Page 234 - ShowSight - February 2020

WHAT IS
Breed Preservation?
BY IRIS ANDRE, PIZZAZZ RETRIEVERS
Ihave come to the realization that after 30 years of breeding that ‘Breed Preservation’ is more important than ever. What is ‘Breed Preservation’? Let me state first what it is not—breed- ing to fill puppy requests or replicating the dog you adore
in your home. ‘Breed Preservation’ is purposeful breeding aligned with the overall intent of the breed. For the Curly-Coated Retriever, we only need to look at two things to guide us; the CCRCA breed standard and the gamekeeper Sporting dog’s purpose.
The breeds standard is clear and outlines the good qualities that we should preserve and those that we should seek as part of our breeding purpose. The second element—purpose—which I think should be more important than the standard. This is a Sporting dog bred for the purpose of hunting game and being an active contribut- ing Sporting dog. This is hard for some breeders as they may not be interested in the sport of hunting nor have interest in dabbling in it with their dogs. I understand that hunting might not be everyone’s interest but if you plan to be a breeder of a Sporting dog you need to confirm regularly that you are breeding a Sporting dog. Other countries require the dog to prove that it has the ability to pass a hunting test before it is a champion. If we look at our CCRCA WC tests, it tests the innate skills of a hunting Retriever and should be one of our barometers that our breeding stock has the skills to be passed on to their get.
Let me explain why I feel this is so important. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can breed a pet dog. We see this everyday with the mixed breeds that regularly conflict with our breeding programs. They breed a Golden to a Poodle and call it a great pet. Although both might be dogs that might originally have been hunting pros- pects, the purpose of this breeding is just a “pet”. And we hear regularly that these pets are great pets but this is not ‘breed pres- ervation’. This is monetary breeding program to line the pocket of the salesperson.
Let me re-state, we are breeding Curly-Coated Retrievers! Not any other breed and our sole purpose should be preserving all aspects of this breed. Not finding the one thing we like that fits our current breeding program or our lifestyle.
I would like to further describe some of the qualities of breeders who will focus on ‘breed preservation and Purpose’. To illustrate this work let me step back into the late 70’s when the breed had
issues with coat quality. A number of breeders wanted to move to improve coats and have breeding stock that represents the quali- ties listed in our breed standard. Over the course of the last twenty to thirty years we made great strides in stabilizing coats, improv- ing structure, and improving similarity to the breed standard. My hat goes off to the efforts of our fellow breeders as this was a great success to our breed’s future.
To make these strides and ‘preservation’ it takes breeders who can draw a very clear line on what is acceptable breeding stock and what is not. Over the years I have eliminated a number of dogs from my breeding program and have moved away from pedigrees as a choice. A choice that is guided by ‘preservation and purpose’. If I see issues in my breeding program and it moves me away from the Breed Standard and at the same time further from the Sport- ing dog purpose, I am going in the wrong direction. Health, tem- perament, biddable, trainable, hunting desire amd structure are all equal contributors to my breeding decisions. It may seem harsh but I have spayed/neutered and placed many a dog because they did not measure up.
To have a focus on ‘preservation’ in our breed, a breeder needs to be able to have a clear objective when evaluating breeding stock. My worry is that we continue to provide excuses for the breed and make breeding decisions based on what is convenient, not whether the dog you are starting with is the right starting point. I recently visited the Curly World Seminar in the Netherlands and was amazed at the qualities of the breed and gave them very high marks for solid temperaments. Not one single dog exhibited shy- ness, aggression, or inability to interact with strangers. I continue to be amazed at what we put up with as an acceptable tempera- ment. This speaks to our ‘purpose’ which is hunting game, confi- dent, resourceful, aloof at times but not timid, biddable, and as it says, wickedly smart. This also speaks to a dog that can be trained to work, whether in the field or dock diving, agility, or obedience, and which helps confirm their ability to be a dog of ‘purpose’. As a breeder, take the hard line on what is ‘preservation and purpose’. Breed for ‘purpose’, both structurally and for ‘Sporting’ working dog values. Don’t get hung up on what is affixed to your kennel name or what is in your backyard as your only option. Keep this breed alive for ‘purpose’.
232 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020