List of Blog Entries:
Why Are Dog Shows are Only for Pure Bred Dogs?
by Don Bullock
I get asked this question often. The people who ask are genuinely wondering why they don’t see shows for rescue dogs or mixed breeds. They don’t understand the reason for dog shows and think they are like beauty contests and that the dogs have to be trained to perform. Dog shows are judges on the conformation of the dogs in relation to the ideal dog of their specific breed.
Dog shows came from agricultural shows where farmers showed their animals. The animals were judged by a panel of judges who selected those that they thought would produce the best offspring. At these shows dogs were shown alongside of cattle, hogs, chicken and any other farm animals that were included at the shows.
by Don Bullock
We receive puppy inquiries on a fairly regular basis. They seem to peak around Christmas and in the spring. Often I try to encourage those who write to us is to attend a dog show near them. Before they go I suggest that they research how a dog show works either through our website or through the AKC website.
Dog shows are where the general public can see some outstanding dogs and meet some of their owners and breeders. Dog shows are meant to be a place where breeders and owners can have their dogs judged by licensed judges according to their breed’s AKC written Standard. As a result breeders and owners tend to have their best examples of their breed in the show ring. Outside the ring after judging the general public can meet and speak to the owners and breeders of the dogs they liked.
by Don Bullock
This is a letter that I sent to the membership of the Basset Hound Club of Southern California as their President and Webmaster on July 4th 2016. It was designed to educate their membership for the upcoming elections about issues related to dog ownership and breeding. I feel it is appropriate to reprint this letter here for those of you who follow Woebgon Bassets.
I’m writing you today as we celebrate the birth of our wonderful nation and the establishments of our rights as citizens to alert you about those who wish to take away our rights to own and breed basset hounds along with All domesticated animals. It’s an important topic for all of us to be aware of and possibly help prevent.
Responsible Breeders (Including Links to AKC video and website page)
By Don Bullock
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is attempting to educate the public about the differences in breeders. People need to understand that the AKC is just a registery of dogs. Any registered purebred sire can be bred to any purebred dam of the same breed and the offspring will be registered by the AKC. Some have mistaken this to mean quality. In an attempt to demistify the confusion the AKC has defined the term, Responsible Breeder to educate the public about breeders who produce quality dogs.
This Blog contains a statement by Woebgon Bassets and links to an AKC video on the subject and an AKC website page.
Responsible Breeders Reach Out With a Positive Approach to Fight Anti-breeder Sentiment (Link to AKC Gazette Page)
by Jill Kessler Miller, AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
Webmaster's NOTE: This is a fantastic article that all should read.
As a dog trainer and an instructor for puppy socialization classes, I can’t help but notice that almost all of the purebred puppies I see (and many popular purposely-bred mixes) are not from good local breeders but were purchased through the Internet.
It’s actually quite astonishing: On a whim, anyone can Google a breed, click on a website, put in a credit card number, and a puppy will arrive at their local airport within 24-48 hours, just as though they had ordered new shoes or a surfboard.
In an effort to reduce the numbers of unwanted dogs in shelters, many counties and states enact anti-breeding laws. Exemptions to keep an intact dog or bitch are often financially onus and at the approval whim of a local animal-control hearing officer who may—or may not—be familiar with the world and goals of purebred dog fanciers.
By Don Bullock
The Standard we use today for basset hounds was changed in 1964 by the Basset Hound Club of America (BHCA) and adopted by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Standards for the breed, however go back much farther than that. Perhaps the first actual written Standard for Basset Hounds was pinned in 1881 by Sir John Millais.
By Don Bullock
I still don’t understand why anyone would buy a dog online. We’re talking about a member of the family, not a piece of meat. The Internet has become the place for many “breeders” who will sell you just about any breed or “designer dog,” mutt mix, possible. It’s amazing all the choices that are out there. Most even take PayPal!
By Don Bullock
This entry was updated July 2, 2017
Finally in the media we’re starting to see some truth about the PETA, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other extremists organizations. According to the data that PETA has released their only shelter has a kill rate of almost 90% and less than 1% of the money raised by the HSUS goes to shelters to help animals. According to news reports, even the SPCA hasn’t been totally upfront with their contributors. If you do a search on the Internet you’ll find many sites that agree that the these groups have grossly mislead the public about their rescue efforts and where their money goes. Please investigate this issue yourself.
In Defence of Well-bred Dogs (Link to AKC Page)
By Jacquelyn Fogel, ccpetresort@aol.com
Webmaster's NOTE: This is a fantastic article that all should read.
Recently a father and his children saw the author walking a Basset puppy at the dog show. After the kids spent some time with the puppy, the father asked questions about the show and the different breeds. Then he asked, “What’s the difference between a shelter dog and these dogs?”
How We Became Involved in Showing Dogs
By Don Bullock
In recent years I've seen many articles about showing dogs, but nowhere do I see some that tell newcomers how to become involved in the sport. While the information and ideas I include in this article don't explain what to do they chronicle how my wife, Pam, and I got involved in the sport of dogs. Perhaps my comments on how we got into showing and eventually breeding will help someone else.
Breeding Should NOT be Taken Lightly
By Don Bullock
Breeding basset hounds is not easy. There is a lot more involved with our breed than many others. To start with in my opinion a canine reproduction specialist is a must. Breeding bassets requires an abundance of time, energy and money. While it can be very rewarding tragedy is also possible. This blog was meant not to scare potential basset hound breeders. I encourage you to try breeding but you need to understand what you may be getting into as well as what to prepare for.
The blog is titled “From the Brambles” because that’s exactly what basset hounds were bred to do, hunt through the brambles of Europe and the United Kingdom. I hope people who visit our website will enjoy my ramblings and that they will help keep you informed about us and bassets.
For the most part the entries will be authored by me. I will, however, link to what I feel are excellent articles related to basset hounds and breeding. Check back here often for new blogs. The most recent entry date will appear in the drop down menu.