coat was good too. And she had beautiful eyes.
At 6 months of age, we discovered she had Hip Dysplasia, which luckily I knew to be hereditary, so we spayed her. Otherwise, we would have bred her! That's right! My stupidity and ignorance would have brought some MORE ugly labrador pups into the world.
Sure, she could hunt, but so can alot of mixed breeds! And she could love. :o)That is all she had to offer to the breed. She couldn't offer a strong sense of the breed; she couldn't offer a litter who would be strong and have unending stamina, so as to able to hunt for hours!
All she could create was loving pups.
But, would it be fair to create loving pups only to make them hurt? For Beauty had other hereditary problems that showed only after she was older.
But I saw my gorgeous girl with Rose Colored Glasses. I thank the Lord that we didn't breed her, and those glasses were finally removed. When I gave the spay/neuter talks at my obedience classes, I always used Beauty as a demonstration of those "Rose Colored Glasses". We'd walk her next to her house mate, a conformation style lab just two years her junior, fully able and willing to hunt. Next to her "sister", Beauty looked like a totally different breed of dog.
We all love our dogs, and we all believe them to be the most beautiful animals in the world. We ALL have rose colored glasses...some stronger than others. It's why I tell people before they breed they should run the genetic health testing, then they should have at least 3 judges evaluate their dog for conformance to standard, and their dog should be tested in its appropriate field of "endeavor".
Sometimes those Rose Colored Glasses are only slightly tinted...other times they make us totally blind. By having all these "tests" and "evaluations", we save the breed. And we save the pups from alot of "unloved" homes.
So before you breed, try to remove those glasses for just a moment, and truly evaluate that dog!
Beauty demands it, may she rest in peace!
Thanks to Teresa R. on the ACME Dog Bulletin Board for letting me reprint this message she once sent to the board. It's a moving and loving tribute to Beauty. And a stong reminder to us all that BREEDING is a serious and lasting undertaking. And it should be done ONLY by the most KNOWLEDGEABLE and RESPONSIBLE fanciers to IMPROVE their breed! Thanks for listening.
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