"Dog Breeds" vs "Racism"

I think it's a valid topic for discussion and probably deeper than you might think (altho let's be careful with the "racist" aspect because there are some breeds associated with certain types of people ("dangerous breeds" *sigh*) and that's a whole different thing.

You'll get a lot of different answers -- and typically it can tell you a whole lot about people.  Not so much what breed they pick -- but WHY.

Because of my own physical limitations (I'm not fully confined to a wheelchair, but I'm far far more physically challenged than i wish I was) I've HAD to limit myself to smaller breeds.  Simply put -- I don't ever want to lose a dog because I can't lift it to get it TO a vet.  That said, I also don't ever want one of my dogs to be a "nasty unpleasant LITTLE dog" (they can be if not trained properly)

But honestly?  I've never been a big dog person -- mostly because I've always been limited (arthritis, etc. even as a kid) so keeping up with a bigger, more rambunctious dog was never my forte.

If I'm a snob in the dog world it's because I tend not to like Purebreds.  I honestly wouldn't **ever** buy a puppy.  bad breeding makes me SO mad that it has sort of soured me on the whole "fancy" thing -- I can't even watch a dog show any more without getting so angry about breed-realied health issues just to make a breed prettier or somehow "better" -- well let's just say I'm better off not watching them.

That said -- I have two "purebreds" -- both of which are nearly as badly bred as they come.  In Charlie's case that worked to his advantage.  Whatever spaniel they added to his Cavalier King Chas. parentage it helped him bypass the bad Cavalier heart.  But he's twice the size a "normal" Cavalier should be.  He's not fat - -he's just way bigger than breed standard.  Tink?  *laughing* Go take a look in my profile at that poor infected horror mask that she was (some woman bought her to breed her and when she turned stinky the woman just left her outside).

But there are some darned good breeders on here -- and honestly they have HELPED ME a great deal not be so bitter.  Seeing the lengths they go to to health certifiy, and even making the decision NOT to breed any more -- it's heartening. 

But honestly Meagan -- a whole lot of it comes down to personal preference.  Sometimes a good experience as a child -- or a particular strength of a breed.  For others it's specific character qualities -- tenaciousness, attitude, or "drive", intelligence, and sometimes the "other side" -- how carefree a breed may be, or sweet spirited.  There are as many reasons for various breeds to endear themselves to a person as there are characteristics.

Will be interesting to see how people respond. 

For David and I it comes down to the individual animal.  It's potential ... it's ability to connect.  For us that exceeds breed.  One of the things we enjoy is taking on a brand new breed just to see where we can go.  cos boy are they all different.

 A group of us had a similar discussion on facebook recently.  I have over 800 FB friends who are bichon lovers.  One of them also owns a Rottie. She had the bichon as her profile for weeks, and was gathering quite the collection of bichon lovers as friends. One day, she changed her profile pic from her bichon to her Rottie.   Over the next month, she had TWO Rottie friend requests! 

We didn't come to any conclusions, either, as to whether is was a prejudice, since owners relate to bichons differently than to Rotties, and bichon folk tend to be sedentary while Rottie owners tend to be more active (so less time on the computer).  At least, that was how we 'rationalized' it.

I think it has more to do with, well, don't know the word, but you know how you just 'click' with some people, and don't with others?  And if you put all people into those 2 groups, you may find a similarity in lifestyle, or likes/ dislikes, political views (or not if those aren't particularly important to you).  You find people with one type of noses attractive, while I find people with a different nose attractive.  Almost like the chemical reaction which supposedly comes into play as we select a mate.  If you look at it this way, there is no surprise that you tend towards a certain breed in preference. 

It is not based on stereotypes, though.  

Honestly, saying "I don't like small dogs" is a form of prejudice - prejudice being defined as pre-conceived, typically negative opinions about a group. However, considering that the small dogs really couldn't care less - whereas humans suffer a number of negative effects from such categorical judgments against them - that alone is enough to differentiate breed opinions from racism ;)

I don't see "breedism" like racism. at all. 

Dogs have been bred for generations to express or suppress certain genetic traits.  Racism and prejudice are rooted in biased opinion and preconceived judgments.  Breed traits are objective and factual. Racism involves denying people basic rights based on race whereas breed bias does not seek to deny certain breeds their basic rights (food, water, shelter) unless we delve into the realm of BSL which I also don't agree with even if I don't particularly like most of the breeds subjected to BSL.  For example I'll never own a Rottweiler but I'm not saying they can't be owned and cared for by others.

To be honest, in my breed I see too many people trying to *ignore* breed traits and paint all dogs with the same brush.  There's *nothing* wrong with breed traits.  People never seem to get that a dog's behavior and temperament is *genetic*.  You can't take a Pug and raise him to be a top ringsport dog just because that's how you raise and train him.  A Pug is a Pug and a Malinois is a Malinois. Embrace the breed differences!

rwbeagles

I'd agree. Racism is a institution, in this country at least. A system of passed down beliefs, teaching, and behaviors crossing all races that dictates what each race feels entitled to, capable of, or expected to achieve. It has taken HUNDREDS of years to develop

Racism has been around much longer than a few hundred years.  Our species fears what is unfamiliar and that usually includes physical differences as well as cultural differences.   Most racism is based on fear even when that fear is unjustified or dramatized by people in power for their own purposes.

I agree that the term racism is ill used when talking about dogs. 

There are breeds or types of dogs that I don't like that much and some I actually dislike whether it's their breed traits or their appearance.  It's not a big deal to me since I don't have to own those dogs.  I don't go out of my way to make an issue of it, especially since I own a breed that many people don't like. :)  People created all the different breeds to suit a job. Even lap dogs were created to provide companionship. Some of the dislike or preujudice I feel for some breeds is based on my own personal experiences with that particular breed.  I might have become a huge fan of that breed/type if my experiences had been different.  But sometimes it's just a matter of personal taste and I see nothing wrong with not loving every dog you see.  

Good post, Cita.