It strikes me as a bit strange that no one breeds dogs PURELY for companion pets.
Why don't we select dogs primerily on temprement to provide family pets?

Or am I missing something which is glaringly obvious to people who do breed dogs (as I don't)??

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- More than half the litters born a year are soley bred as companions

Do you mean by that, that they are chosen PRIMARILY for their temprament with no concern for astheitics (other than those which would impinge on health)? Who are these people?

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Out of Alaska's litter 4 went to Pet homes.
Out of Aiden's litter 3 went to Pet homes.
Out of Kai's litter all the litter went to Pet homes.

Out of an average litter of pups only 1-2 will be show potential. The rest will have a fault in some way but most of the time the parents have been shown or temperament tested in some way so they have sound temperaments.

Even champions can have dogs with faults such as being to big or mismarked.

many 'pet' breeders, concentrate mainly on tempermant, and supplying a pet market! - the looks of the dogs hold little importance. - there breeders are all over - look at the advert sites.

- or do you mean 'ethical' breeders that are breeding just for tempermant? Because is there such a thing? not to me there isnt, ANY ethical breeder doesnt have one main aim, and will work with tempermant, health and conformation.

You can't have something chosen PRIMARILY for something and then have no other concerns. I assume what you are saying is why aren't dogs bred ONLY with temperament in mind. I suppose the answer to that is that there is much more to a dog than temperament.

I understand that a lot of pedigree (maybe most?) dogs go to pet homes. What I am asking, though is why don't we breed for the pet market? For instance my friend had a wonderful mongerel from the rescue centre. He was just a smashing all-round good dog. Another of my friends had a nodescript looking dog, of no particular pedigree who also had a great personality and was amazingly tolertant of children- he was so laid back. If I look at this rationally, why don't we actually breed mongrels, providing they are sound of temprament and health? It seems to me to be such an obvious question.

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Throughout history
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Not Magic. T. Minchin

People are already breeding dogs for the pet market! - are we living in different worlds? More litters are being bred for the pet market than for any other reason..pedigrees, and crosses. - just because a dog has a decent tempermant doesnt make it worthy of breeding..

But you've said it yourself:

The majority of dogs bred ARE for the pet market. Or am I not getting this?

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But why not? providing there are no health problems, why not breed for temprament only?

I've NEVER seen a dog advertised for sale which is not of a particular pedigree.

__________________
Throughout history
Every mystery
EVER solved has turned out to be
Not Magic. T. Minchin