Overcoming stereotypes

Zipper, Ch Regatta It's About Time, tells the rats that darn it, if that cage wasn't there....(no rats were harmed!)

I was re-reading my "too dumb to learn" blog, and I realized I'd left something out. It's the "that's an XXX. They can't do squat!" excuse.

In the past few years, the public, pushed by various Animal Rights groups, has been slowly brainwashed to think that purebred dogs, especially purebred dogs of certain breeds, are all stupid genetic nightmares. If they convince us of this, they can continue their campaign to eliminate all dog breeding of any kind, thus ridding the world of companion animals all together. (Don't think it's true that the Animal Rights movement wants to eliminate companion animals, both dogs and cats? Read some of what Ingrid Newkirk, who owns PETA, has said on the subject).

Those of us who own purebred dogs have always heard these things, especially in regards to some breeds, and show-quality animals of those breeds. Irish Setters can't find their way out of a field they're so stupid. Those "beauty-contest" dogs are so riddled with genetic disease it's a miracle they make it around the ring. Those snobby show people, they ruin breeds. They just breed for looks.

Happily, those stereotypes are very wrong in many cases. I bought my first purebred dog in 1981. I did everything wrong. He was from a puppy mill, and he sure wouldn't have won anything in the ring. But he had a super temperament. And I did do a few things right, because I met several people who introduced me to the world of dog shows, both obedience and conformation, what we call "breed". My first mentors taught me a tremendous amount about dogs and showing and responsible breeding.

Dobermans have their own set of stereotypes. Vicious, mean, will attack anything, turn on their owners. The most famous is the "brain grows too big for their head" theory, in which apparently at some point their brain grows so big it squirts out their pointy little ears, causing them to kill every living thing in a 50 mile radius. It's a miracle any Doberman breeders exist!

And now I have a Min Pin. Miniature Pinschers are a tremendously old German breed, used as ratters and small vermin hunters from the 1600s on. Not only do I have a Min Pin, but he's an intact male. And not only that, but he's a breed champion, from a long line of dogs who have done nothing but be beautiful. Champions right, left, and center. According to the pundits, this dog should be a) stupid, b) untrainable, c) riddled with genetic disease, d) have no native working instinct at all e) spending every waking moment trying to breed a female, thus unable to learn any skills whatsoever.

Somebody forgot to tell him that. Zipper is starting to show in agility. He's a natural tracker, and loves to learn and puzzle through problems. He's also a determined vermin hunter, and is the only Min Pin to get a Novice pass in AWTA Earthdog. Though his breed isn't at this time eligible for AKC earthdog, we're working on it, and he's working at a Senior Earthdog level.

I guess my message here is that no matter what dog you have—from Champion purebred to champion pet, from small to large, from young to old, your dog can learn. Sure, some dogs have genetic physical and mental limitations. Some will be very shy/soft, some over-hyper. Some will pick up concepts very quickly, some will take longer. But they can all learn and have fun doing it too.

--Robin