Why Are Cats and Dogs Bred to Look Some Way, Even Though It Leads Them to Having Health Problems?

I am no veterinarian!

Cats and dogs (and horses) have usually been bred for a particular reason throughout history. A German Shorthair Pointer, for example, is bred to retrieve birds while hunting. For a specific look, cat breeders could breed (long fur, white coat) Along the way, the population of which they breed normally gets smaller, which means that there is inbreeding and genetic anomalies that have to be bred out again. Or it may be considered attractive to a specific mutation (fashion), such as an upturned nose in a dog or a smashed face. Others may also think it is appealing, so the breeder can try to reproduce it. Mistakes, especially in small populations, can be made to the detriment of the animal. Smart breeders know when to abandon and not to breed a specific animal or know when to begin to outcrop. But not everyone is wise. Breeders are now beginning to breed to win competitions at dog and cat shows and are adding diseases such as Pembroke Welsh Corgis, which now have a degenerative myelopathy problem. Reputable breeders are now attempting to breed DM Simple dogs, even though they may not otherwise fulfill the breed requirement. The path to a true breed of DM Clear is very long and will have to take place over the course of its life. In a particular strain of quarter horses, which developed on the basis of one “great” stallion, another example is HYPP. Or a more recent example is the poor Arabian horse, where they have made animals that can’t even breathe while attempting to breed a horse for a nose that fits into a teacup.

Mistakes can be made as long as individuals are breeding animals—genetics are less than predictable. Many are accidental, but people are driven by money so that they can still sell an animal carrying a disease, and even if the breeder says not to, someone can buy an animal and breed it. In animals, it’s human nature to want to monitor genetics. Only remember that some breeders are trustworthy and errors also occur. Others are not and there will still be someone who would prefer to pay less for an animal that is less than ideal. And someone else who’s going to pay enormous dollars for their dream animal.