For the Love of DOG...Kind

The gatekeepers of America’s dogs hold the power to change their future. Will we?

A Call to Action for Dog Breeders and Rescuers

Cropped ears. 

Designer dogs. 

Breeding while shelters overflow. 

“Oops” litters. 

Preservation breeding. 

Brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs. 

Rescue operations. 

Placement practices. 

Open-door (“kill”) shelters. 

No-kill rescues. 

Intentional mix breeding. 

Tail docking. 

Functional breeding. 

Commercial breeding. 

Doodles.  

Importing rescue dogs. 

Frenchies.

If you’ve spent any time in the dog world, you’ve likely judged — or been judged — for something on this “sin list.” Chances are, you’ve been on both sides, which in and of itself is worth pondering. But I digress.

The Hard Truth About American Dogs

• The health and welfare of America’s dogs is poor. Rescues and shelters are overflowing. Dogs suffer from cancer, breathing difficulties, joint problems, and poor quality of life in breeding kennels and with well intended families.

  
  

• There are 65.1 million U.S. households with at least one dog.

  
  

• The number of people actively involved in breeding or rescuing dogs? A tiny fraction of that 65.1 million.

  
  

And yet — this tiny fraction acts as the gatekeepers to nearly all of America’s dogs.

Blessed, Powerful, and Strange are the Gatekeepers

It takes a certain personality to stay in dog breeding or rescue for the long haul. For many of us, this world offered belonging when belonging had been hard to find. But it’s also a world full of problems — with health, welfare, and politics all tangled together.

Given those factors, it is not overly surprising that the dog world has created an echo chamber, with little regard for the outside world to which we provide one of their greatest joys. Their pet dogs. 

Despite the “home” it brings many of us, our comparatively tiny community, is not only in an echo chamber but it is subdivided into even tinier and warring echo chambers, practicing or fault finding all things on the ”sin list” (and then some). 

Despite the battle lines and insults hurled from behind the hedges, the people in the chamber (the gatekeepers) seem to mostly enjoy it. Riding moral high horses feels good. So does basking in the approval of like-minded folks.

However, rescues and shelters are still overloaded. Domestic dogs still suffer from debilitating conditions. Many dogs suffer from poor quality of life for many reasons. We all have endless stories of heartbreak to bring to the table. The warring factions don’t seem to have improved dogs or families' lived experiences.

The Obligation of the Gatekeepers

The gatekeepers hold the welfare of American dogs in our hands. Veterinarians, trainers, and pet stores have roles to play, but they can only work with what we give them. As a result, many of them think poorly of us — and while the cynical might note they’d be jobless and "industryless" without us, it doesn’t change the fact that we need to do better.

It takes a lot of heart and passion to breed or rescue. So it is easy to let ourselves think we’ve figured it all out and the others are wrong. But I rarely hear arguments that are fully informed, logical, or solution-oriented.

The problems persist and they are not all everyone else's fault. We need to exit our respective echo chambers and enter inquiry chambers. On the other side of that is problem solving. And we owe that to dogs.

This Isn’t About “Anything Goes” — It’s About Dog Welfare

This does not mean we need to accept every practice on the sin list. There are clear rights and wrongs when it comes to creating living things. And this is precisely WHY we need to change. In our current echo chambers we help no one.

If we begin to inquire more about why our identified problems exist we can begin to think about solutions and alternatives. We are gatekeepers to one of humanity’s most cherished bonds and profound life experiences. We need to rise to the occasion. 

We have a responsibility for our own mind shifts and habits to better use the power we have for the welfare of the dogs and families we impact.

Join the Mind Shift: Five Shifts for Better Dog Welfare

Mind Shift 1: Acknowledge that we are in a complicated shit show that we inherited

We didn’t create this mess.

• The Victorians invented “purebred” dogs and drained the gene pool through inbreeding.

  
  

• Kennel clubs were built on a culture of ostracism and bullying toward anyone who didn’t conform. Unfortunately, that mindset still lingers today. As a result, the already limited and unhealthy gene pool doesn’t flow very freely. This decreases the ability to create healthy dogs. 

  
  

• 21st-century life doesn’t suit many traditional breeds.

  
  

So are left trying to breed functional animals out of genes that are NOT:

• Healthy

• Suited to the functions of today’s dogs

• Easy to get

  
  

That obviously significantly impacts dogs health and welfare.

Mind Shift 2: Understand Love is a Drive

Love isn’t a virtue — it’s a biological drive, like hunger. People love dogs. They love specific breeds. That love has, and always will, shape the history and future of dogs. This love manifests itself as preservation breeding, brachy breeding, mixed breeding, functional breeding, working line breeding, rescue policies, importing dogs and other items on the “sin list”. 

Obviously, we don’t have to agree with or be a part of every community. But we DO need to recognize that judgment helps no one. Working towards curiosity and understanding is key for any kind of problem solving. And problem solving is what helps dog welfare.

Mind Shift 3: Consider Access, Equity, and Physics

When someone says, “There shouldn’t be {breeders/brachy dogs/designer dogs etc},” they’re saying:

1. There should be fewer dogs, making them less accessible to people with less money.

2. “I get to decide what options others should have.”

3. “Let’s further reduce genetic diversity causing more health problems and fewer options."

   
   

These are very problematic and as such won't happen. Remember, love is a drive. People love dogs and will keep adding them to their lives no matter what you think. Condemning an entire group does not help anyone. It is more useful to try to understand how that group/breed you find problematic got here? What led to it? Why can’t it seem to change? If you don't know the answers to those questions how are you going to help?

Mind Shift 4: Replace Righteousness with Skepticism

Understand there is very little quality, rigorous science to support our conclusions. It is almost all observations and those can be wrong or out of date. 

• In almost every case the “opinioner" does not have all the facts. Not all brachycephalic dogs have breathing problems. Without commercial kennels access to dogs would plummet, leaving them only for the most privileged. If you bristled when you read that, I invite you to join the mind shift and learn more. 

• The reasons for our industries lack of rigor is complicated and to an extent, actually understandable. But it does mean almost all judgment and opinions are not grounded in absolute fact. In the absence of good science usually no one has the moral high ground. 

• Commit to citing sources when possible and admitting it might be more complicated when it isn’t. 

Mind Shift 5: We are the Gatekeepers but the Market is the Master

 You can’t place dogs no one wants. Rescues having financial responsibility and liability for dogs that can't be adopted is unsustainable. (You can instead become a sanctuary, but at that point you're no longer a gatekeeper.)

Breeding litters you can't place means the breeder either has to keep all the puppies or surrender them to rescue. Neither of these options are sustainable. To continue to be a gatekeeper, you need to be able to place the dogs.

Therefore, having an open mind to what people want and need, and a curiosity for why does a lot more for dog welfare than judging each other for rescuing, breeding, or otherwise providing Americans with what is often one of the most profound loves of their life.

Conclusion: Be a Safe Haven, Not a Gatekeeper Gang

Finding fault in today’s dog world is as easy as breathing. Cancer, autoimmune diseases, joint problems, allergies, anxiety — the list of suffering is long. And a gatekeeper is behind every case.

However, the path to improvement is not judgement. Gatekeepers, living as we do, in judgment of others and effectively in gangs for protection from the cruelty and assault from other gatekeepers harms dogs' welfare.

As gatekeepers to one of humanity’s most cherished bonds, we have an obligation to do better. Fault finding is the easy way out. We have an obligation as rescuers and creators of living things that have no voice. We need to strive for learning, empathizing, and growing. Start by declaring yourself a safe haven. Let others find safety, welcome, and community in you.