34 Your Dog March 2020And just like those new drivers who,
despite the dream, i nd themselves in
hedges, ditches, or court, many
i rst-time owners i nd they just can’t
control something that smart, that driven,
that sensitive, that energetic, and that
full-on, or give them what they need every
single day of life come rain or shine.
It’s not just owners who are seeing the
problems with dubious breed choices
though, and often it is rescue organisations
that are left to pick up the pieces.IMPULSIVE BUYS
Adam Clowes, operations director at Dogs
Trust, said: “We have noticed trends when
potential dog owners may be inl uenced
to purchase particular breeds of dogs
impulsively, due to their portrayal in
popular media. An example of this would
be the television series ‘Game of Thrones’,
which resulted in a surge in popularity of
‘wolf-like’ breeds such as Huskies, Akitas,
and Malamutes, without dog owners
knowing much about their breed traits or
character. By the time the long-running
series had ended, our 21 rehoming centres
were caring for three times the number of
these breeds they would normally.
“We have also noticed an increase in
the number of popular breeds, such as
French Bulldogs and Dachshunds, being
imported to Great Britain illegally, and
being rescued and placed on Dogs
Trust’s Puppy Pilot Scheme. The
scheme was established to aid the
interception of dogs seized by
APHA (Animal and Plant Health
Agency) at the ports, and provide
care and rehabilitation for themprior to being rehomed. Since it began, we
have rescued and rehomed more than 1,000
dogs through the scheme.”
Why is this shift towards more unusual
breeds happening? There are ever-more
pure breeds being registered and available,
and events such as Discover Dogs, while
fantastic for educating new owners, do
show just how wide the potential choice
can be. And people given free choice don’t
always make wise decisions! They’ll look to
celebrities, the media, their friends — and
base their choice on looks or an image.
Remember that when you get a dog, you
are getting a new family member, someone
you will live with for 12+ years. Yes, you want
a dog who makes your heart melt when you
look at him, but the truth is, every dog will.
Anyone who looks at you with love, with
devotion, with joy, and with a wagging tail
will melt your heart.
Make wise choices and i nd a dog, a breed,
a type that will i t seamlessly into your life
and your family. That may well be a more
unusual breed, but probably it will be one
of the breeds that have
become popular for
very good reasons.Breed choice is certainly not
always a bad thing. The
ever-growing awareness of
breed choice and availability
means that with some research,
education, and patience,
people can think outside of the
traditional breed box and i nd
the perfect breed for them.
Bill Lambert, spokesperson
for the Kennel Club, said: “We
urge people to make sure
they understand the breed
and its characteristics before
they make a decision to buy or
rescue a dog, and to spend time
researching the wide variety
of breeds we are lucky to have
in this country, to make sure
they get the right one for them.
Events like Discover Dogs and
Crufts give potential puppy
buyers a chance to meet all
222 breeds the Kennel Club
recognises, and helps them to
i nd the right breed to i t in
with their lifestyle.”nning
g centres
mber of
.
se in
ch as
being
and
seof the breeds that have
become popular for
very good reasons.recognises, and helps them to
i nd the right breed to i t in
with their lifestyle.”Dachshunds are intelligent,
yet they are not always the
easiest dogs to train because
they are quite independent
by nature.DID YOU KNOW?“...dog owners may be
inl uenced to purchase
particular breeds of dogs
impulsively...”
There was an increase in the number of Huskies
and Husky-type dogs ending up in rescue
following the broadcasting of ‘Game of Thrones’.The independent Dachshunds.32-34 YD Registration Mar20 CS(SW)ok.indd 34 23/01/2020 13:20