| What does the world see in the most ugly dogs? | | | | The worlds ugliest dog. |
| What do white Boxers, blue eyed Whippets and | | | | Now deceased, Sam, a Chinese Crested, won the |
| oversized Chihuahuas have in common? They are | | | | title "the worlds ugliest dog" as the result of eye, |
| all dogs that were routinely killed as puppies as | | | | skin and behavior conditions. These conditions |
| the direct result of what many people believe to | | | | taken one at a time are not enough to make any |
| be 'physical abnormalities'. | | | | dog super ugly, but when combined in one |
| It is often reported that Boxers should not be | | | | package (and in this case that one package was a |
| white, that Whippets should not have blue eyes | | | | dogs body), you end up with a canine monstrosity |
| and that a Chihuahuas should not be too large. | | | | that is bizarre enough to win the worlds attention. |
| When any one of these three 'abnormalities' was | | | | The question is, why keep a dog that has so |
| discovered in a litter of puppies, the "offending" | | | | completely been degraded by age and illness? |
| puppies were destroyed. You may be shocked to | | | | Many people believe that Sam was exploited. As |
| learn that it is estimated that more than 20% of | | | | the direct result of his ugly looks it soon became |
| all Boxers born in the U.S.A. are put to death | | | | possible to buy Sam T-Shirts, Cups and Calendars. |
| because they are white! | | | | On the other hand many people admire Sam's |
| In much the same way that undesirable | | | | owner for saving such a hopeless dog and giving |
| pure-breed puppies were once regularly put to | | | | it a home where he lived out his life as a dearly |
| death, it is also true that mix-breed puppies were | | | | loved pet. |
| often exterminated simply because they were of | | | | Although Sam was ugly, it could be argued that |
| mixed heritage. While all of this may prove | | | | his health conditions were not enough to have him |
| shocking to most readers, there exists a large | | | | euthanized. In much the same way that many |
| community of reputable breeders and | | | | people find it unacceptable to killing a dog simply |
| veterinarians who strongly support the culling of | | | | because it is ugly? With this in mind I would like to |
| undesirable puppies, they argue that genetically | | | | introduce you to Victoria (pictured left). Victoria is |
| inferior dogs gives rise to a multitude of problems | | | | a four year old Italian Greyhound that is in the |
| that risk the overall integrity of well bred animals. | | | | running for the world title as the "most ugly dog". |
| What some people choose to view as simple | | | | Victoria suffers from seizures, has an amputated |
| color or size variations, others view as the earliest | | | | tale, is blind in her right eye and has a head |
| warning signs of future breed tragedies. | | | | deformity caused by hydrocephalus. |
| There seems to have been a trend with many | | | | Hydrocephalus is a neurological disease in which |
| pure breed dogs, a trend that seems to suggest | | | | there is excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal |
| that a weakening of normal pigment often leads | | | | fluid within the ventricular system of the brain. |
| to other, more tragic abnormalities. Robert Dixion, | | | | Causes of hydrocephalus in young animals include |
| a breeder of Boxers in Edmonton, Alberta, says: | | | | congenital defects, intrauterine or perinatal |
| "There may not be too much of a difference | | | | infections, perinatal trauma, and central nervous |
| between white and brown Boxers at first, but it is | | | | system tumor. The most common cause of |
| when the white dogs are allowed to reproduce | | | | hydrocephalus in young animals is congenital |
| over and over again that I fear a great | | | | defect. |
| weakening of the breed will take place." To | | | | Keeping sick animals alive and displaying them in |
| prevent this "weakening" Dixion culls all white | | | | public competition is not only reserved for |
| puppies that are born in his kennel. He justifies his | | | | independent dog owners, it is now a practice that |
| actions by saying; "Most people who want a white | | | | has been adopted by a number of 'no-kill' animal |
| Boxer are people who simply want a pet dog. | | | | shelters. Rather than euthanizing dogs that suffer |
| White Boxers cannot be shown. I fear that | | | | from terrible illness, many 'no-kill' animal shelters |
| providing these white dogs to the pet market will | | | | will keep these animals alive as they try to find |
| ultimately lead to the back yard breeding of what | | | | special people to care for them. Dogs with no |
| is often advertised as 'rare white boxers'. As a | | | | legs, eyes, or even the ability to breath without |
| reputable breeder I cannot let my work lead to a | | | | great assistance are kept alive, and are even |
| greater social problem from which I do not | | | | celebrated as unwitting heroes as humans watch |
| believe there is a cure." Dixion thinks well beyond | | | | them struggle to stay alive. One such dog was |
| how he feels about individual puppies and | | | | even featured on the Oprah Winfry show. |
| considers the future of a whole breed of dog. | | | | Faith (pictured left), a two legged mixed breed |
| Markus Buyens, a breeder of Doberman Pinchers | | | | dog that was born without her two front legs, |
| and Rottweilers, spoke to Puppywishes about this | | | | learned to walk and even run using her two hind |
| issue in a recent interview. Buyens talked to us | | | | legs. This two legged dog reached a degree of |
| about an accidental breeding between a | | | | celebrity when television personality Oprah Winfry |
| Doberman and a Rottweiler in his care. When | | | | featured the dog on her afternoon talk show. |
| asked what he did with the puppies, he answered: | | | | What makes the story of Faith so special is the |
| "I had my vet put them to sleep." Buyens | | | | degree of courage and zest for life that Faith |
| defended his actions by sighting the vast number | | | | shows. As a dog Faith is undoubtedly a canine |
| of designer breeds that are readily available today. | | | | oddity, but as a symbol of hope, endurance and |
| He says; "What was once a breeding accident | | | | success, Faith inspires us to do better. On some |
| that needed a solution, has now become a way | | | | level we think: if a dog can rise above life's |
| for irresponsible breeders and puppy mill | | | | obstacles, why can't we? |
| operations to make millions of dollars each year. | | | | The problem with using dogs as tokens of hope is |
| Where breeders once struggled to produce | | | | that dogs, like children, should never be placed in a |
| healthy pure breed dogs, they now simply toss | | | | situation where they are made to parent. When |
| any two dogs together, provide the offspring with | | | | we cling onto dogs to make ourselves feel good |
| cute names, and sell them as designer breeds." | | | | about our own humanity, we inevitably become |
| Notwithstanding the number of valid arguments | | | | less humane. This lack of humanity becomes |
| that justify the culling of problematic pure breeds | | | | apparent when we start to parade sick dogs in |
| and mix breed puppies, the modern social view is | | | | front of the masses so that they can be |
| that it is altogether wrong to kill a puppy because | | | | awarded for the very attributes that cause them |
| it is an inappropriate color or of mixed heritage. | | | | grief. Selfishness often appears disguised as |
| Along with the forever growing number of | | | | genuine love, and when people keep dogs alive |
| vegetarians, animal rescue shelters and lobby | | | | only because it supports their own narcissism we |
| groups that speak up for animals (some of which | | | | run the risk of celebrating canine suffering, when |
| are so extreme as to suggest a dog should never | | | | in truth we should be delivering peace. |
| be leashed), there now exists a public sentiment | | | | Do not misunderstand, in every community there |
| that not only supports the existence of | | | | will always exist astonishing examples of canine |
| controversial dogs, but also champions some of | | | | spirit. Some dogs thrive no matter what and their |
| the most extreme examples of canine aberrance. | | | | zest for life cannot be ignored. However, great |
| Some of the most radical ideas are born from a | | | | care must be taken to ensure that we do not |
| simple desire to address a real injustice. Of course | | | | become lazy thinkers, we must stay sharp and |
| it is wrong to kill a puppy simply because it is | | | | do everything in our power to prevent the |
| white, although the color white may be seen as a | | | | glorification of dogs that are suffering, no matter |
| genetic deformity in some breeds, in our view the | | | | how good it makes us feel to 'do the right thing'. |
| deformity is so minor that it is irrelevant. | | | | |