#dobermen

1. It's not my program, but it's the only one I know of doing extremely necessary work re: doberman genetic diversity; these dogs are some of the most inbred and suffer for it enormously. No program is perfect, and on the balance people who work hard to improve the health of the breed so dogs aren't dropping dead at age 4 of DCM, in a breed where even doing line outcrosses or breeding to pet lines is considered radical, is of such extreme import that I believe it outweighs decisions to alter individual puppies cosmetically, even if I don't agree with the latter policy. Which for the record I don't. But it isn't my decision or my program to run.

2. No, cropping and docking aren't illegal in the US or Canada. Docking is done extremely early, before puppies have a "pain memory" -- although I retain concerns about the long term consequences of esstentially amputating the end of an animal's spine. I do not like it, and would never choose to do it on my own litters. However, Aja would essentially be given to me to use as a service dog in exchange for me taking stewarship of her wellbeing and raising some litters for the program. She is their dog. A trained service dog would normally cost thousands of dollars, guys! This is an amazing opportunity for me, a disabled person! So yes, if that is part of what is required of me for the 1-2 litters I raise while she is in my care, I will do it, because ... it is part of the bargain. I would prefer not to, and I am going to inquire as to the absolute necessity, but it well may be, and if it is I will arrange for it, and do everything in my power to ensure that the puppies' experiences are as pain-free as possible and that they heal up quick. (Cropping is done later and as such generally the choice is left up to the puppy buyers.)

3. I am not sure u guys understand how much is required to try and be taken seriously by the show dog community when running an outcross program. You have to be ten times as responsible -- and, critically, ten times as faithful to the breed standard. Cropping and docking are in the breed standard (altho apparently there is now a standard for the natural ear as well, which is great!!!) Showing the dobe community that one can outcross and still produce dogs which look and behave like dobermans-- dogs that retain "type" -- is essential in trying to convince breed clubs that outcrossing is a viable tool for improving breed health and, in the process, the wellbeing of individual dogs. There are solid reasons for wanting to have the dogs produced by these programs appeal to show breeders specifically, because of how dead set against outcrossing the community is and has been. I do not like this! I think the kinds of people this program has to convince are the kind of people, generally, who I personally would like to fistfight in an alley, for MANY reasons, not limited to unnecessary cosmetic surgeries on pups! But I think it is important to understand that this choice the program is making is not on a whim and does serve a larger purpose of having the dogs produced look as typey as possible, in order to prove that the work they are doing... works, thus convincing the breed club to consider employing some of their methods. If they are able to do this, it will have a huge impact on the health of the breed overall and improve the lives of many, many dogs.