I show and breed Boxers. I have some of the nicest AKC registered Boxers in the country from some of the best lines. They are health checked and this doesn't mean I take them to a vet and he says your dog is healthy. This means they have cardiac testing via EKG which is a 24 hour Holter monitoring/recording of the heart rhythm, an Echocardiogram, special auscultation for heart murmurs, Thyroid testing, via blood draws/lab testing, x-ray and certification of their hips, and eye testing.
I have very few breedings...when I do, many of my dogs go to show homes if good enough...a few are placed into wonderful family homes across the country of people who want a Boxer dog in particular.These people want a Boxer, usually a puppy and want specific breed characteristics that can only be obtained by owning a Boxer ( I think they are one of the greatest family dogs in the world, with very stable personalities, safe and loving with kids, fun, easy to groom and a laugh and a half, with just enough guard dog to know they will protect you if the need arises).
I support my national and local ASPCA's and Human Society's. I think all dogs deserve wonderful homes, but all dogs are not suited for wonderful homes and some must be put down.
Responsible breeders such as myself are not responsible for the shameful amount of animals that end up in shelters. Shameful people who want to own a dog and do not want to take on all the responsibilities of dog or cat ownership are. They are responsible for the mess in our shelters!
I will not stop breeding and showing my dogs because their are people in our society that are irresponsible and cruel to animals in general and I will not feel any guilt because their is a dog sitting in a shelter that needs a home and one of my puppies is taking it's place. The people who are lucky enough to get one of my puppies want a Boxer and want a dog with good breeding, and health testing, and personality testing that I perform when they are 8 weeks old to ensure they are getting the best fit for their family.
I am responsible and those of you that think my right to breed and show a specific breed of dog should be taken away because of all the other idiot's who are irresponsible human beings should get your priority's straight and get the correct message out to those irresponsible people and the general public. Also remember...not all dogs are able to be rehabilitated...There are only so many Ceasar Milano's with the time to fix a screwed up dog, if they can be fixed. Not everyone wants a shelter dog with an unknown past and issue's. I helped my neighbor pick out a nice shelter dog, a mostly pitbull mix. He( the dog) ended up being a terror and trashing her house and then out of nowhere taking a hunk out of her daughters arm!!!! She ended up getting a Boxer puppy from me, free of charge, one that I could have charged several thousand's for. He is now 8 and she is happy and he is happy.
The message being, If you own a dog, love it and care for it forever!!!,if it is a pet or a mix don't breed it. If it is registered, and if you think you are even considering breeding ask yourself these questions. Can I afford the testing to ensure my dogs the healthiest genetically best specimen possible to breed??? Have I shown it and proven it is a great specimen. Will my dog genetics and offspring improve the breed quality.Will this breeding produce great family pets...personality and demeanor is everything, if the parents do not have great and stable personalities, most likely the puppies won't either. Most important will I always be willing and able to provide a home for any dog I breed and take back any puppy or older dog if the need arises. If so then you might think about breeding, then again maybe not...
As far a pitbulls there are some great pitbulls out there, lots of great gentle dogs, but there are quite a few bad eggs as well and when a pitbull does damage to a human being the damage is very severe.. They are a dog aggressive breed not a human aggressive breed, very big difference!!, but when they are a dog and with bad upbringing, bad genetics and poor training, their strength and their size can make them a lethal weapon. Since they became the rage and every street corner thug and their mother decided they had to own one this breed has encountered a lot of problems and bad press some rightfully so as many of them are trained to be aggressive and then thrown in a yard or closed room and given little if any socialization. Biggest problem has been the lack of good ownership and awful breeding practices. I do not know if this breed will ever fully recover. Poor training, irresponsible breeding, and unscrupulous uses of this dog has forced the public to want the breed to be annihilated of the face of the planet... Frankly, I don't blame them.
It is true that a Dachsund, Chichuhua, Cocker Spaniel for that matter are more human aggressive breeds. However, you don't usually find them running around loose and devouring people, they remain in peoples home as coddled little pets, behind closed doors, and there bites can cause little of the harm that a big, strong dog that has been breed for generations to kill another dog can.
I hope all the wonderful loving pitbulls out there can find great homes!!! Would I ever own one??? No, because unfortunately by doing so I am taking on a liability in the publics eye, and in a court of law how do you defend yourself knowing the reputation that they have. I want to keep my home and possesions and the risk isn't worth it to me...
Good luck to the breed and all the wonderful owners who do allow them in their homes and give them the love that they deserve!!!