DPU
Sure you do because the extent of your involvement with the two live example you provided is to make a condescending assumptions and judgements.
Well, if somebody is going to call me elitist because I believe only in ethical, responsible breeding, and breeding for a purpose, then by all means call me elitist. Regardless of what I am called, at least I can sleep at night knowing that the dogs that our family has produced will not die in a shelter, will not be neglected or abused, and will not reproduce to produce more puppies (unless in an established breeding home). No, it's not even legally my breeding program, but I have dedicated my emotions, time, skill, and work (not nearly to the extent my mother has, bless her, she's a godsend when it comes to raising puppies, a 24/7 dogmom) over the past years, and know what it takes to properly raise puppies.
For me, my ideal breeder is actually different than a lot of breeders. It's not even about the championships, or the *titles at both ends*. They are great, but they don't determine breeding quality. I've seen my fair share of well-titled dogs that I would not want to reproduce if you paid me in the thousands. And I have seen many dogs that would make GREAT contributions to the breed, neutered and totally eliminated from the gene pool simply due to a lack of titles, or due to something so silly as a mismark that isn't even genetic (!!!) but that wouldn't do *well because of the standard*. Well, phooey.
A lot of folks know that I support in *my* breed things that go against the current Canadian standard. I support having the white Mini Schnauzer added as an accepted color, despite the harsh comments and beliefs of the current breeders. I support leaving them intact as they were intended to be, and I support that by having an all-natural girl in my home to show for it. You cannot win with an intact Mini in Canada. Does that mean, since our family does not dock, that we should not breed? Shame on whoever feels that way. We have shown our docked dogs that were bought from other breeders. Shimmer was a breeding prospect that was chosen not to be used for breeding, she was kept as such, because of her sensitive personality. She is a stunning animal. Beautiful head, perfect tailset (intact tail), beautiful expression, intelligence out the ying yang, super attentive to people, proportions are fantastic, something most people would have bred anyhow. But here she is, spayed, happy, and content as a pet with me, because despite all those great things, there was just a little tiny something that said *no* to breeding.
There is nothing wrong with *going against the grain* if you are truly dedicated to trying to make changes to a standard. After all, it's why people go against the grain in the first place. And I do know folks who adamantly will oppose anything not in the standard, simply because they follow it as a bible rather than a guide, so I know the frustration of elitism in that manner.
But there is something to be said for why a breed standard is there. It's what makes a German Shepherd a German Shepherd, and not a Standard Poodle. It's what makes my Minis a Mini, and not a Jack Russell Terrier. Of course it is in the eye of the beholder, but the standard is there for a reason, even if there are some things in it you decide to try to make a change for. I have to say, if it was never pushed for it, the B/S Mini would never have been recognized, but you know, it's just as popular today as any other color is. And I know that will be the same way for white if and when it is ever accepted as a recognized color. Until it is, I'll continue to support it. But you support it and treat those animals the same way you treat any other color, or any other marking, with the same esteem (in my opinon, higher esteem so that you can truly be dedicated to making a change) you do for other colors, and you don't make false comments about color/markings and how rare or special they are. You don't present them as something *unique*, or try to charge double just because it's different. You put the same importance on function, structure, temperament, and what you feel is the *ideal* dog of a breed.
The thing about a breed standard is that it's totally and utterly subjective. You can take one breed standard, that is identical across all kennel clubs in the world, put one of each dog next to another in a line, and all of them will look different than the next, and every breeder will be able to point out the *faults* in the other, even if they are top winners in their home country.
But what it comes down to, is that being a responsible breeder, regardless of what standard you decide to follow, involves knowing the in's and out's of breeding BEFORE you even have the dog your are breeding. IMO it takes at least two years of study and observation and mentoring to really develop a *knowledge* of responsible breeding, and that's just to be ready TO breed. It's a continuing education. I put far more emphasis on how a breeder raises their dogs, than by how many titles its parents have. Give me a puppy from untitled, good quality parents that is raised in the home, with care and environmental enrichment, and socialization to human life over a puppy from top parents, who lived its first 8 weeks in a kennel environment any day.
I have been researching my next purebred dog (a Manchester) for several years now. And what was the deciding factor for me was not what titles adog had, but by looking into how they raise their puppies, their standards of care, how they live with their dogs on a daily basis, and where their priorities lie in terms of breeding. And everything they do matches in line with what I want in a dog of that breed, and I don't care a hootin' heck that they didn't have the BOB at Westminster or that they might have bred a non-CH bitch/stud.
There are lots of types of breeders in this world, they can't all be painted with the same brush. But, in the end there should be some fundamental things that all breeders adhere to. And the thing is, every single one of us has a different idea of what those things should be. But at the same time, most of us all have the same idea of what it shouldn't be, and that is uneducated people, with little to no knowledge of the breed, and no experience, wanting to mate their dogs, with no goal of the future, or no goals as to what they are hoping to produce.