English Setter Owner

What a horrible feeling. Last night, through no fault of my own, I ran over a baby bunny which had hopped into a busy state route. There was utterly no chance of avoiding it or stopping in time, but it felt horrible and I still feel so disturbed about it. I know it's just a bunny, but the image just keeps coming up in my brain.

Bird dogs, gun dogs, hunters, herders, shepherds, guard dogs, watch dogs, law enforcement, anti-terrorism, psychotherapy, seeing eye -- the list goes on and on. But the dogs and clubs associated with working dogs seem to get a lot less media and public attention than show dogs and this sort of thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3dkk54tdyM

What's the deal?

Sure, there are great pitbull owners -- truly wonderful owners. But the numbers don't lie: Where I live, pits and pit mixes make up the overwhelming majority of dogs in shelters and rescues. I know in other parts of the country, things are similar if not exactly alike. Any way you slice it, that means that someone isn't taking of their animals, ergo, they are by definition irresponsible. What's the deal? Why do irresponsible people seem so attracted to pits and pit mixes?

http://www.pbrc.net/breeding.html

Examples, please.

And no, I'm not interested in how awesome you think crate-training is (or isn't), only in when and where the movement began historically. Thank you.

Tell me all about it, esp. if you have first-hand experience. (And please feel free to answer the question I ask, not the one you want to answer.)

Love large-breed dogs, but so many of them seem almost plagued with major size-related health issues (bloat, cardiomypathies, etc.) and short lifespans (6-10 years).

Are there some larger breeds that have, through careful breeding or accident, show a better track record when it comes to such issues? Thanks in advance!

What's the most gentle-hearted, sweetest, wussiest, luvvy-duvviest breed of dog? What's the most ruthless, takes-no-prisoners, stop-whining, uh-no-hugs-please coldhearted breed?

1) Must be able to endure long walks on a daily basis in temperate climate. 2) Emotionally sensitive, please. 3) Will fearlessly protect the family if senses threat. 4) Must not chew up pet cat. 5) Must be good with children (I would never leave a small child alone with any dog fyi).

Any breed fit the bill? Shelter and rescue puppies would be great, but please name the specific kinds of breed mixes you might envision.

It's really hard for me to imagine how a Great Dane fits into the lives of a family. They just seem so ... BIG! Can any of you out there who have, or know of others' who have, experiences with these enormous and wonderful animals share a bit about what it's like to have one in the family? Are there myths and/or misconceptions? How the heck much do they really eat? (I keep picture a bag-a-day lol). Do they ever knock you down by accident?

* However you definite "total." The fees range in such incredible ways, and I know generalizations are difficult. STILL, what would you expect as a reasonable total adoption cost for a dog from a shelter or rescue? At what point do you feel that high adoption costs -- or even low costs? -- might raise red flags for you? Thanks!

In the endless, expensive, high-stakes search for the "right" combination of phenotypes, some dogs have a more genetically diverse makeup than others. Which breeds are, overall, the healthiest?

Unfortunately, not all animal "rescues" and "adoption" services are actually legitimate. In some cases, scammers pick up puppies from irresponsible owners, then transport them long distances and put them up for "adoption" with breathtakingly high fees.

Good-hearted potential owners get lured in by the idea that they are saving or rescuing a dog, when all they're doing is perpetuating a problem while enriching unscrupulous individuals. Is anyone tracking these fake rescues? Is there a place where scam artists are databased?

Breathing problems, issues with rolling over, original breed functions apparently lost -- is it actually a form of animal abuse to genetically engineer animals with such radical features? I am not claiming to know the answer, obviously. I am genuinely interested in well-considered, smart, sincere answers. If you object to the question, please don't answer it!

Some interesting resources: http://www.askthedogguy.com/bulldog-breeding-conse...

This seems like such a strange contradiction: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/

I admire many dog breeds, but I don't understand why breeders clubs and show organizations don't use their clout to influence the AKC's legislative direction.

I have read a great deal about how "reputable" dog breeders and so-called "backyard breeders" (BYB) supposedly differ. But what things do they have in common, apart from the obvious (they breed dogs and live on planet earth)? I would genuinely appreciate sincere efforts to answer this question, not non-answers or attempts to paint the question as somehow invalid. I ask the question with the utmost sincerity.

On the one hand, you have the breed-specific show communities competing at AKC-sanctioned shows and CONSTANTLY running down breeders for profit, and on the other, the AKC fights to kill anti-mill laws. Nice. A symbiosis of selfishness. And so-called "reputable" breeders want to self righteously claim some kind of high ground? Something seems fishy there. Can you explain this? I'm looking for answers!