Integrity

Mugi · Integrity

I am not going to comment on the tricolur thread but one thing springs to mind that we all need to remember.

To be a good custodian for a breed you need to have integrity and honesty.

You need to be honest enough to assess your 'stock' and decide if the good points are worth passing on ........... and the bad points are mild enough to risk, with thoughtful breeding to a complimentary dog.

I am not a breeder, I currently however have a dog who has had numerous offers at stud and I can breed him without restriction. Some of his offers are to nice enough bitches of his breed, some are to long dog breeders who like his size and general 'brightness' (and for working lurcher/long dog enthusiasts I would not automatically discount allowing my pedigree dog to be used at stud to create essentially a mongrel).

However my lad has poor feet and front pasterns which in dogs of his size and athleticism are not ideal ........... and he is bloat prone! So good dog or not I will not be letting him sire pups. The same would be true if I had a dog that did not comply with breed standard for coat colour - not good enough = not used BUT loved and fulfilled as a pet/working companion or whatever.

Breed Standards or not, Code of Conducts or not, Rules or not, the bottom line is we only really have honesty and integrity to rely on.

As a well known rescue has the slogan ............. Dogs are for Life.... and Breeds are for the future and need protecting as much as each and every puppy born needs to have a good a life as possible.

johnhod

Patricia

"The same would be true if I had a dog that did not comply with breed standard for coat colour "

I very much appreciate Sue's approach to her dogs and her integrity and wish to do things well.(even though Chase is endorsed) She is always wanting what is best for not just her dogs but the breed she chose.
No one says anything about stopping or hindering any dog working/being a pet or whatever people choose to do with their canines.
We are appealing to breeders to consider reproducing a colour which is simply not in the standard, was never accepted( no more than White Boxers, Black and Tan Labs etc...)& may have occured from involutary crosses.
I have always been of the belief we chose a pure bred dog to resemble what we chose it in the first place, otherwise may be Bringer would be just as good. from what I hear there are several around...
I very much admire Sue for her integrity and honesty. Wink

johnhod

I just wonder where colour comes into it when people argue that form for function should be the driving force behind breeding programmes

Dave A

Hi

Colour is just as much a part of breed standard as height etc and yes i agree it wouldn't matter one bit in the field or as a valued pet, but should that odd colour gene be carried by a dog who was well used within the small gene pool that we have, then it would wipe out the work that has been done by the club members ( responsible breeders ) over almost 30 yrs in the next 5 yrs.

This is of course just my opinion but i have seen it happen in other areas when a stud dog hides a fault and becomes prolific.

Dave A

Ghilliegumdrop

Added to which...if we do not abide by the French Club's rules etc we shall be out on our own. This would mean [if you follow it through] that in a few years the Brittany in the UK would not be a French Brittany but, like the American, a separate breed. The big question is.....do we want to be a separate breed and go our own way or do we want a French Brittany

Lin Dyke

Just to throw a spanner in the works. Is a Brittany truly French Question

The Breton people consider themselves a seperate nation, so surely the dogs from their region are seperate and unique Question

staandejachthond

well; the dutch are following the french rule's and standards.....and why would you be a "new"breed"???? the problem is the "genenaticpoole" and the limitation's if youre going for a "brit(t)isch standard"...
the bigger the genpoole, the less problems you will have to keep it "healthy".......in other topics there is writtten about just using price winning dog's... and now youre limiting yourselfs tot "just"englisch dog's????
Ill think its not smart to do that.....
but who am i....( as beeing a dutchman)

Patricia

You are right, Dutch or not Wink

We do have access to other Brittany blood through the passport. Some of us have made use of it and it does not have to be too expensive. I went with a member of the club to mate a Tricolour bitch to a top French champion. If someone needs help, just ask!
I have imported 9 dogs and bitches so far, but find going for a stud is more reliable. I spoke to a French breeder( who does well) and his comment was " buying a puppy" is like having " a hare in a bag" full of surprises. I am now collecting my own data of tailless too. And not forgetting quality and working.
It can be done.
As for genepool, shame the Dutch Friesians ( horses)don't have a larger pool as the inbreeding coefficient is around 5% or more... I have one of those stunning horses, but no approved stallion in the UK, only in Holland Confused

doganjo

Pippa's Pack

Ghilliegumdrop

True tricolour and have the test anyway.....and what about those people who [for whatever reason] don't wish to go abroad Question

Britmania

To me, the integrity factor makes the difference between breeding pedigree dogs and mongrels.
The standard is a written description of the ideal Brittany specimen, so it therefore follows that the aspects it describes should distinguish that breed of dog from every other breed of dog in the gundog group.

The various elements are described so that anyone , as well as show judges, can make an informed decision about what that breed should look like.

If the standard does not include things like prick ears, sloping croup, hare like paws and sable colour - it is not acceptable and that is it.

Breeders with integrity should make decisions based upon the two individuals they want to mate and whether they compliment each other, relative to the existing breed standard.

The sable colour is being debated because it has never been included as an acceptable colour in the first place. It has only become an issue in relatively recent times and the fact that people are now breeding them and producing them is no reason to suddely make them an acceptable colour. What if blue merle's suddenly appeared - would we then accept them with open arms too and change the standard to suit?

Patricia

]Breeders with integrity should make decisions based upon the two individuals they want to mate and whether they compliment each other, relative to the existing breed standard.

Again this is true. If a Stud dog does not have the necessary attributes for your breeding bitches, then you have to look elsewhere. Like I did not mate my Ch bitch to my stud dog as he is the top end of the standard and she is 49 cms. So, I went to a dog whose progeny I really like and enhances what I look for. Also strenghtening natural retrieving ability, good game sense but above all trainability. Nor will I mate him to my French import as they both have a similar fault- very slight I will say-
When I brought in Spot de Keranlouan into the UK, and though he is a good looking dog and fantastic worker, I decided to sell him on after seeing some of his puppies. Many were really quite large and some looked like Setters lacking barrel. I was told from France than having Italian blood, then Rolling Eyes

? I do not want oversize Brittanys even though we don't measure in the UK.
It is all about doing your best, or trying anyway...

johnhod

Patricia

John,
We have to follow the KC rules. If you measure or intend to, you have to warn the society. It is OK to do it at a Club show but -as I have found out- you have to give warning. But I have a slightly bigger Cirneco who was top of his breed in the UK, but...abroad he would be 1 cm too big. Hence I bought him for my son but still can show him here if I wish Confused

I won't go on about colours anymore, it is simple for me, I follow FCI standard. Wink